Johns Hopkins University Blasted by J.K. Rowling, Others Over Its Definition of 'Lesbian'

[sheshe2]

Social media users accused the prestigious school of “erasing women.”
CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS
JUNE 13 2023 3:58 PM EST

According to social media users, Johns Hopkins is “erasing women.” They cite a glossary entry featuring “gay man” that doesn’t use similar language.

Link to tweet

https://www.advocate.com/news/johns-hopkins-university-lesbian-definition

[Just_Vote_Dem]

1. Wow, that is VERY insulting

Shocked to see that nonsense in a diversity handbook

[marble falls]

2. The non-man designation stinks, but I get where they were trying to get to with their ...

... definition of 'lesbian'.

[yardwork]

11. Then they need to do the same in their definition of gay.

[marble falls]

20. I agree.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. I don't see an issue here beyond giving a shit about what JKR thinks.

These definitions make sense to me. I know NB lesbians.

[meadowlander]

4. Not all non-binary people would identify as lesbians.

The whole point of being non-binary is not to have to pick whether you are a man or a non-man. Also how do you then describe a non-binary person attracted to men?

Also a non-binary person attracted to other non-binary people isn't a lesbian.

It's a terrible set of definitions on its face plus it makes me agree with transphobe JK Rowling

[Coventina]

16. I am helping to mentor a trans-boy, He has this argument ALL THE TIME

with his father.

"I'm not a lesbian! I am a boy that likes girls"

Ugh. Posting that shit from a respected entity just makes it worse.

[edisdead]

35. I mean can we just call people humans.

And beyond that just call people what they want to be called?

[yardwork]

6. If this is accurate, it's disgraceful.

Lesbians are defined as "non-men" while gays are defined as "men."

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. They've pulled the page and are reworking it, so there's that.

[yardwork]

9. I would hope so.

[Ms. Toad]

21. It looks like they don't even know where it came from.

Upon becoming aware of the language in question, we have begun working to determine the origin and context of the glossary’s definitions. We have removed the page from our website while we gather more information.

https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/lgbtq/education/glossary/

[yardwork]

23. That's ridiculous, frankly.

The university should know who is writing and approving pages on their website.

[Ms. Toad]

13. The issue is that the definitions are not parallel.

Gay is defined by maleness. Lesbian is defined by the absence of maleness. This is way too close to "othering" women in the same way using a generic "he" does. The gender which is important enough to have its own identity is man. Everyone else is a non-man.

Yes, NB individuals make simple definitions of orientation more complex - but for both gays and lesbians, not just for lesbians. And trans individuals coming out after partnering with someone they remain partnered with post-transition also make definitions complex for the partner. I have friends whose sexual orientation is straight who are married or partnered with someone whose gender identity is now the same as their own; or whose sexual orientation is lesbian - who are now married to or partnered with a man.

I have no problems with any trans or NB friend identifying as lesbians (regardless of the gender identity of individuals to whom they are attracted). But I find it insulting to be defined as being a non-man or as being attracted to non-men. I am a woman, not a non-man. I am attracted to women, not non-men.

(Just to be clear - J.K. Rowling is a trans-hostile jerk. But assuming these definitions are being accurately reported, I agree with her on this issue.)

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. Fair.

[Bettie]

5. I get where they were going with the lesbian definition

but...as much as I don't want to agree with Rowling, it does take women entirely out of the equation, we are reduced to simply being "non-men", entirely defined by not being men.

[yardwork]

8. While gays are defined as "men."

If this is accurate, it's not cool at all.

[Celerity]

10. As a lesbian, I refuse that definition. I won't be defined by a lack of maleness, that is misogynist

bollocks. It is offensive that non-binary gets lumped in with us women and not in with men.

I am a woman, a female, not a non-man.

I will never accept the label of non-man.

I refuse to have my autonomy stripped, my agency of self-identification taken away.

