J.K. Rowling once told us what the true definition of misogyny is:
Men defining what a woman is, what women should and shouldn’t fear, what women should and shouldn’t say, what rights women should be fine with giving up and, of course, what constitutes ‘real’ misogyny: get a bloody mirror. That’s real misogyny, looking right back at you.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 25, 2023
As you are about to see, dear reader, we can add the true definition of ablism to that.
This age of the Internet and social media has often been very good to people with disabilities. For instance, sometimes people who are deaf have little opportunity to communicate with the hearing world, except through social media like Twitter or Facebook, where most communication is by bare text. The same can be said for people with mobility issues that make it difficult to leave the home, but living in an era where the world can be brought into their computer screen (or VR headset) can open new vistas to them.
This is also true for Henrietta Freeman. Ms. Freeman has a disability. She describes herself as paralyzed from the neck down with weak upper body strength, short-term memory issues, and she is unable to speak. But she is able to type and read on the Internet.
But because of her willingness to speak out about how transgender ideology impacts her uniquely because of her disabilities, the trans activist mob temporarily silenced her.
In a pinned thread she posted last December, she explained why she only wants biological women to care for her:
🧵 The nerve of people being vile about me wanting same-sex care. People asking ‘what about lesbians’ is homophobic, they are women. This isn’t about sexuality, it’s about sex. I’ve been told I have an agenda, not wanting men to touch me is not an agenda. Here’s my 24hrs 1/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
AM: I have my vent taken off & repositioned in bed. I have my drugs given through my PEG by my carer (normally mum as I want someone I know but sometimes my carer is done by agency carers who can nowadays be men). Carers let themselves in to my house. 2/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
My drugs leave me zombied so you can imagine as someone who’s paralysed from the chest down with upper body weakness, I’m pretty vulnerable. If a carer was to be a predatory man, there’s his chance to take full advantage. Carers let themselves into my house whilst I’m in bed. 3/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
I have short term memory issues so if something were to happen I won’t remember until a few days after. Say a man sexually assaulted me or raped me, well, I wouldn’t know until heaven forbid, I ended up pregnant or unwell. This has happened to women. It’s no moral panic. 4/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
Recommended
On to the washing – I’ll never get used to after years of intimate care & knowing I’ll need it forever. You never get used to someone else washing your intimate areas. It is the bit which reminds me of my disability. Whilst I’m not embarrassed, put yourself in that situation. 5/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
I can’t feel anything from above my boobs and down. My condition has progressed. When I was able to feel it wasn’t as bad someone washing me as I knew what they were doing. Now, it’s 100% trust given over. I only have women doing this but I know it could be a bloke turn up. 6/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
Imagine the fear you might feel if you are expecting a carer, know they have open access to your house and know they could be a man even if you’ve requested same-sex care. I know disabled women who’ve had blokes turn up, fortunately they can turn them away, I can’t. 7/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
After my wash I am dressed and if I feel well enough, I am helped out of bed – again this is close contact. I have a catheter but require help with other toileting, if you are squeamish I suggest you skip the next part! It needs to be told to emphasise the intimacy of care. 8/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
I use a peristeen pump (affectionately known as a poo pump!) it’s a catheter that goes up my bum, fills with water & allows me to go to the loo. Accidents are less but it still happens, this involves changing me, being changed and washed is by far the bit I find hardest. Why? 9/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
Because this intimate personal care is a total giving over of trust and lack of dignity – even with women and my own mum I find it hard. However, I do not have the luxury of stepping away, it’s necessary. I don’t pity myself because I’m fortunate compared to other women. 10/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
So humble.
PM: the reverse routine as AM without the washing. My ventilator is put on so that means I struggle to speak and if a predatory male carer decided to do something, I am in bed unable to defend myself or shout for help. In the night my catheter might bypass – changing again. 11/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
I write this, not out of wanting pity but to show people who decide to pass judgement on disabled women wanting same-sex care what it’s actually like for me and many other women. I hope politicians (looking at Scotland especially!) read this and develop some understanding but 12/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
Most of all compassion. Think of yourself in my shoes when you say: ‘TWAW’, ‘men can become women’ or any other unscientific nonsense that you believe. When you vote for self ID you make it much easier for a predatory male to ID as female and do my intimate same-sex care. 13/
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
‘TWAW’ stands for the slogan ‘Trans Women Are Women.’
