Cathy Brennan, a well-known activist who considers herself a gender critical feminist (GCF), and someone many trans feminists and trans activists consider a transgender exclusionary radical feminist (TERF), is suing Joey Stevenson of AfterEllen.com for monetary damages “of at least $70,000 and an injunction to prevent the continuation of the defamation,” according to a report published in the Maryland Daily Record.
What Stevenson wrote in her opinion piece Lesbian Abundance in 2015 was “Currently, Brennan continues the unwanted penetration narrative with Internet articles on how men are ‘pretending’ to be women to enter into womens’ spaces and inflict sexual violence, in addition to harassing and doxxing trans women on her Web sites.”
Brennan takes issue with the doxxing part of that statement.
Well, July 10, 2012, Brennan posted my then not publicly known, pre-transition, male first name (deadname) on her bugbrennan Twitter account (an account that’s since been shut down for a terms of service violation).
Five days later on the national blog Pam’s House Blend, I outed my full deadname. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, but it was something I did to take the power away from Brennan to harm me with my deadname. By Brennan’s definition of doxxing, it sure seems to me that she doxxed me.
There’s more than one definition of doxxing, by the way. “Doc-dropping (dropping docs, doxing, doxxing) is the practice of obtaining and revealing personally identifying information (such as names, addresses, places of employment, relatives) of people who use the Internet, typically in a highly public manner as a call to arms against the target,” is a definition found on RationalWiki.
By elements of RationalWiki’s definition, Brennan doxxed me in 2011 over my public plans to change my legal gender. A commenter on Pam’s House Blend wrote “Where are you filing your petition [to change your legal gender]? What is the court address and case number? There are ladies on the blogs that want to file objections to your petition.” Writing as bugbrennan, Brennan responded to that commenter by posting a link to the San Diego Courthouse webpage where case numbers and court dates were given for those who were legally changing their genders.
A number of transsexual women then didn’t believe I should have been legally allowed to legally change my gender. They were planning on using the link that Cathy Brennan posted to find my case number, and then file friend of the court briefs in an attempt to block me from doing so.
I delayed filing for my legal change of gender for months because of the chain of events Cathy Brennan’s posting of that link initiated. It took California’s Vital Statistics Modernization Act becoming law the next year before I filed.
In my opinion, Cathy Brennan maliciously dropped the link in that Pam’s House Blend comment thread “as a call to arms against [a] target” – that target being me. And looking at that RationalWiki definition of doxxing, I believe she doxxed me.
I’ve seen others’ screenshots. Looking at those screenshots, I’m of the opinion I haven’t been the only target of doxxing by Cathy Brennan.
In May, 2012 Baltimore OUTloud published a column by Brennan entitled On Bullying, and Being Nice. In it, she wrote “We are ‘bullies’ because we don’t agree with you, political transgender community.” To me, in the title of the piece and in that line she’s telling us all she knows her own reputation is that of a bully. And in an October, 2013 interview with Michele Meow of Swirl Radio, she admitted that “if you Google my name you’ll find I’m an aggressive asshole.”
In my opinion, I see basis for the claim of doxxing, and I see evidence that she believes she doesn’t have a good reputation to be defamed. There has to be a political point she’s trying to make that I’m just not seeing.
It’s time for LGBT people of all stripes to realize that Cathy Brennan is mentally ill. Which explains her behavior but doesn’t condone it. She’s sick and she wants to hurt people. She’s hurt hundreds, not only through doxxing but through libel. She’s targeted children for her hate and smear campaigns and has driven several people to attempt suicide. Her behavior has harmed not only the trans community, but the lesbian community. I suggest getting a hundred or so people together and hold a protest vigil in front of her home and her law firm.
Cathy Brennan posted the link from the trans woman who threatened to kill her children. Let me say this again – THREATENED TO KILL HER CHILDREN. Male to trans people have been threatening to rape and kill women for over 2 decades now. When we expose their behavior they instead say they are the the victims. Women, including Cathy Brennan, are no longer allowing them to bullying us. Although they threaten us anonymously we are now contacting the computer crimes division of the FBI and exposing their hate crimes. In terms of mental illness, threatening to kill children is not exactly a glowing picture of mental health. Again, projection, the lowest level defense that exists . A Shame that the LGBT weekly feels no responsibility to the L in your name. Too bad you did not do any fact checking.
