One would really love to, I don’t know, be able to look forward to the sequel to a beloved childhood movie about witches without the whole oh one of those witches is actually a TERF moment, but that’s apparently not the world we live in. Because Bette Midler really chose the fourth of July to show her true colors — just a few days after we got more information on the Hocus Pocus sequel, too.
It’s like they don’t care. Or worse, they don’t think what they’re saying is wrong. This is their level of ignorance and privilege. And by they I mean all the people who use the notion of feminism of protecting women to be hateful. Because this isn’t about protecting women, it never has been. If it were they would understand that the idea of womanhood they are trying to push shouldn’t be tied to our reproductive organs, or whether we can or choose to reproduce.
That should be the real goal of feminism. The choice to be whatever we want to be.
But for people like Midler, it’s not that. Instead, it’s about who they think women should be. Who they allow into their worldview. Who they accept. And honestly, we have no time for that. Which is why we’re not even going to link to her tweet. There’s no need to engage with her. All we need to do is call her our.
Reject her harmful rhetoric. Be very, very clear about why her words, and those of JK Rowling and so many others hurt trans people. Embrace an idea of feminism that is truly inclusive. Because otherwise, what is the point? What are we fighting for?
Just like we said to JK Rowling before, there are better witches out there. We can move on.
Goodbye.
