For reference, here’s a quick list of TERF dogwhistles and terminology off the top of my head. Please note that dogwhistles are effective because of plausible deniability; always check profiles before making an accusation.
- “Trans-identifying male/female” / “TIM/TIF”
- “Gender-critical” / “gender abolitionist”
- Language that pathologizes trans identity (“transgenderism/gender cult/genderist/TRA/gender ideology”)
- ANY form of “what about the children?!” rhetoric
- “Womyn” / “wombyn” / “gyns” in the place of “woman,” omission of the suffix “-man”
- Replacing the term “lesbian” with “female homosexual” or “woman-attracted woman” / “lesbians are not attracted to men”
- Aversion to the term “cisgender” / “cis is a slur”
- Unnecessary focus on “biology,” “biological markers”, and AGAB
- Transvestigating / intense scrutiny of bodily proportions and stereotypically gendered characteristics (eyelash length, hip and waist size, chest size, body hair, height, face shape, etc) or phrenology-adjacent behaviors
- Emphasis on the womb or ability to menstruate or give birth / “men can’t get pregnant/have periods”
- Gender essentialism (men are inherently oppressors, women are inherently fragile and delicate)
- Gender separatism, specifically the idea of “protecting women’s spaces”
- “Libfem” as a derogatory term (this can also apply to other forms of bigotry, not just TERFs!)
- “Did you assume my gender?!” or “I identify as…” mockery
- “Peak trans” or “peak trans moment” (refers to the “turning point” that made a TERF begin to hate trans individuals)
- “LGB” (ANY omission of a letter from the LGBTQIA+ acronym should raise eyebrows)
- “Dysphoric female” in reference to trans men, “male invader” in reference to trans women
- “Rapid-onset gender dysphoria” / “autogynophilia/autoandrophilia”
- “Divine feminine energy”
Please stay safe out there, y’all. Trans rights are human rights.