If you believe that men cannot be women, then you are a bigot, according to an open letter signed by some by Gloria Steinem, Brie Larson, Selena Gomez, and more than 400 other women in entertainment, business, politics and activism.
“In observance of Women’s History Month and Transgender Day of Visibility, we write this letter as feminist leaders in advocacy, business, entertainment, media, politics, and social justice who stand as, with, and for transgender and nonbinary people. Trans women and girls have been an integral part of the fight for gender liberation. We uphold that truth and denounce the ongoing anti-transgender rhetoric and efforts we witness in various industries,” the letter from the Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) reads.
“We acknowledge with clarity and strength that transgender women are women and that transgender girls are girls. And we believe that honoring the diversity of women’s experiences is a strength, not a detriment to the feminist cause,” it continues. “All of us deserve the same access, freedoms, and opportunities. We deserve equal access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, recreation, and public accommodations. And we must respect each person’s right to bodily autonomy and self-determination.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), the letter was organized by activist Raquel Willis to be released on Transgender Day of Visibility – the very last day of Women’s History Month. The most prominent signatories include the likes of feminist activist “Gloria Steinem, Regina King, Halle Berry, Selena Gomez, Chelsea Clinton, Gabrielle Union, Wanda Sykes, Kathryn Hahn, Bella Hadid, Janelle Monáe, Patricia Arquette, Laverne Cox, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson, Cynthia Erivo, Judith Light, Amy Schumer, Cara Delevingne, Lena Waithe, Sarah Paulson, Alison Brie, Alyssa Milano, Lilly Singh, Ilana Glazer, America Ferrera, Mj Rodriguez, Kat Graham, Peppermint, Tegan & Sara, Beanie Feldstein, Christina Ricci, Melissa Etheridge, Lena Dunham, Mayim Bialik, Amiyah Scott, Tatiana Maslany … .”
The letter was also signed by various organization’s claiming to fight for women’s rights such as Time’s Up, Me Too, Women’s March, Planned Parenthood, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, Ms. Foundation, 3% Movement, National Women’s Law Center, GLAAD, the Trevor Project, LGBTQ Task Force, GLSEN, Athlete Ally, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lesbians Who Tech.
The letter explicitly states that people who disagree with transgenderism in the name of feminism continue to perpetuate “division and hatred.”
“We continue to reckon with a history that has often excluded women of color, of different sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, ages, body types, religions and regions, and who are disabled. However, the feminist movement has largely expanded in beautiful and powerful ways. We have more language and understanding than ever before to describe how our unique experiences are threaded in the larger tapestry of womanhood,” the letter continues. “We all must fight against the unnecessary and unethical barriers placed on trans women and girls by lawmakers and those who co-opt the feminist label in the name of division and hatred. Our feminism must be unapologetically expansive so that we can leave the door open for future generations.”