The focus of much of the Left has recently been targeted on the atrocities committed against the Palestinian people.
While this is the right thing to do, and necessary, it has created a void into which the Far Right have gained ground unopposed.
They have focussed on the upcoming referendums on women in the home and concept of family, taking place on International Women’s Day (March 8th).
The Far Right have claimed that they are protecting the family, and protecting (Irish) women.
To achieve this, they have aimed their rhetoric against Trans people, and Trans women in particular.
With a possible election in the coming year, both the Government, and the main opposition parties have already distanced themselves from even discussing Trans women, with defending them completely off the table.
This vacuum has allowed both Right Wing, and National Media to publish their own version on defining women and the ’traditional’ family unit.
The US has already taken the idea of a return to family values to the extreme, with politicians openly expressing a desire to have one vote per family unit, with the male head of that unit casting the vote.
It can be easy for activists on the Left to become complacent on this issue. We know and engage with Trans people, we include them in our organisations, and as our friends.
However, at a recent meeting, a representative expressed their shock and sadness when they realised that they would have to address safety concerns due to having a Trans person speaking at their event.
This is the reality (and fear) that Irish Trans women live with.
It is not unusual for them to receive an invite to a meeting or event with a list of safety protocols attached. The venue is often not disclosed until a few hours before they are due to arrive . A conference usually includes a special briefing for Trans women.
The reason for all of this is that less than a year after the horrific murder of Brianna Ghey, organisations know that it is only a matter of time when (not if) a Trans person is murdered in Ireland .
Our feminism needs to recognise that allowing the Far Right to use Trans women as a battering ram to define women, and the family unit hurts all of us .
Now, more than ever, feminism needs to not only include, but to put the fight for Trans liberation at the forefront of our struggle.