Stats on abuse of disabled women, inc by carers are horrific, more so than the awful abuse of able-bodied women. Many disabled women have hidden problems, most of my problems are hidden. Some may have been abused/assaulted so why would you put them in a situation of facing a man? pic.twitter.com/gwyNPkBUQC
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
How would you feel? Disability can happen to everyone and old age happens to us all. You may need intimate personal care, if you don’t care about what I’ve said, come back to me when you are in my situation, it’ll be interesting to know what you think. #NoToSelfID #RepealTheGRA
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) December 14, 2022
The GRA apparently refers to the Gender Recognition Act, which appears to be a law in Britain that allows biological men to pretend they are now women, and vice-versa, and also requires people to treat them as their ‘new’ gender.
We tend to think her reasons for insisting on biological women as carers are reasonable and well-stated. But more fundamentally, she should have an absolute right to reject any potential carer for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all. Her right to withhold consent should be unquestioned.
And to the trans community, this makes her evil, a Nazi, or something like that. Trans activist trolls have been swarming her for a while now.
For instance, this tweet…
It’s not anti-trans to not want men carers to wash my vagina and breasts. https://t.co/NxzNhdZLje pic.twitter.com/2yIiS4pj5r
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) March 26, 2023
… seems to have started an argument with this person …
Using disability as an excuse to be transphobic? Gross
— GayTrash (@garbagecanrat) March 26, 2023
‘GayTrash’ deleted a lot of her tweets going after Ms. Freeman, but judging from this response, apparently, some of those deleted tweets included calling Ms. Freeman a Nazi (because of course).
No numbers about trans people.
Failure again from you.
Stop weaponising the systematic murder of lesbian and gay people for your own agenda. It’s vile.
Still waiting for your proof I’m a Nazi.
I can’t raise my arm enough to do a salute so that’s one thing.— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) March 27, 2023
And this alleged screenshot … wow …
Here we go, found it: pic.twitter.com/ufNY8CBonS
— Bill (@CageFooName) April 13, 2023
Meanwhile, ‘Rudy’ alleges that another person swarming Ms. Freeman was suspended for some ugly conduct:
One of the "trans women" behind Henrietta's harassment @LucieWestenra has now been suspended. Lucie called Henrietta a "thing", an "it" and a "creature".
The rest of you thugs can get it too.
Bye bye now.#IStandWithHenrietta pic.twitter.com/9a2xe4edS5— Rudy (@theneonrequiem) April 13, 2023
And in response, this woman appears to be taking responsibility for getting the troll suspended.
— Emma Hilton (@FondOfBeetles) April 13, 2023
And the dogpiling included a person who wrote a post that sounds pretty extortion-y (see the quoted tweet):
Why would you want to spread hate against another disabled person?
What if you all just block Henrietta ? https://t.co/zHs7yGPnUf— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 14, 2023
Ms. Freeman hit back, particularly at other (allegedly) people with disabilities going after her:
Able-bodied people on here abusing me over my same-sex care rights – yawn. As for the disabled people who do it – look at yourselves in the mirror & don’t ever say you care about disability rights. A lot of you support disability charities who have been complicity silent.
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) April 12, 2023
But the swarming went on, until apparently Ms. Freeman reached a breaking point, according to this thread:
Thread re a Disabled young Woman and Gender Identity Thugs.
1/ Gender Identity Thugs have forced a severely disabled young woman off twitter.
Here's what they did 1/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
Henrietta is so severely disabled she relies on carers to do absolutely Everything for her, including intimate body care.
She is also non verbal.
2/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
She had tweeted a few weeks ago that she really needs to ensure any carers coming to her house will be female..due to the nature of her care needs.
3/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
For weeks she was then trolled by thugs calling her "transphobic " " anti trans " telling her TWAW and she was just being nasty.
When Henrietta stood her ground it escalated.
4/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
When she blocked one, another popped up.
She was gaslit..patronised by some saying " trans people have rights too "
Henrietta agreed but pointed out her bodily needs and need for a female carer..5/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
The trolling went on and on for weeks.
THEN she was accused of genocide, being a Holocaust denier, asked/ demanded to condemn Hitler..told that "Goebells was disabled too". 6/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
That’s a typo, but we never judge anyone too harshly for a typo (unless it is funny) …
She was then accused of being "anti semitic" despite her tweet and her point having nothing to do with Jewish people. 7/
— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
Having failed to "convince" her…she was then sent pictures of actual Holocaust victims.
She tried to tell them disabled people like her were Holocaust victims too.
8/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
One of them tried to dox her before being blocked.
Among these thugs were very privileged people. One travels the world to see Opera , one enjoys good food and a " glass of wine"
Henrietta can do neither. 9/— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
At least two of my transsexual friends supported her and told them off.. Thanks @roche_toni .
These privileged people fought and bullied a very vulnerable young woman for the "Right" to deny her bodily autonomy!
There's nothing progressive about that. /10— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
If you support people like this have a bloody good look at yourself!
