Trans Women are Women - here’s why that’s not up for debate

Because feminism without trans women isn’t feminism. Full stop. 

Feminism is for everyone. 

The term 'feminism' is used because it acknowledges the inequality and systemic disadvantages that women (and yes, trans women are women) face. It seeks to amplify this disparity in order to encourage true equality, by directly targeting the biases and unfair standards that women have to navigate within society. 

But any movement that seeks equality, while purposely excluding some people, can never be successful. Women are scrutinised regularly, in an attempt to make us feel as though we are never enough. 

This starts at such a young age, with girls being socialised to believe that being a ‘good girl’ – following rules, being kind no matter how much someone pushes our boundaries, and being self-sacrificing – will mean that we fit in and are accepted. 

But this always gives other people the power to define what it means to be ‘good’, and therefore, good enough. 

And this sense of being good enough involves making ourselves small. 

This includes trying to make ourselves physically small, chasing beauty myths and thin-ness despite unrealistic body standards. Being hungry keeps us quiet, and compliant. 

It also includes trying to keep ourselves small in how we express ourselves. To be a good girl in a patriarchal society means we don’t express our needs or feelings, we don’t make a fuss, and we don’t stray from the falsehoods that tell us we must be quiet, demure, and restrained. Being silent and swallowing our thoughts and feelings makes us ill, mentally and physically, and if we’re ill it’s harder to fight against the things that constrain us. 

We must not fall for the myth that being a ‘good girl’ will somehow keep us safe, or protect us from harm. The stark reality is that this is not true. 

Misogynistic and anti-feminist rhetoric and ideology seeks to control and police women’s bodies, and that includes all women’s bodies. 

Transphobic ideas are also rooted in racism and homophobia (amongst other things). If any woman does not fit in with the things that we are told are the ‘ideal’ for femininity, then she is ostracised and criticised, because patriarchal society wants women to conform. 

Recently, this was highlighted very publicly with the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif being misgendered following her participation in the 2024 Olympics. Misinformation was spread online very quickly because a strong woman did not fit the expected mold of what a woman is told she should be[1]. 

And this is not the first time that women of colour who excel in sports have been subjected to sexist and transphobic rhetoric. Despite being widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Serena Williams has been body-shamed throughout her entire career[2]. 

Where male athletes are lauded for their strength and prowess (no matter how much space they take up), women are shamed and ridiculed for this, no matter their achievements.

Trans-women of colour have been involved in social justice movements throughout history, but too often their stories have been overlooked, erased, or limited in their portrayal. 

Marsha P Johnson is just one trans-woman who made history through her involvement in the Stonewall uprising in 1969, which was a direct catalyst for LGBTQ+ rights across the world. But even though she is recognised as an important activist, she is often known solely for her role in the Stonewall riots[3]. 

Marsha also set up the Street Transvestite Activist Revolutionaries (STAR) with her friend Sylvia Rivera, who was a Puerto Rican trans-woman, to provide a home for young trans people who had been shunned by their families and left homeless and alone. 

Homophobia and misogyny go hand in hand. 

When men face homophobic biases and discrimination, this is often aimed at them being criticised or shamed for being feminine, and not meeting society’s ‘rules’ of what it means to be a ‘real man’. 

This prejudice goes so far that it is levied at men who aren’t even members of the LGBTQ+ community, but who don’t conform with or like the typical things that men are told they should like. It is also directed at men who don’t behave in ways that they are told men should behave, because ‘boys will be boys’. 

When women face homophobic biases and discrimination, this is often aimed at them being criticised or shamed for being masculine, and is another way that women are criticised for not conforming to society’s portrayals of femininity. 

Such prejudice is rooted in gender biases. In reality, not all gay men are effeminate, and not all gay women are especially masculine. It is a very limited and bigoted belief to think about members of the LGBTQ+ community in this way, but many people do still hold these preconceived ideas of what it means to be gay. 

There are many stories like this, of women being told they are not enough, because of systemic misogyny. 

Feminism supports equality for all people, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, religion, age, disability, or any other characteristic. It must be intersectional and be inclusive for as many people as possible if we wish to drive real and lasting change as a society. 

At HASSL, we’re working to enable everyone in society to create and maintain safer public spaces, and to foster a real sense of community, regardless of our characteristics. 

Feminism and tackling misogyny shouldn’t just be the burden of those experiencing it directly. It takes all of us to make things change. And it stops with us. 

