By asserting that the word “women” is “being deleted” in favor of woke phrases like “birthing persons” and “menstruators,” Bette Midler has enraged proponents of transgender rights.
WOMEN OF THE WORLD!, the 76-year-old actress and LGBT icon tweeted on Monday. Our rights over our bodies, our lives, and even our names are being taken away!
They no longer refer to us as “women,” she said, calling us “birthing individuals,” “menstruators,” and even “those with vaginas” instead.
“Don’t let them forget about you!” Everyone on the planet owes you!
In less than 12 hours, there were 11,000 retweets and 61,000 likes in response to Midler’s remarks.
Dr. Panti Bliss-Cabrera, an Irish drag queen and advocate for LGBT rights, responded, “No.”
“Don’t believe the false anti-trans fear crap. Women are not being erased.
In a few minor healthcare situations, when appropriate, language that is inclusive of trans people is used. That is it.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a “them or us” situation, according to Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior priest at the Middle Collegiate Church in New York City.
She asserted, “Using gender-inclusive language does not deny my womanhood.”
Liberation is a group effort.
The author Chanda Prescod-Weinstein stated in a tweet that “TERF semantics is beyond foolish.”
“The problem with Bette Midler’s post is how the language is a direct line from that NYT op-ed,” said trans journalist Niko Stratis.
“The power of the paper of record to play on people’s fears, insecurities, and lack of proper information creates this space where the idea that trans people are erasing women becomes real.”
Martina Navratilova was one of several who jumped to her support.
She said, using the ‘horrified’ emoji, “Careful Bette- you will be labelled transphobic too or worse…”
One of the first openly homosexual athletes, Navratilova, 65, came under fire for her comments about transgender swimmer Lia Thomas competing against swimmers who were born female earlier this year.
We are having a true mensturators night out, the comedian Shaparak Khorsandi jokingly said.
“I’m enthusiastic about cocktails with some birthing people I went to school with.” Please let me know when this occurs. Currently, it’s merely a nice nod toward the inclusion of a very small minority.
Five Times August, a performer whose real name is Bradley James Skistimas, tweeted: “I agree with you on this.” Is your account compromised?
Where were you when women throughout the world were being blackmailed and pushed to have vaccines injected into their bodies, the speaker continued?
Midler has previously entered the cultural war controversy.
In May, she provoked anger by urging people to try breastfeeding in response to the statewide baby formula shortage. It is cost-free and offered on demand.
The conservative speechwriter for Donald Trump and executive producer of John Oliver, Stephen Miller, both instantly voiced their disapproval of it.
Many noted that many women, despite their greatest efforts, are unable to breastfeed; one lactation consultant and author, Diana Cassar-Uhl, put the number at 12–15% of all moms.
Others pointed out that certain infants do not respond well to breastmilk because of special dietary restrictions.
Others continued to point out that thousands of children are adopted and that some are born via surrogate.
Gay men, who make up a sizable portion of Midler’s fan base, were particularly offended by the singer’s statement that a gay male couple couldn’t breastfeed a child or toddler.
Imagine having a sizable LGBT fanbase, many of whom are raising children in two-dad households, and having them think this is a wonderful idea, Tim Carvell, the executive producer of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, tweeted.
What a very rude and uneducated statement, Miller wrote in reaction to Midler, the steadfastly devoted Trump advisor.
Too numerous to list here, but many mothers choose not to breastfeed for a variety of reasons.
And you can’t just turn a switch if you’ve been employing a formula. Not to add the numerous children who have allergies to milk or foods.
The leader of the progressive social change movement, Purpose, Ilyse Hogue, tweeted: “Bette, with all due respect, this is a pretty terrible take.” My twins. I wasn’t able to supply both with enough milk.
I would have had to decide who got to eat without formula, not to mention children that are taken away from their mothers at a young age.
I love you Bette, but this is not okay, one person retorted. My son lost weight despite my best efforts to breastfeed him, including consulting lactation specialists.
‘It was heartbreaking and emotional,’ Due to the stress it caused me and my son, I switched to formula at 3 months because I felt like a failure.
One person laughed and said, “No big deal, just get a wet nurse!” (Never mind that they charge more than $1,000 per week, which working families cannot afford, especially at a time when EVERYTHING is more expensive.)
Midler, however, stepped up her game.
She claimed that because of a previous tweet, “people are piling on.”
There is no shame in being unable to breastfeed, but if you are able to do so and feel that your own milk is somehow inferior to a “scientifically researched product,” that is a different matter entirely.
I’m not lying, I’m unaware of the monopoly news. #WETNURSES’
She added that she believed Vice President Joe Biden would find a solution.
Biden “has NO PLAN,” the Republican House conference chair Elise Stefanik tweeted.
Midler then replied by retweeting a statement made by podcast host Brian Tyler Cohen.
In addition to wanting to starve infants and calling anyone who disagrees with you a pedophile, Cohen asserted that Biden “actually DOES have a plan.”
“This is where it is. You’re telling lies.
He sent a link to a fact sheet released by the White House on Thursday outlining the measures being taken to address the issue.