And she was so kind about it too! I saw her original announcement on her story and she was so polite and kind in how she explained why she’d chosen to make it a single-sex space. And all she’s gotten is some absolutely nasty responses.
It doesn’t matter how kind we are, how much we obediently, tearfully explain how our bodies have been violated a thousand times over, how much we debase ourselves and “check our privilege!” and educate ourselves and “listen to other people’s experiences!” they will still display a disturbing level of hatred and threatening language. I follow some trans creators because I try to keep an open mind, but I had to unfollow one (TIF) because he made a video saying that he’s going to show up and frighten everyone there with his appearance and behavior because, “I’m biologically female and you said you wanted me here!”
I get it. Being excluded can hurt sometimes. But that doesn’t mean you’re entitled to spaces, or to people’s bodies, to soothe that hurt. No, this is not the same as racial segregation. This is a singular, private space in which women, a group of people who suffer immensely, are wanting to gather to support each other and have s respite from a male dominated world. Give me a fucking break. I’m tired of trans rhetoric co-opting racism as their defense and I’ve been told by a lot of women of color that it’s frustrating to them too, and considering the fact that the lovely owner of this gym is a woman of color I can only imagine how invalidating and frustrating this all is to her.
womyn, please, show some love and support to natalee barrett. she’s a black woman who created a gym for women only and after deciding to exclude trans women (for obvious reasons), she has been unfollowed and insulted by trans activists. in the first link below, @/prowomyn on instagram explain the whole situation. the second one is her instagram profile.
1. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHHSxBoPxtLMhBcajpaVB2alVCBV4jvPQtIlH80/?igsh=OHp1djl0dTB2MW9z
2. https://www.instagram.com/nataleebarnett_?igsh=MTJzdHlxZGg5bDQ2NQ==