Claim: Trans women are participating in “womanface”
The following tweet shows an example of this argument in the wild, that implies that trans women are making a mockery of women in the same way that the historical practice of blackface portrays racist caricatures of Black people.
What’s wrong with this? pic.twitter.com/NVVn2qUyM3
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) April 9, 2023
Blackface originated in the 19th century as a form of entertainment in minstrel shows, in which white performers would darken their faces with burnt cork or greasepaint and exaggerate their features to mimic and mock African Americans. This racist practice perpetuated negative stereotypes of Black people as lazy, stupid, and subservient, reinforcing racial prejudices. Critically, blackface performers did this specifically for performance and entertainment, not as part of their identity or day-to-day lives. They did not identify as Black.
Transgender women on the other hand are living authentically as their true selves, not pretending or performing. They identify as, and with, women1. Mocking women would mean they are mocking themselves.
This invalid and harmful comparison is transphobic as it frames trans women as men who present as women for ulterior motives rather than simply expressing who they are. This comparison contributes to the marginalization and discrimination faced by transgender individuals.
See also: The “transracialism” argument