“Female Masculinities and the ‘Gender Wars’” with Finn Mackay

Have you ever thought to yourself: how come radical feminism sounds so good but often tastes so bad? Dr Finn Mackay (UWE Bristol) is here to explain why that is. Come along to our Lesbian Lives chat to learn about female masculinities, tomboys and trans* mascs, and to hear about why Finn wanted to write a book that answers all the introductory questions people who are not queer academics might have about gender and transness. Just can’t get enough of Finn? I can’t either, which is I follow @Finn_Mackay on Twitter and @drfinnmackay on Instagram. Texts and people mentioned: https://www.drfinnmackay.co.uk/ Finn Mackay’s Female Masculinities and the Gender Wars (Bloomsbury, 2022) and Radical Feminism: Feminist Activism in Movement (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015) Jack Halberstam Westminster’s Transgender Equality Inquiry (Reform of Gender Recognition Act) bel hooks’ The Will to Change Questions you might want to reflect on after listening: 1. What are some of the masculine* identity categories that Finn mentions? Can you think of others? 2. Why might some people perceive the option of transitioning as potentially erasing other identity categories? 3. Do you have a good example (maybe even from literature) to explain why that is not the case? 4. Have you ever wished you were able to better communicate with people who have less of an understanding of queerness? 5. Do you have any strategies? Please do share!