Actually, Cathy Brennan is doing worlds of good for lesbians and women. Someday she’ll be vindicated, as so many forward-thinking women who are vilified usually are.
Cathy Brennan is a lesbian so she is part of the LGBT community “of all stripes”. But the LGBT current has gone against the L part in the past few decades especially. Misogyny and homophobia are real forms of oppression that lesbian women suffer in our current system. So don’t turn the tables around on us! We see right through it! And there are a lot of us women who see through it more and more every day. So stop harming individuals such as Cathy Brennan, and start realizing that the millions of women harmed by homophobic patriarchy, are waking up. If you are going to make any gains in your movement to end harm to trans people, you need to stop demonizing, threatening and slandering feminist women. It is totally obvious to more and more people that you are engaging in a form of blatant woman-hatred. Cathy is a wonderful mother, thinker, passionate warrior and someone I respect a great deal. Peace out.
As a Lesbian feminist of the Second Wave with transsexual history who’s seen four decades and a bit more of this conflict, I’m absolutely opposed to the doxxing or harassment of Cathy Brennan, GallusMag (the target of a recent doxxing attempt), or any sister. And I’m also, of course, against threats of death, sexual assault, or violent and misogynist imagery as any part of what should be a feminist dialogue, however difficult at times for women on various “sides.”
Being at the intersection of the L and the T means that I must oppose either Lesbophobia and misogyny in the trans community (which is a sad reality), or anti-transsexual prejudice in the Lesbian community of a kind that would axiomatically and categorically exclude all transsexual women from a Lesbian identity. But violent threats, misogynist imagery, and namecalling (e.g. “TERF”; “cis” as a nonconsensual and weaponized label as opposed to a self-identification chosen by a specific woman; misgendering) are methods for generating a great deal of destructive heat, as opposed to the light of feminist understading and empathy between sisters.
There’s also civility and respecting a sister’s space, or an affinity group’s space (and the autonomy of each affinity group is a great Second Wave tradition). When Cathy Brennan in 2012 took part in a Dyke March holding a sign saying “Sheila Jeffreys is my Dyke Hero,” she was celebrating a Lesbian sister, and had the right to be let alone. The way for me to show that I am a Lesbian feminist, with my transsexual history and all, is to be a sister and respect her First Amendment rights. If she approached me and invited a dialogue, then I would seek to join her in exploring points of agreement or disagreement in a civil way. And that’s true regardless of her view of my status; my responsibility is to live up to the values of an inclusive radical feminism. Of course, we all have boundaries: for example, I don’t comment on websites where what I consider misgendering or missexing is a norm. But namecalling and insults, let alone threats, will hardly promote anything resembling sisterhood.
If Cathy Brennan or GallusMag or others chose to organize a Dyke March for Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) Lesbians only, then that is their right, and I would respect their boundary. The best way to show that they speak for themselves, as only they can, but not for all Lesbian feminists, is for those of us favoring an inclusive Lesbian feminism to organize events of our own.
There’s an either/or mentality that can distort the real complexities of sex/gender under the patriarchy and the sometimes untidy dilemmas of linedrawing that come up in our feminist struggles. A naturalized citizen is a citizen — but not a natural-born citizen, nor an enemy alien. Hormones and surgery do change primary and secondary sex characteristics — but with the end result of what might be described as nonbinary bodies (here as the result of voluntary choices, I would emphasize), as opposed to “standard” female or male ones. And both childhood and adult socialization are realities, neither to be discounted, as we see with immigrant identities also.
Above all, however Cathy Brennan and I may differ on various points, we may agree on at least one. No Lesbian either owes sex to any other Lesbian, nor has a claim on sex from any other Lesbian. The “Cotton Ceiling” concept has done immense damage, and I affirm the right of any woman to say “No” with no explanation required. The principle of enthusiastic consent is the essence of feminism. Likewise, the right to Lesbian marriage means that two mutually consenting Lesbians have the right to marry, not that any Lesbian (AFAB or otherwise) has the right to propose to any woman and say or imply, “If you don’t want to marry me, then you at least owe it to yourself to ask if you aren’t being Lesbophobic.” How far would the marriage equality movement have gotten with that kind of attitude?
