Transsexual vaginas and certain feminists

So I read this article. What makes a woman?

This post is loosely in answer to this. 

I’m not particularly well-read in this area of feminist thinking – Though I don't make a point of reading misguided hate, I do know that there is a branch of feminist thinkers who are most offended by the existence of trans women, and trans women claiming 'women-hood' and speaking for women. 

The article above has some interesting points. Something I would agree to is that some trans woman behave badly, naively and sometimes with a powerful misguided sense of entitlement (I include myself in that camp as a trans type person raised as a male). Personally I think it is perfectly reasonable that if a trans woman is raised as a guy, in a patriarchal society which feeds men a particular view of what it means to be a woman, which gives them a sense of an entitlement they are not even aware of, then obviously this will carry that through into the behaviour of many trans women on account of their upbringing. It is also true that we don’t share some of the same experiences as some of the cis population of women.

It was interesting how nail polish was called out in the article. My view is that nail polish is just something which represents a freedom never before had. It brings a sense of relief. I'm not sure most people can’t really understand. It feels like a profound yet simple pleasure. No it does not make you a woman. But it can feel fucking good. 

In many ways this sense of freedom from such trappings is so euphoric that it can easily eclipse pretty much anything else. Yes we grew up not fearing for our safety in quite the same way as cis women walking down a dark street. But damn we learn to feel it. We also learn about sexism in the workplace. We learn about not making the same amount of money for the same job. We learn what it is like to be on the fat end of objectification. But this process does not happen overnight. 

Something that often seems to get swept under the carpet is that yes while Trans women don’t come with the same background and socialisation as most cis-women, neither do all cis women share the same background and experiences as each other. For example, is a woman raised in New Zealand less of a women than a white woman from America because they have not suffered the same level of gender inequality? Is a woman who was raped, more of a woman because they have been a direct victim? Is a black American woman more of a woman than a white American one because they have suffered more discrimination? If the answer is no and you accept that a woman is more than just a vulva and tits then how can a trans woman be less of a woman? What does it actually mean to live your whole life "as a woman"?

There is also no mention of trans women who have lived very little of  their lives as 'boys' and never really had a ‘male’ upbringing among others. Again we all come with different sets of experiences.  Which one is most valid? How can you talk for women when you don’t represent all female experience including trans women experiences?

The truth is I am actually pretty pissed at some trans voices too. The most vocal of us seem to be the ones with the greatest sense of entitlement, the most self-righteous, the ones who have most brought into the gender binary, and perhaps raise the most ire from this particular 'feminist'.  I still think these loud voices are important, but I can’t quite articulate just how yet.

Here are some thought to leave you with. I've heard dismay and hate for Caitlyn Jenner from both feminists and trans folk. The only thing you all seem to agree on is you all hate her.  But isn't she just a product of American culture? Consider too that just maybe she is just so relieved to be able to wear nail polish or ‘traditionally American female things’ and be celebrated for it and that just in this moment perhaps she does not really give a fuck about feminism, or equality, or the implications of her politics? I don’t think she owes me anything.  How relevant is she to the majority of us living in other countries anyway?