FediForum Has Been Canceled

2025-03-31 20:36:02

deadsuperhero@lemmy.ml

In light of recent controversy and its handling, the twice-a-year FediForum unconference for April 1st and 2nd has been canceled by its organizer.

fediverse

2025-03-31 22:16:06

freddo

freddo@feddit.nu

I don’t understand how Kaliya’s statements can be controversial or classed as transphobia. Isn’t it in line with the definition of trans?

2025-03-31 22:38:43

Sean Tilley

deadsuperhero@lemmy.ml

Her comments cover everything from “trans women are mostly autistic boys who have been gaslit” to “there are only two sexes” to “trans people are unfit to play in their gender’s sport.” However, there are far worse comments floating around out there that talk about genital mutilation and all kinds of other heinous shit.

2025-04-01 00:00:25

Vendetta9076

Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works

So the other stuff is clearly wrong and gross, but I’m confused by the “only two sexes” comment. Gender being a spectrum makes sense but I always thought we all pretty much agreed that biological sex was a binary function in humans. Sure there are genetic disorders that create exceptions, but aren’t those exceptions that prove the rule instead of break it?

This is a genuine question. I’m a computer guy not a biology guy.

2025-04-01 00:48:44

Lola

lola@hubzilla.monster

I don't think that the problem is saying that there are "two sexes." The problem is that many people who say that tend to assign a specific gender or stereotype to that sex. In other words, what they really mean is that "men are supposed to be one way and women are supposed to be another," with the implication that someone isn't a real man or women if they are not that stereotype. That notion dismisses the reality for people who do not conform to those stereotypes. Trans people are the most obvious expression of gender fluidity, but I think most people don't conform to society's rigid standards. They just hide behind a mask, and if they are lucky, express it in the bedroom with a trusted partner.

But, as someone who does not fit gender stereotypes, I can say that there are only four anatomical configurations that people are born with: female genitalia (vagina), male genitalia (penis), both male and female genitalia (vagina and a penis) and no sexual genitalia. Most people are the first two. It also should be noted that a person can have surgery to alter this, and that babies born with both genitalia usually have surgery shortly after birth so they only have one, not both.

So a lot of the reaction to that statement is what people are reading between the lines, and not those specific words themselves.

2025-04-01 03:07:01

Sean Tilley

deadsuperhero@lemmy.ml

So…while biology does account for male and female reproductive systems across a variety of species, they have found that, as they continue to study many different forms of life, that they actually have to keep adjusting the model of what they once thought. Life is weirder, more complex, and accounts for a tremendous amount of variation in how this whole thing works.

I’m not a biologist, there are experts who can speak extremely well on this subject. Within the field of biology, the whole “two sexes” thing is kind of an oversimplification. Even if we just focus on humans and not, say, some form of algae with 500 different sexes, there are plenty of divergent forms of human beings that manifest as some form of intersex, with quite a few different variations.

Even if intersex people are a fraction of a fraction of the population, they are a compelling case study for why things don’t definitively boil down across some kind of sexual binary across the board for absolutely everyone. Heck, even males and females in the traditional sense of sexual dimorphism tend to exhibit traits of the other sex in one way or another.

TL;DR - it’s a huge complicated can of worms, and people who try to shutdown discussion of nonbinary or transgender identities with “there’s only two sexes, it’s just science!” tend to have a grade-school understanding of biology.

2025-04-03 06:16:00

Lola

lola@hubzilla.monster

I consider myself both CIS and trans, although I hate labels. I don't fall into stereotypes. I am just me.