Article
TERFism, Zionism, and Right-Wing Annihilationism: Toward an Internationalist Genealogy of Extinction Phobia
TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly
(2022)
Abstract
This article traces the emergence of what the author calls predation TERFism to the development
of US Jewish-identified feminism and, in particular, Zionist lesbian separatism. This historical
connection is reflected in the rhetorical and ideological similarities between predation TERFism and
Zionism, both of which are defined by an “extinction phobia” that confuses oppressor and oppressed,
presenting the subordinate party as capable of eliminating the dominant one. This extinction phobia
transforms into “right-wing annihilationism” via a dehumanization of the subordinate party as
innately harmful and therefore requiring elimination; hence the hallmark predation TERF abjection
of trans women as rapists of cis women and the Zionist abjection of Palestinians as “savage” and/or
“terrorist.” These connections can be obscured by the siloization of social justice movement work
in the United States, wherein anti-colonial and anti-imperial organizing is often separated from
organizing for gender and reproductive justice and sexual freedom. Recognizing the continuities,
however—whether historical, material, or ideological—between predation TERFism and Zionism
offers useful lessons for understanding not only the power of the contemporary global anti-trans
resurgence, but also how we might build solidaristic, anti-colonial movements to defeat it.
Keywords
- TERFism,
- Zionism,
- US feminism,
- lesbian separatism,
- Jewish feminism
Disciplines
- Arts and Humanities,
- American Studies,
- Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies,
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies,
- Other Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies,
- Women's Studies,
- Jewish Studies,
- Other Arts and Humanities,
- Feminist Philosophy,
- Social and Behavioral Sciences,
- Political Science,
- Other Political Science,
- Political Theory,
- Gender and Sexuality,
- Theory, Knowledge and Science and
- Social Justice
Publication Date
August, 2022
DOI
10.1215/23289252-9836022
Citation Information
C. Heike Schotten. "TERFism, Zionism, and Right-Wing Annihilationism: Toward an Internationalist Genealogy of Extinction Phobia" TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly Vol. 9 Iss. 3 (2022) p. 334 - 364 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/heike_schotten/32/