A conservative influencer compared the gender presentation of trans women to blackface in a now-deleted viral video.
Lily Kate, a conservative influencer who regularly posts critiques of feminism and anti-gay statements, showed examples of blackface in a TikTok she has since deleted, which she says some call “racist! terrible!”
She goes on to say that when transwoman Dylan Mulvaney does what Kate calls “womanface,” those same people call Mulvaney “stunning” and brave.”
@swidx Limiting freedom for trans people reinforces harmful gender stereotypes that have historically oppressed women, which ultimately worsens conditions for all women. #terf #terfs #feminism #womensrights #racism #blacklivesmatter #transgender #transwomenarewomen #leftist ♬ original sound – Taryn !!
In a stitch of Kate’s video, TikToker Taryn (@swidx) says that Kate’s conflation of trans women and blackface is “the reach of the century.”
Blackface is the racist act of a non-Black person darkening their skin, usually in order to mimic a Black person. In minstrel performances throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, white people wearing blackface acted out racist stereotypes of Black people.
Separately, when someone is transgender, they identify as a gender that is different than the one they were assigned at birth. Transgender people do not have a history rooted in oppressing women.
“Republicans are exploiting their issue with trans women in order to restrict women’s rights,” Taryn says. “If you’re enforcing gender roles and gender stereotypes… it’s only going to continue to oppress women.”
On Tuesday, Taryn’s video had almost a million views.
Many commenters on Taryn’s videos were baffled by Kate’s argument.
“My jaw is still on the floor,” @maniac.maniax commented. “I’m trying to comprehend that leap.”
“THAT’S ACTUALLY SCARY,” @yalastarr wrote.
“When she said this my jaw deadass hit the floor,” @aykayray commented. “How do you even think of making this.”
At the close of her TikTok concerning Kate’s video about blackface, Taryn says, “You cannot call yourself a feminist if you do not support trans rights.”
Kate, however, has disavowed feminism in many of her TikTok videos. She believes the advocacy of equality of both sexes increases the rate of anxiety, depression, and suicide in women—points that are not supported by science.
“Sounds like the biggest scam to me,” Kate wrote in the caption of a TikTok she posted in April. “I demand a refund!
