Yes, I honestly think gender critical women are coming from a place of trauma.

I myself am a survivor or sexual assault, which happened in public. Personally, I absolutely do not want to see men in any private spaces, bathrooms, Locker-rooms, etc. I really hate that some bathrooms are just inclusive of both genders-like multiple people in there at the same time.
The difference for me is however, I understand trans women are women, and not men invading our spaces. I also happen to know a lot of trans women, and frequently share changing rooms and bathrooms with them, and yes, they act like another women.
However, if I didn’t fully understand what trans women are, which may have happened if I didn’t know any, I would be pretty skeptical. Growing up I wasn’t really taught what trans women really are, and I very much was given the wrong message about who trans people are. I know now, but for a woman who hasnt had much exposure to trans people, and has suffered abuse, I can see how they would revert back into full on fear, which is a short step from hatred.
When you see someone as a threat who may assault or harm you (which trauma programs us to do) you don’t think about their humanity, or have any empathy.


My sister once even argued to me that if trans women use women’s bathrooms, what’s to stop cis men using them to assault women and then just claiming they’re trans? Yeah, let’s have trans women bear the brunt of cis men’s crimes-not cis men.

Ironically trans women are assaulted even more than their cis peers. I’ve long thought that perhaps to get through to the gender critical is to get them to develop empathy for trans women-possibly by helping them realize trans women, like them, are assaulted, and need to use the women’s room for the same reasons we cis do, safety. I sort of see a me-too type movement for trans women who have been assaulted by men. Possibly a movement of trans women where they also show their support and solidarity for cis women as survivors of sexual assault. Every trans woman I know has expressed support and alliance with their cis-ters especially in areas of assault. If we can find a way to help the gender critical see that we’re on their side, and that trans women aren’t men threatening their safety, then I think we can break down a lot of hate.
I hate all the hate and separation and alienation of trans people in society, and so think the terfs are trying to protect order and heal themselves but their protective energy is misplaced. I feel a certain empathy for them because had I not learned better, I could have been one of them. I want us to join together so that being trans isn’t some taboo thing in society.