Gender Hurts: A Feminist Analysis of the Politics of Transgenderism 1st Edition

by Sheila Jeffreys (Author)

78 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0415539401

ISBN-10: 0415539404

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It is only recently that transgenderism has been accepted as a disorder for which treatment is available. In the 1990s, a political movement of transgender activism coalesced to campaign for transgender rights. Considerable social, political and legal changes are occurring in response and there is increasing acceptance by governments and many other organisations and actors of the legitimacy of these rights.

This provocative and controversial book explores the consequences of these changes and offers a feminist perspective on the ideology and practice of transgenderism, which the author sees as harmful. It explores the effects of transgenderism on the lesbian and gay community, the partners of people who transgender, children who are identified as transgender and the people who transgender themselves, and argues that these are negative. In doing so the book contends that the phenomenon is based upon sex stereotyping, referred to as 'gender' – a conservative ideology that forms the foundation for women's subordination. Gender Hurts argues for the abolition of ‘gender’, which would remove the rationale for transgenderism.

This book will be of interest to scholars and students of political science, feminism and feminist theory and gender studies.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

‘Bravo to Sheila Jeffreys who, with exceptional courage, clarity and scholarship interrogates the dogma of transgenderism – that men can become women and women men via hormones, surgery and/or subjectivity. Gender Hurts challenges us to consider how transgender ideology and practices accommodate gender hierarchy and create harmful consequences for transgendered persons themselves, but also for women and children. Anyone inclined to dismiss these views as transphobic needs to read this lucid and compelling book.’

Janice Raymond is Professor Emerita of Women’s Studies and Medical Ethics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (USA) and author of The Transsexual Empire.

‘Feminists fighting to free women from male definitions of what a woman is now find themselves assailed by male transgender activism claiming the right to make precisely such a definition. This clash of human rights has produced more heat than light. But Jeffreys illumines it by countering misogynistic threats of violence with scholarly research and reason. In a climate rife with pain on both sides, toxic with stereotypes, ignorance, misunderstanding, and fear, she dares to offer clarity. Even those who disagree with her must surely recognize that as an act of courage.’

Robin Morgan

About the Author

Sheila Jeffreys is Professor of feminist politics in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, Australia. She teaches courses in feminist theory, on the politics of sexuality and lesbian and gay politics, and international gender politics.

She has a considerable reputation both in the academic world and in the world of feminist and lesbian and gay politics for my work on sexuality, including 7 single authored books, with my eighth book, Man’s Dominion, to be published by Routledge in October, 2011. My work is heavily referenced in academic journals and books, with 53 citations in international refereed journals in 2009 according to the Web of Science citations index, and 47 for 2010 to date.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Routledge; 1st edition (April 16, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0415539404
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0415539401
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.43 x 0.51 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,272,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,481 in Gender Studies (Books)
- #3,115 in Feminist Theory (Books)
- #3,556 in General Gender Studies

Customer Reviews:
78 ratings

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velvetsnout

Incredibly important resource for women fighting to retain women-only spaces.

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2017

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Incredibly important resource for women fighting to retain women-only spaces.
Jeffreys is BRAVE, for to be critical these days, or even questioning, of the Transsexual Empire is to be harassed, hassled, banned, screamed at, called "trans-phobic." Well there is nothing "phobic" about the book, or about wanting to retain women-only spaces. Grateful for this book.
A Must Read.

22 people found this helpful

Helpful

Very thorough, but may retread common knowledge

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2020

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If you have done any reading or, honestly, thinking on the subject of gender and "queer theory," you may find this book does not venture far from what you already know. I still recommend it thoroughly to the underinformed, and Jeffrey's classic explanations are simple to remember for the initiated and easy to offer to anyone who hits you with the old "I haven't done any research on radical feminism because I disagree with it."

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A great report about the terrible impacts of transgenderism

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2017

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EVERY PERSON should read it! A great report about the terrible impacts of transgenderism, specially to women.

14 people found this helpful

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Alex

Must Must Read

Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2015

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As a lesbian who always wondered when and why the "T" (and "Q") was added to the LBG, this book is a must read. Even as a part of the gay/lesbian community I was not well versed in transgender issues and the conflict between the transgender community and the feminist community was out of my awareness. Wonderful book, am going to rent and read it again with a friend.

42 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

MUST READ

Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2016

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Absolutely brilliant. Well documented and argued.

15 people found this helpful

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Excellent and timely

Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2016

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This was my first foray into this topic and it answered a lot of questions I had. The author is an excellent writer and I look forward to reading much more of her work. I am glad this was available to rent via Kindle and I am thinking about buying a paper copy. It was so compelling and scholarly and timely that I read it in two days and now am rereading certain chapters. Thank you for your voice on this topic, I am happy to know that I am not the only one who has doubts and questions about the transgender issue and its impact on women.

