UK Activist to Fellow Radical Feminists: 'Less TERF, More SWERF'

UK Activist to Fellow Radical Feminists: 'Less TERF, More SWERF'

LONDON — U.K. lawyer, activist and cultural commentator Charlotte Proudman penned an opinion piece for The Independent newspaper today, urging fellow radical feminists to disavow transphobia and instead renew the campaign against “pornography,” following the lead of SWERF icons Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin.

Proudman wrote today that “being a radical feminist means being a trans ally at the same time.”

Her op-ed for The Independent appears to be a response to radical feminists in the U.K. and U.S. who espouse both TERF and SWERF positions, which are widely condemned by trans rights and sex worker rights activists.

But while Proudman would like her fellow radical feminists to stop targeting, stigmatizing and endangering the lives of trans women, she also continues to promote measures like the “Nordic Model” of sex work, which prevents sex workers from earning a living by criminalizing their customers.

Last November, she tweeted, “Sex work. It’s not sex because it’s not mutual & wanted. It’s not work when there’s a risk of rape and there’s no dignity. We need @nordicmodelnow.”

Although such positions are antagonistic to sex workers and therefore appear to place Proudman in the SWERF camp, her essay does take issue with TERFs. It begins, “I hate the term TERF: trans-exclusionary radical feminism. Radical feminism has been co-opted by a few powerful transphobes who do not represent radical feminist ideology. As a result, many of the students I taught at Cambridge were anti-radical feminists. They believed radical feminism was inherently transphobic. But it isn’t.”

Proudman then states, “I align myself with radical feminism and am trans-inclusionary (let’s use RFTI, shall we?).”

Bringing Out the SWERF Icon Big Guns

According to Proudman, the proof that “radical feminism upholds the rights of trans people,” is the work of “the OGs of radical feminism: legal scholar professor Catharine MacKinnon and the late author, Andrea Dworkin. Both trans allies. We need to remember this, and reclaim radical feminism for all women and oppressed groups.”

Both cis women and trans women, Proudman argues, “are harmed under the patriarchy and their unique experiences must be included in our feminism. There are very many trans women who live their feminist politics loud and proud every day: opposing the exploitation of sex workers, violent and degrading pornography, and all forms of male violence against women and girls.”

Trans Women Sex Workers as Automatic Victims in SWERF Doctrine

One of the main arguments Proudman presents to convince her fellow radical feminists to support trans women is that some trans women are sex workers, which she seems to believe automatically makes them victims.

“As early as 1983, Dworkin and MacKinnon both recognized the objectification and violation of trans people in pornography,” Proudman writes. “As such, their anti-pornography civil rights ordinance, which allowed women harmed by pornography to claim damages through the civil courts, also included trans people.”

By “pitting trans people against cis women,” Proudman concludes, “the patriarchy’s work is being done for those who uphold it. They’re making us fight amongst ourselves over scraps, when we should come together in solidarity and demand real rights — or revolution.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Bad Bella Fronts Latest From MYLF

Bad Bella stars with Hayden Wild in the latest release from MYLF.

Abella Danger Opens Up Like Never Before in X3 Magazine

Powerhouse star Abella Danger lights up the latest issue of X3 magazine, the industry’s premier “authenticity first” publication spotlighting the real personalities, passions, and stories behind today’s top creators.

Pure Taboo Debuts Bree Mills Thriller 'Let Me In Too'

Reagan Foxx stars with Shay Sights in the latest thriller from Pure Taboo, titled “Let Me In Too.”

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

Hookup Hotshot Adds TobyDick.com

Hookup Hotshot (HUHS) has added U.K. paysite TobyDick.com to its network.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

Leana Lovings, Shay Sights Front 'Substance' Parody From Brazzers

Leana Lovings stars with Shay Sights in the latest release from Brazzers, a parody of "The Substance.”

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Little Puck Stars in Latest Episode of 'The Bottom Floor' From Adult Time

Little Puck stars in the second episode of Adult Time series “The Bottom Floor,” titled “The Second Coming.”

Show More