What amazing power -- to be able to invalidate someone's existence simply by one's self existing. Why would the supposedly invalidated choose to give this power away?
I am also still confused about what it means to have one's identity invalidated. It sounds like it should be something like canceling one's bus pass. Are the invalidated supposed to then get off the planet? I observe them to still be here; if that's the concept, it's not working.
No no, what's invalidated here is their identity or other formal recognitions of society. If your marriage gets invalidated, they don't let you file your taxes jointly anymore, and if your orientation gets invalidated, you no longer get to claim the default status of a heterosexual, or the Seecret Priviledges of being Teh Gay.
Having one's identity invalidated? Oh come on with that "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent" malarkey. I was just reading about trans US citizens being denied new passports by the State Department -- that's an example of having one's identity invalidated. My friend told me about running interference the other day between a trans woman and the [likely] cis woman who wanted to chase her out of a public bathroom. That's an example of having one's identity invalidated. These ideas have concrete real world consequences.
And one issue with TERFs is not "just existing" but that being a TERF is a classification earned by producing a set of statements and actions attacking trans people. We live in an interconnected society (excepting maybe the occasional hermit in the desert with a wifi connection -- I'm not one) and when one knows that people may decide to attack one or not help one because of one's demographics, invalidation of identity is not some game one can choose not to play but a real danger one faces.
The examples you give are indeed consequential, because they all represent direct actions against the victims. They didn't happen because the offender merely existed, but because the offender specifically rejected the victim's self-identification.
That said, I'll admit that my snark was somewhat mis-aimed, and I'm sorry about that; as usual, the failure mode for "clever" is "asshole".
Giving away power
I am also still confused about what it means to have one's identity invalidated. It sounds like it should be something like canceling one's bus pass. Are the invalidated supposed to then get off the planet? I observe them to still be here; if that's the concept, it's not working.
Re: Giving away power
/sarcasm, natch
Re: Giving away power
And one issue with TERFs is not "just existing" but that being a TERF is a classification earned by producing a set of statements and actions attacking trans people. We live in an interconnected society (excepting maybe the occasional hermit in the desert with a wifi connection -- I'm not one) and when one knows that people may decide to attack one or not help one because of one's demographics, invalidation of identity is not some game one can choose not to play but a real danger one faces.
Re: Giving away power
That said, I'll admit that my snark was somewhat mis-aimed, and I'm sorry about that; as usual, the failure mode for "clever" is "asshole".