Hayley Westwood (she/her), UK, Compliance and DEI Professional (and book blogger). �� https://www.instagram.com/shelflyfe 

�� www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-westwood-int-dip-fincrime-int-dip-sanctions-167ba1143

 

Some additional information on defining gender and biological sex:

When defined in the most basic way, transgender (or ‘trans’) means that the gender or biological sex that you were assigned at birth does not align with your gender identity. Gender identity is a person’s internal knowledge and inner concept of themselves, of their own gender, and of their identity associated with gender. 

If your gender identity does align with the sex you were assigned at birth, this means you are cisgender. 

Gender is a construct, and a spectrum. It is not as simple as determining someone to either be a boy or girl in a binary way. There are three key elements that relate to gender: biological sex, gender identity, and gender expression[4]. 

Biological Sex 

Biological sex relates to physical traits you were born with. When some people claim that gender is ‘based on biology’, this is what they are referring to. 

However, biology itself is complex and does not follow a simple binary of boy or girl. 

Reproductive organs alone do not denote someone’s gender, because intersex people exist. Intersex is an umbrella term, but it is used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations – some of these are visible at birth, but some are not. 

In biology lessons at school we are taught that XX chromosomes = girl and XY chromosomes = boy. 

However, this is too simplistic, and does not take into account the many variations of chromosomes that occur naturally in humans, including extra chromosomes that some people may have and may never be aware of. 

Even on a hormonal level, we are told that boys have more testosterone and are naturally more aggressive as a result, and that girls have more oestrogen and are more docile as a result, but this is a generalisation. 

More information on differences in biological sex is available on the NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/differences-in-sex-development/ 

Gender Identity 

Society’s definitions of gender are cultural, societal, and they change over time. While these definitions and expectations aren’t fixed, when we are assigned a biological sex we are expected to conform to the expectations associated with that gender based on the society, culture, and family unit that we grow up in. 

So many things in life are unnecessarily gendered, and targeted at either women or men as consumers, when there isn’t a need to compound this forced binary of recognising only two gender identities. 

Even in the cisgender community, no individual is solely masculine or feminine – we all have traits of both masculinity and femininity at different times, in different circumstances, and depending on what societal group we are in at any given moment. 

Everyone can be susceptible to the pressure to conform to other peoples’ expectations based on our gender and societal gender ‘norms’, and there are biases and privileges associated with this which add even more complexity. 

Gender Expression

Gender expression is all about how you present yourself, and is linked to associations with masculinity and femininity (or androgynous, which can be a mix of masculinity and femininity to varying degrees). 

Gender can be expressed through physical appearance and dress, but can also be situational and behavioural. 

In terms of physical appearance and dress, this is again based on expectations of gender – for example, that only women wear skirts and dresses so men who wear ‘skirts’ are girly or feminine. In reality men have worn dresses and skirts throughout all of recorded history, and so this concept of such clothes being only for girls is quite a modern attitude. 

There are also people who express gender in a way that is a performance, such as drag queens and drag kings. While these performers express a heightened sense of identity during their performance, this does not necessarily mean that they are transgender. 

Expressions of gender are also associated with things that you do, and how you do them. For example, if you are a man who has a skincare regime and who gets your nails painted, this may be seen as ‘girly’. In reality, self-care and wellbeing practices are important for everyone, and should not be considered as relating to any gender. 

You can find some other associated terms to help understand gender more here: https://glaad.org/reference/trans-terms 

[1] CNN, Fact check: Trump repeats lie that champion Olympic women’s boxers ‘transitioned’, written by Daniel Dale, February 05, 2025: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/05/politics/olympic-womens-boxers-transitioned-trump-fact-check/index.html 

[2] Teen Vogue, Serena Williams Addresses the Body Shaming She's Experienced for Having Muscles, written by Andrea Park, May 31, 2018: 

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/serena-williams-addresses-the-body-shaming-shes-experienced-for-having-muscles 

[3] National Women’s History Museum, Marsha P. Johnson, written by Emma Rothberg, 2022: 

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/marsha-p-johnson 

[4] Healthline, 68 Terms That Describe Gender Identity and Expression, written by Mere Abrams and Sian Ferguson, January 26, 2024: https://www.healthline.com/health/different-genders

Disclaimer:

This article has been written by a HASSL Ambassador as part of our community content initiative. While all ambassador contributions are reviewed for clarity, tone, and alignment with our values before publication, the views expressed are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the views or official position of HASSL.

These articles are intended to amplify personal perspectives, lived experiences, and knowledge from our wider community. They are not authored by the HASSL team, and HASSL does not claim ownership over the content.

Please note that the information provided is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It should not be taken as professional, medical, or legal advice. If you require support or guidance in any of these areas, we strongly recommend consulting a qualified professional.