11 people found this helpful

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Susan Nunes

A Great, Much-Needed Book

Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2015

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This book could also be titled, "What Went Wrong With Feminism?" Jeffreys explains how the concept of "gender" ended up superseding the term sex role stereotyping and basically obliterated what it means to be a woman and female in a sexist society. The feminist movement has basically been kicked to the sidelines. The most pernicious trend of the past twenty years is the growing acceptance of the purposely vague term "transgenderism" and people with various identity disorders as a protected class which these individuals really are not when they infringe on the rights of biological women. Apologists for transgenderism have engaged in a massive propaganda campaign where they try and convince that their mental problems are normal, that hacking off healthy body parts to playact an offensive stereotype is normal, that being male or female or man or woman are just social constructs rather than the biological realities which are at the root of the oppression of women as a political class, and so on down the line. We are told we must accept these mentally ill people's delusions as true, humoring them with false pronouns and changing laws that are necessary for women and girls for their privacy and safety.

Make no mistake: having a "gender identity disorder" IS a mental illness just like body dysmorphia or anorexia. We can have compassion for people so afflicted, but it should not be seen for anything other than a mental illness. It certainly should not manifest itself as a political movement called "transgenderism" which is sexism at its core and is incompatible with feminism.

Jeffreys picks up where Janice Raymond left off back in the late 1970s with "The Transsexual Empire." She not only explores the takeover of gender in the discussion of women's rights, but she also looks at how the medical profession continues to profit over people's very real and very serious psychiatric problems. While a few reviewers here think she goes "too far" with comparing GRS and especially the movement to "transgender" young children to the eugenics of the early 20th century, but I feel she is dead right. Psychosurgery has a very ugly past, and GRS and hormone treatments are just another in a long line of human rights abuses.

Her book may seem like a voice in the wilderness, but I believe it is the start of finally bringing much-needed sanity to the issue of transgenderism.

My only complaint is why the book is so expensive. I hated to download the book because I always prefer hard copies, but paying anywhere from 50 to nearly 100 dollars for a hard copy is just not acceptable.

55 people found this helpful

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Absalom

Finally! A long overdue book

Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2015

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Another reviewer's title says it all: "The Emperor's New Clothes." I honestly did not think I would like a book written by a lesbian feminist, but I was seriously wrong. And I would venture to say that all of the venomous 1-star reviews were written by transgender activists who are desperate to make sure that this exhaustingly well-researched book doesn't get the public attention that it so deserves. Before you watch your next fawning "Oprah" interview or episode of "Glee," read this for the facts behind the transgender movement. My only complaint is that the price will put off people from buying it. It's a shame, because it should be given out like candy bars.

56 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Hilary Blake

One of the best feminist books around. You’ll love it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2019

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Fantastic book. Clear analysis of the way sex role stereotyping (gender) act to oppress women, and how men are elevating sex roles to the very definition of what it is to be a woman.

14 people found this helpful

Mariana

Very Interesting

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2017

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Though I do not completely agree with the author, I would recommend the book to everybody that is interested in gender issues.

7 people found this helpful

Megan

MUST READ - a much needed and wanted critical perspective on the trans ideology

Reviewed in Canada on October 14, 2016

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Wow...this book has meant so much to me for unpacking all the waste in the trans movement and the most recent wave of feminism. The clarity, critical perspective and evidence presented in this book is unparalleled. It lays waste to the ideologies of gender and the damaging consequences of the trans-movement as a reinforcement of male entitlement and male politics. I find it impossible for anyone who has read this book to give it a low rating since (1) it is brilliantly backed up with irrefutable evidence, (2) does not "pick on" any particular group, but provides very well-rounded arguments on both sides of the gender politics divide and (3) strongly roots the analyses in feminist theory.
This has really been the book we have all been waiting for. It is validating and it is fearless in a very uncertain time for women, where men are seeking access to our spaces under the guise of having gendered feelings.

6 people found this helpful

Erin J Graham

and I recommend it to women's studies scholars

Reviewed in Canada on February 24, 2017

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Sheila Jeffreys is an accessible writer and a disciplined, thorough researcher. This is a vitally important book for our times, and I recommend it to women's studies scholars, educators, researchers, and anyone interested in understanding 'gender'. We are in a time of repression, which is evidenced in part by reinforcement of sex-role stereotypes disguised as 'inclusion and diversity'. Dr. Jeffreys' bold and incisive work helps to understand how 'gender identity' serves to isolate women from each other, and calls us to develop a shared commitment to liberation from male domination as it is promoted through gender.

6 people found this helpful

rainsong

Timely response to growing concerns

Reviewed in Australia on June 5, 2014

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Worth reading. A very good overview of the social consequences of transgenderism, especially in relation to impacts on partners and the chapter on transgender children is eye-opening.

3 people found this helpful

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