Our different visions of feminism, and different approaches to sex/gender under patriarchy and how to move beyond it, will continue to be the topic for much dialogue and debate. But doxxing, namecalling, insults, misogynist rhetoric, and threats of any kind need not be a part of this process. Sisterhood demands better than that of us all.
Sad that the bias of this article does not follow the same criteria as what you ask in About Us comments. Because this story is nothing but more lies and slander. We know the truth and soon every one will.
Cathy Brennan has contacted people’s employers and tried to get them fired from their jobs. She’s contacted people’s personal physicians, and she’s outed trans kids at schools. She directly engages with, mocks and deliberately provokes the people she says are threatening her. She lies about her behavior, and the behavior of others, constantly. Google “Cathy Brennan Sorry About Your Dick” to see a deliberately inflammatory photo Brennan sends to transwomen so she can accuse them of harassment after she gets the rise she’s after. No one in the LGBT community is oppressing lesbians, but lesbians are trying to oppress trans people. I’m not trans and I can see that. Cathy Brennan is a sick woman who has doxxed and libeled hundreds or people. She supports the anti-gay Michelle Duggar (same family which covered up Josh Duggar’s molestation of his sisters) and has worked with anti-gay hate groups like Pacific Justice Institute because she’s not a sane person. If Brennan were raising real issues, if she were an activist who had any credibility, she’d be talking to Rachel Maddow or CNN, or writing op-eds for the New York Times, not posting on free blog sites like the troll that she is.
I would have to disagree there is plenty of oppression between factions in the LGBT. Sadly all this infighting does is prove to those of us with a transsexual history who have gone on to live a Post Transsexual life, that we have made the most right and sound of decisions.
Worst of all the TG faction is famously known for their death threats towards lesbians. You people need to Cool your Jets and maybe dial back the hate a little.
I have seen a number of Doxxings some deserved, some not.
I find it hypocritical the author didn’t mention outing a trans woman to her church several years ago. I guess Autumn felt justified in outing that person to her church.
A person’s home address criminal record, name changes credit status and much more is available for the cost of 5 cups of Starbucks coffee.
The best way to insure you don’t get Doxx’ed is to keep the personal attacks to a minimum, people in the LGBT seem to forget we have something called the First Amendment, disclosing publicly available information about someone is perfectly acceptable under the First Amendment, just be ready to weather the aftermath for doing so.
It’s a shame that people who cannot enjoy life, spend their time getting their kicks trying to harm others. As I have observed with many homophobes, they are people who are insecure about their own sexual orientation, and often closet cases. And so it goes for transphobes, who are insecure about their own gender identity. I googled pics of Cathy Brennan and wow… would it be unreasonable to surmise that she might be fighting the MCP inside her? penis envy? a sick puppy? You do have to wonder!
Attacking Brennan based on her looks really doesn’t do your case any good Babs. The same could be said about some of the trans activists and their internalized hated of lesbians and straight women.
Name calling and attacking NTPs (non trans peoples) just proves the the trans community has the desire to reverse roles and be the oppressors.
I don’t seen Cathy Brennan Gillus Mag making death threats to individuals.
I only see the TG community doing it and its leadership standing by silently and allowing it to happen unopposed.
Silence is Consent brothers and sisters, don’t you ever forget that.
Liz
It’s unreasonable to tell transgenders to “cool their jets” while Brennan contacts their doctors, schools and employers or publicly taunts them with that shameful “sorry about your dick” tweet while posting false accusations against them. The reactions Brennan gets are the monster she created. Hundreds and hundreds, possibly thousands, have said they’ve been targeted by Brennan’s lies and hate. Are we expected to believe that they all lie and only Brennan tells the truth? Please…….
The problem is I have been on the inside of the TG community and I know they often go out of their way to harass someone who has an opinion contrary to theirs. Transgenders spread lies about transitioning woman who want to leave their community and move on to lead a normal life. Add to that the death threats and hate the TG community recently spewed on Mark A. Cummings.
Mark decided to detransition and the TG community tared and fethered him, death threats and all. Not once did any of the so called activists stand up and say that was wrong. A close post op friend was harassed lies spread on the internet about her when she chose to leave the TG community and move on. The truth about the TG community is they hate anybody who doesn’t strictly toe the line, they have no tolerance when it comes to anybody with a differing opinion.
