TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminist)

TERF stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, a term describing feminists who hold that transgender women are not women and should be excluded from women's spaces and feminist movements. The acronym was coined around 2008 by Australian blogger Viv Smythe to distinguish this stance from feminists who welcome trans women. Many labeled TERFs prefer the term 'gender-critical' and argue that TERF is a slur, while LGBTQ+ advocates and many scholars treat it as an accurate description of a specific, exclusionary politics. The broader feminist and LGBTQ+ movements widely regard the position as transphobic because it denies the identities of transgender and non-binary people.