Adult human female
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"Adult human female" (less commonly "human adult female"[1]) is a phrase that has been adopted as a slogan by anti-trans, anti-gender and gender-critical (or TERF) movements, and that aims to exclude trans women from the definition of "woman". While the phrase itself originated from a very concise and somewhat simplistic dictionary definition of the word "woman", its usage in political and social discourse has been widely interpreted as a trans-exclusionary statement aimed at reinforcing biological essentialism and opposing the inclusion of transgender women within the category of "womanhood". The phrase is described by scholars as a dog whistle for transphobic beliefs and a form of coded hate speech. The phrase is often accompanied by the rhetorical question "What is a woman?" that has become a widespread rhetorical strategy in anti-trans discourse.[1] Since his re-election in 2024, the phrase has been adopted by Donald Trump and his supporters as part of an agenda to end protections for transgender people, presented as "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government".[2]
Origins and popularization
[edit]The phrase gained prominence in 2018 when Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, a British anti-trans activist who has been linked to alt-right and neo-Nazi groups,[3][4] used it in public campaigns, including billboard advertisements in the United Kingdom. These billboards, displaying the phrase without additional context, sparked widespread controversy and were perceived by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups as an attempt to invalidate transgender identities and undermine transgender rights.[5][6][7][8] After the original "Adult human female" billboard was removed in Liverpool, the city council unanimously approved a motion that said "trans women are women” and that “there is no place in our city for hatred and bigotry".[7]
Adoption in anti-trans discourse
[edit]The phrase is described by scholars as a dog whistle for transphobic beliefs, and part of organised transphobic discourse.[9] Sara Brightman, Emily Lenning, and Christina DeJong found it to be one of the common rhetorical strategies in anti-trans discourse, alongside terms like "gender ideology" and "groomer".[10] It is often deployed to challenge the legal and social recognition of transgender women and oppose policies related to gender inclusivity, such as access to gender-affirming healthcare, participation in sports, and legal recognition of gender identity. The Social Workers Union has described the phrase as reinforcing harmful narratives that exclude transgender individuals from gendered spaces and services.[11] The National Women's Law Center noted that "TERFs often self-identify as 'gender critical' or as an 'adult human female.' They believe in 'sex-based rights', 'LGB rights', and 'protecting women and girls'; they call trans people 'trans rights activists', 'the trans lobby', 'the trans debate', and call trans women 'TIMs' (Trans Identified Males)".[12]
The phrase is often accompanied by the rhetorical question "What is a woman?" that has become a widespread rhetorical strategy in anti-trans discourse,[1] popularized by the film What Is a Woman? by Matt Walsh.
While "female" is often used in anti-trans, anti-gender and gender-critical discourse to mean cis women, this exclusionary definition does not align with modern dictionary definitions of the word "female", which include "having a gender identity that is the opposite of male."[13]
In 2023 screening of the film Adult Human Female, which asserts that women are defined solely by biological sex, was cancelled at Edinburgh University after the film had faced protests and accusations of being hate speech.[14][15][4]
Trump administration
[edit]The phrase has been adopted by Donald Trump and his supporters. On 20 January 2025, his first day as president, Trump signed an executive order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government"[16] aimed at rolling back protections for transgender people,[17][18] that asserted that "woman means adult human female".[16] The Trump transition team had presented the planned executive order as part of a wider “restoring sanity” agenda.[2] In the years prior to 2025 the Trump-led Republican Party had focused heavily on targeting transgender people, especially by attacking trans athletes and pronouns.[19]
See also
[edit]- Transphobia
- Gender-critical feminism
- Anti-gender movement
- "Gender ideology"
- Alternative facts
- Kamala is for they/them
- Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Moyal-Sharrock, Danièle; Sandis, Constantine (2024). Real Gender: A Cis Defence of Trans Realities. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781509555864.
- ^ a b "Trump to sign executive orders proclaiming there are only two biological sexes, halting diversity programs". NBC News. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Lidia Thorpe, 'Posie Parker' and the neo-Nazis". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Is screening "Adult Human Female" an opportunity for respectful debate and discussion?". University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Woman billboard removed after transphobia row". BBC. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Printing firm refuses to make anti-trans activist Posie Parker's vile 'adult human female' merch". PinkNews. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Liverpool's anti-trans billboard is taken down by ad company". PinkNews. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ Elliards, Xander (4 February 2023). "Who is Posie Parker? The controversial anti-trans activist heading to Scotland". The National. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
- ^ Amery, Fran; Mondon, Aurelien (2024). "Othering, peaking, populism and moral panics: The reactionary strategies of organised transphobia". The Sociological Review. doi:10.1177/00380261241242283.
- ^ Brightman, Sara (2022). "Anti-Transgender Ideology, Laws, and Homicide: An Analysis of the Trifecta of Violence". Homicide Studies. 28 (3). doi:10.1177/10887679231201803.
- ^ Dr Shawn Major. "Dog whistles in context – transphobia". Social Workers Union. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Happy Pride. Don't Be a TERF". National Women's Law Center. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "female". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
- ^ "Edinburgh University cancels film screening after trans rights protest". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Edinburgh University under fire for 'Adult Human Female' screening". The National. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government", Whitehouse.gov
- ^ "'Woman means adult human female': Trump to sign executive order on gender hours after he's sworn in". Yahoo. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Trump will order rolling back protecting rights of transgender Americans". Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Trump Declares War on Transgender People". motherjones. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
- Political catchphrases
- Anti-gender movement
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- Discrimination against transgender people
- Right-wing populism
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- Gender policy of Donald Trump
- Trump administration controversies
- 2025 in LGBTQ history
- 2020s anti-LGBTQ movement in the United States