Though Shrier has not used the term for herself, as far as I have been able to find, the gender-critical movement follows her work. Her work resonates with the gender-critical narrative.
In particular, she promotes the following ideas:
1) that some, or all, trans people are confused about their gender and that they are actually the gender they were assigned at birth
2) that legislation is needed to limit trans people's access to medicine and gender-affirming spaces. [1]
she also works with anti-LGBT organizations, as I demonstrated in yesterday's update.
The Gender-Critical movement is dangerous, organized, and intentionally seeking to propagate anti-trans hate. The included source presents the story of a young cis lesbian who escaped the gender-critical movement and told her story to pink news. [2]
It's always disturbing to read about these kinds of cult-like behaviours. Still, it helps us to empathize with the vulnerable who are drawn in. Though I would ask that we do not excuse hate, I think it's okay to recognize just how easy it is for an individual's trauma to be used by predatory people. I recognize that those who do escape these kinds of cults and learn why they were wrong are working to better themselves.
One of my sources today uses TERF (trans-exclusionary radical feminist) to describe the same movement; this is a contentious bit of language. Still, it's important to remember that the term was coined by a cis feminist and is embraced by many gender-critical people. I've included an article that discusses the nuances in using the term TERF [3].
I've given a lot of reading again today. I appreciate everyone who has continued to support this campaign and stand up for trans rights. tomorrow is the national day of awareness for missing and murdered indigenous women, so please stand up against femicide and cultural genocide in Canada. [4]
[1] http://theterfs.com/
[2] https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/05/17/terf-gender-critical-feminism-movement-lesbian-cult-amy-dyess-transphobia/
[3] https://theconversation.com/why-the-words-we-use-matter-when-describing-anti-trans-activists-130990
[4] https://www.niwrc.org/news/may-5th-national-day-awareness-missing-and-murdered-native-women-and-girls