Generations of TG and TS people have come before you and until 1995 all was well in terms of relations with the rest of the country. Then along comes a few as I call them trouble makers and now there is more hate from within and toward the TG community, than there was before 1995.
You all are giving the generations of us who transitioned since the 1930s a bad name. Enough With All the HATE, time to move on already.
Liz
I agree that the attacks on Mark Cummings are wrong. But that doesn’t justify Brennan’s malicious attacks on hundreds of people, or her aligning herself with anti-gay hate groups.
You are right it doesn’t justify what Brennan has done, but it does expose a pattern in the TG community, that is undenyable.
Why is it the Activists haven’t spoken about what was done to Cummings?
Liz.
And one final word: Thousands and thousands of people are laughing at the mere suggestion that Brennan doesn’t dox people.
If I was being attacked like she has been, I would give serious thought to Doxxing my attackers also. Brennan has been sent death threats by several in the TG community. You know she has her First Amendment rights also.
I defend both parties rights to free speech, but that support of free speech stops at death threats.
Who is it in the TG community that is promoting this behavior?
Those people are the very same ones that should be speaking out against such threats.
Why is that not happening.
The group that takes the moral high ground ALWAYS WINS.
Liz.
You seem like an intelligent, well meaning person, Liz, so I don’t understand why its so hard for you to understand that Cathy Brennan chased after and deliberately provoked the people who threatened her. Brennan is not only a sociopath but a liar.
I suppose it is too much to ask that people just ignore her.
Ignoring her deprives her of the importance she craves.
She cannot hurt any of you. In the real world the credibility of the Rad-Fems is below zero, they are considered to be women in need of mental health help.
Not a single of them has done anything politically significant, they have no voice politically speaking. Why are TGs wasting their time with those people?
Yes I am an intelligent woman, intelligent enough to see the group think, and the cult behavior (Mark A. Cummings reaction by the TG community to his detransition) To know better, to see the larger picture and see the damage the TG community is doing to itself by allowing distractions like Brennan and Mark’s detransition to get in the way of building bridges to NTG groups and people.
You make more allies by celebrating what you have in common with people, not by fighting over trivial differences.
Liz
http://i2.wp.com/planettransgender.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cathy-brennan-sorry-about-your-dick.png
its hard to ignore someone when they contact your school, your job, your doctor, your friends, your family, as Brennan does.
BTW, Liz, I linked the infamous Cathy Brennan selfie in my last comment–it is not directed at you. I want you to see what Brennan sends to transwomen when she lies about being threatened and harassed for no reason.
I have seen it. I just wonder who went out of their way to get Brennan motivated enough to go to all that trouble.
I have a friend who was in the TG community in the early 2000s She promoted much the same ideas as I do and for her work in the TG community she ended up with lies posted about her on TS Roadmap. A few years back she applied for a job and was interviewed for that position, that page came up in a google search when asked about it she said this. “That person is an Internet nut job who propagates misinformation about people she has had run-ins with”. The Interviewer, her boss simply said, “some are sicker than others” and she was hired. As I said before it is always best to take the moral high road to begin with, when you go toe to toe with the hogs the only thing that will be accomplished is you end up with hog shit on you, and while you can wash it off the smell will stay with you for quite some time. My friend who had been living full time for over 30 years before she finished her transition and had surgery knows what she is talking about. Now she lives a quiet life and seldom mentions the TG community. (Name wit held because I am not in the habit of outing people.)
PS your comment about Rad Fems is spot on.
Brennan dropped the lawsuit, an obvious attempt to save face after hundreds and hundreds of people offered to testify against her. Cathy Brennan is a sad, sick and delusional woman. Her illness prevents her from seeing how much harm she’s done to the cause she claims to be fighting for.
Cathy Brennan doxed me on a website of hers a few years back I’m straight and I’m a male. She did this because I disagreed with a comment she tweeted towards some activists on twitter. She then went to my twitch page took screenshots of me when I was gaming and uploaded them to her site listing me as a misogynist and an abuser and a bunch of total bullshit just for disagreeing with her on twitter she and a bunch of other people harassed me for weeks on twitter facebook and anywhere else she could find me.