(pronounced “turf”) Acronym for Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist. The term TERF originated online in 2008 from trans inclusive cisgender radical feminist blogger Viv Smythe; however, exclusion of trans people–especially trans women–from feminist organizing spaces has been gaining traction since the 1970s. TERFs primarily believe that trans women are men trying to invade women’s spaces and work aggressively to deny the existence and identity of transgender people.[2]
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