[yardwork]

14. Agreed. Whose idea was this?

And gay is defined as "men."

1973 called...

[Celerity]

17. Whomever came up with that is trying, IMHO, to erase the concepts of woman/female.

They are trying to set up a dichotomy similar to white and then all others are non-white. White as the be all and end all construct in terms of delineation. In this case, male as the main construct on terms of definitional labelling.

[yardwork]

18. I checked the twitter thread and somebody said that a trans woman approved this.

I hate to agree with JK Rowlings on trans issues, but if this is accurate it is a massive fuck up.

I am a lesbian woman. I am attracted to my wife, who is a lesbian woman. I have no problem with trans women but they had better not try to pull some kind of male rank on me.

[Mosby]

19. Her name is Paula Niera

She is the program director of LGBTQ+ Equity and Education Dept at John's Hopkins.

The doctor in this tweet misgenders her by mistake.

Link to tweet

[Celerity]

24. Well, I am not going to bend to her will on this, ever. nt

[Mosby]

26. Same, the hospital took it down and is reviewing the language.

I don't like the cis- thing either, I'm Jewish but don't expect a person to say "I'm a gentile man/woman."

[Celerity]

27. +1

[Coventina]

12. I am not OK with "non man".

Assuming this story is true.

I am NOT a non man. I am a woman.
Trans women are WOMEN, not non men.

Why is this so difficult?

[Wingus Dingus]

22. "Non-Man". Yikes. And yet gay men are not Non-Women.

That's pretty stupid.

[Trenzalore]

25. Brilliant people.can say some real ignorant things

[Hekate]

28. JKR & Others are right. This is stunningly stupid. Being defined only in reference to the male...

… is a sad, sick, and sorry part of female human history.

I expect much better of a renowned institution like Johns Hopkins.

[Nevilledog]

30. JK is a big transphobe... Her being right on this does not diminish the harm

[Hekate]

37. So a person cannot ever be right about anything ever again once they've made an error regarding

…an area of knowledge they had not encountered before. No growth possible, and no redemption.

I’ll bear that in mind as I shuffle thru the remainder of my life hoping for transformation and forgiveness for some of my own past errors. Oh yes, and as I still try to indeed learn and grow. It’s probably a damn good thing I never achieved international prominence ….

[meadowlander]

38. She has not acknowledged, grown or moved on from that error.

The fact that Johns Hopkins is also wrong here doesn't make JK Rowling not a transphobe.

Her comment here is not that Johns Hopkins is wrong because their definition is an example of trans-erasure. Her comment is just drawing from the same well of "erasing women" that she also uses to attack trans people.

So big thumbs down to Johns Hopkins, no bonus points to JK Rowling for pointing it out.

[Nevilledog]

29. She's a transphobe

[Coventina]

31. This does not excuse Johns Hopkins. n/t

[Nevilledog]

32. It's for context. She's done damage. Her being correct here does not excuse that IMHO

[Coventina]

33. I don't see anyone saying it does. I'm sure not, she is a toxic bigot. n/t

[Nevilledog]

34. Don't see much on DU about her, just wanted to give a little context, I guess.

[Celerity]

42. +1

[Takket]

36. Glad to hear they are rewording it. Guess I'll reserve judgement until then.

[leftyladyfrommo]

39. I just want people to be whoever they are. No labels.

Last edited Wed Jun 14, 2023, 06:17 AM - Edit history (1)

The label "lesbian" tells me a little about a person. But people are so much more than that label. They are a mother or daughter or sister. They are a veterinarian or a clerk. They are kind or not. So many things.

So much more. I hate those labels.
.

[niyad]

40. WTAF???? According to that page, "man" is the default setting for humans.

Whoever wrote, approved, and published that crap needs to be removed from their position.

[sheshe2]

41. No kidding.

Default settings my ass.

[Celerity]

43. Paula Neira, and yes, she should be sacked.

https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/lgbtq/education/glossary/