— Anne WOMEN LIFE FREEDOM (@AWumman) April 13, 2023
So, for a while, Ms. Freeman apparently deactivated her account …
Forcing Henrietta off twitter via sustained abuse as she spoke out for the right of disabled women & girls to give informed consent to who provides intimate care
If one of the most despicable things I've witnessed on social media@Baroness_Nichol @HJoyceGender @RosieDuffield1 https://t.co/Wq8l0fjGW6 pic.twitter.com/UD4kLetlJ0
— Marjorie Hutchins (@leakylike) April 13, 2023
… and that caused the hashtag #IStandWithHenrietta to start trending last Thursday (April 13):
All Hernrietta wanted was the right to refuse a biological man, whatever he identified as, giving her intimate care, against her consent.
Reality matters sometimes.
For this she was called a Nazi & hounded off Twitter.
She cannot speak, so we will.#IStandWithHenrietta https://t.co/AoUQAUcwvQ
— KPSS Pro-Reality 🏳️🌈🍒💪🦕 Sex Matters (@MegaSausageHead) April 13, 2023
‘Dr. Em,’ who had previously worked with her on an article, discussed her exit from Twitter:
TRAs have forced @hen10freeman off Twitter 😢🤬#IStandWithHenrietta https://t.co/9swPEqG9ni
— Dr EM (@PankhurstEM) April 13, 2023
‘TRA’ stands for Transgender Rights Activists.
Dr. Em also shared their work together:
Henrietta and I wrote this together for @WingsScotland about the need for single-sex care. She is a funny, inspiring, warrior woman who I adore. Trans activists call her 'it' and 'thing', and have bullied her off. #IStandWithHenrietta https://t.co/fVkxk8a3nt
— Dr EM (@PankhurstEM) April 13, 2023
A snapshot of a TRA calling Henrietta, a young disabled woman, 'that thing' and 'it'. #IStandWithHenrietta pic.twitter.com/LNs09DaFWF
— Dr EM (@PankhurstEM) April 13, 2023
A tra has declared that I'm a 'waste of cum', Henrietta and I fight for the right to single-sex intimate care… he's kind of proving why disabled women need it. pic.twitter.com/zoVb9gyl0f
— Dr EM (@PankhurstEM) April 14, 2023
And Ms. Freeman got a lot of love and support in her absence:
As a nurse, this is the hill I would die on to protect any vulnerable woman in my care.#IStandWithHenrietta
— Brenda 🏴 (@BrendaK80530584) April 13, 2023
That anyone could hate Henrietta and go out of their way to seek to upset her is pure evil.
She spends her days advocating for a largely silent and ignored minority, severely disabled women who rely on intimate care.
She truly does EDUCATE us all.
❤️#IStandWithHenrietta— Field Marshal Zhukov’s Last Medal (@frankie2001mia) April 13, 2023
Doesn't Henrietta's disability makes it hard for her to communicate in real life? Now she has even less of a voice. I'm raging about this.
— GinaScot 🐔🌷🌻🌺💮🌿 (@gina_scot) April 13, 2023
Inhumane bullying from TRAs has forced a severely disabled woman, one of the most eloquent voices on here, into silence, abusing her simply for standing up for our right to same-sex intimate care.
May they live to know shame.#IStandWithHenrietta https://t.co/bEO4jZb4uJ— Avocado 🥑 of Wrath #KPSS #WORIADS (@WrathQueenof) April 13, 2023
This is what the “Be kind” crowd does when a profoundly disabled woman talks about needing same sex care. #IStandWithHenrietta #SexMatters #WomensRightsAreHumanRights https://t.co/ICnVB5VMa5
— #LetWomenSpeak (@rita_rake) April 14, 2023
Of course they came for the severely disabled non-verbal woman for whom Twitter was her voice. Absolutely disgusting. #IStandWithHenrietta https://t.co/5Qyjs6xCZt
— MrMenno 🏳️🌈🎶 (@MrMennoTweets) April 13, 2023
Frankly, there are more tweets expressing support than we can share in this post.
And the good news was by the end of the day, Ms. Freeman found the strength to come back:
Thank you everyone for the support. Sent abuse about me & my situ for wks, photos of Holocaust victims, doxxed, whilst I’m having actual challenges. Don’t fret, my chair hasn’t fallen apart 😉 ‘It, entitled b*** & toxic creature’ won’t be silenced 💚🤍💜
— Henrietta Freeman (@hen10freeman) April 13, 2023
So that’s a happy ending for today.
Her profile mentions Corinthians 16:13-14. It says: ‘Keep alert; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Everything that you do should be done in love.’
Dang straight.
(And it’s where we got the wording for the title of this post.)
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