Is NGLTF’s Executive Director, Rea Carey, a Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminist?

May 3, 2013 ·

Is the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s executive director, Rea Carey, a Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminist?  If I was a Christian and “liked”  Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church on my Facebook page, would you think I was a radical anti-gay Christian Fundamentalist?

Rea Carey’s Facebook page:

Fullscreen capture 532013 82843 PM

If it’s difficult for you to see, here’s a close-up of one of her “likes”:

Fullscreen capture 532013 82843 PM-002

if you’re not sure who Cathy Brennan is, she’s about as iconic in trans circles as Fred Phelps is in gay ones.  So if I were to interview Rea Carey about this issue, I’d ask her a few questions:

Question #1. Do you believe the goal of transactivists is to “erase ‘woman’ from reality” and that trans women are  “insane males”  that are “actively working night and day” and are trying to “erase us, women“?

Question #2. Are you concerned with the condition of my genitals, in the same way Cathy Brennan is?

Fullscreen capture 532013 90549 PM

Question #3. Do you think that trans women’s bodies are not a female body, but simply “a mutilated male body“?

Question #4. Do believe that “trans activists and MRAs (men’s rights activists) are the same people“?

Question #5. Do you think that “trans is the shit stain on the underpants of MRAs“?

Question #6. Do you believe “yelling ‘transwomen are women’ sounds a lot like “leave britney alone.”

Question #7. Do you think that trans women who ID as lesbian are “scammers” and do you agree with the statement that  “someone’s mental illness does not mean another group should coddle them or suck their dicks”?

Question #8. Do think “trans are liars“?

Question #9  Do you think “trans erases women“?

Question #10 Do you believe “trans promotes rape culture“?

and then we’d go to the bonus round and I’d ask her:

Bonus question #1: Does the fact that NGLTF’s Sue Hyde has never made an official apology to Sandy Stone concerning the letter Sue signed trying to get Stone fired from the Olivia Records for being trans, a sign that being a TERF within the walls of NGLTF is “A OK!”?

Bonus question #2: How many openly trans women do you employ?

Bonus question #3: If you support the Employment Non-discrimination Act being fully trans-inclusive, wouldn’t it make sense to actually HIRE trans women yourself and lead by example?

Bonus question #4. Since Lisa Mottet (a cis legislative attorney) is leaving  NGLTF’s Transgender Civil Rights Project to work at the National Center for Transgender Equality, will you hire a trans woman to replace her?

 h/t to Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminism

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  1. This piece makes me incredibly sad. The fact is there is a valid criticism here, but you wouldn’t know it because it is buried beneath a smear campaign. There is no LGBT organization that is perfect when it comes to prioritizing trans issues, but the Task Force is far from the worst when it comes to this.

    Your questions make it clear you intend for this to be a witch hunt. I guess pointing out the flaws of HRC has just become to easy and predictable.

    1. Smear campaign? The fact that most people know of NO ONE that’s trans that works for NGLTF, is part of the problem. A friend of mine and I had a discussion about an ED of a trans org that does AMAZING work in and for the community. But she doesn’t talk about it at all. And if no one sees you then does it really happen? In the eyes of the public? No. And that’s the problem. If President Obama secretly likes gay marriage, is that enough for you? No, it’s what he does PUBLICLY THAT MATTERS.

      And then there’s the “liking”. Smear? Saying Sue Hyde was a rad fem and tried to get Sandy Stone fired, isn’t a smear. Saying that Rea Carey “liked” a rad fem isn’t a smear. Saying that both are alumni of Smith College and neither have made public statements about Smith College and trans women, when the both easily could, isn’t a smear. Hell, the same goes for rad fem theory that does and has destroyed or harmed trans lives. The people with the greatest power to change it or make it anathema in the LGBT community are SILENT. So it’s a good question to ask. Every single question is a good one to ask. Didn’t ACTUP say silence is death?

  2. This looks like weak tea. I “like” pages on facebook sometimes so that their content will get posted to me on my FB home, not because I actually Like them. I also “like” posts like the tell me about three trans women who were murdered in April. Does that mean I want them to be murdered?

    This seems irresponsible at best, and is likely to invite unnecessary blowback. My first response upon reading the premise of this piece was to cringe.

    Until I find out that Rea Carey is attempting to disenfranchise transgender people, or harm the community, I’m inclined to let this alone. If she *IS* a TERF she’ll demonstrate it sooner or later, and likely sooner.

    1. oops.
      “I also “like” posts like the tell me about three trans women who were murdered in April”
      should read
      “I also “liked” the posts that told me about three trans women who were murdered in April”

      I so wish this comment system had an “edit” button. I’m lost without it. =)

    2. “This looks like weak tea. I “like” pages on facebook sometimes so that their content will get posted to me on my FB home, not because I actually Like them. I also “like” posts like the tell me about three trans women who were murdered in April. Does that mean I want them to be murdered?”

      Right, but you’re not a lesbian ED for NGLTF. She has a higher profile and should have a different use for her Facebook page. 

      “This seems irresponsible at best, and is likely to invite unnecessary blowback. My first response upon reading the premise of this piece was to cringe.”

      I’m glad you cringed. There should be NO QUESTION that Rea is an “LGBT” advocate, and you can’t be a clear trans advocate if you’re giving off mixed messages on your FB page. The fact that she employs a former rad fem who has not publicly apologized to Sandy Stone for doing trying to get her fired for being trans, it’s a very good question to ask. There shouldn’t even be a hint of a question as to where Rea stands if she advocates for trans people. She has the power to do the most good for us by standing with us strongly. The fact that the question even has to be asked of an “LGBT” ED is “weak tea.”

  3. Oh good fucking god! No.

    She, like many others, is keeping an eye on the asinine Cockroach’s statements to see where the badguys are going.

    Go check out NOM’s page, or FOTF’s, or any of the others. Dig into the email lists of many hate orgs and you’ll find many, many activists.

    by *liking* the page, you can follow it more effectively than you can by not doing so. Which I know all too well.

    This post is doing exactly what the cockroach wants. Or did ya’ll forget what the cockroach has said about Rea?

    GAWD I hate it when people stir up bullshit just to enjoy the smell.

    1. She, like many others, is keeping an eye on the asinine Cockroach’s statements to see where the badguys are going.

      You know this how? If she’s seen as a “bad guy”, then why is she planning the Lesbian Caucus” at Creating Change 2014?

      “Go check out NOM’s page, or FOTF’s, or any of the others. Dig into the email lists of many hate orgs and you’ll find many, many activists.”

      She’s not an activist, she’s an executive director of an organization with an 8 million dollar budget and what she “likes” is a reflection of who she is.

      1. “Not an activist”?

        Marti, seriously, wtf? Yeah, yeah, I know you have a hate on for all the heads of the Big Six, but that’s seriously fucking reaching.

        I know this because I talk to them. Try it some time.

        As for why Brennan is organizing such,why not ask? There was supposed to be one last year, but there wasn’t — because it didn’t meet the requirements. Or do you mean the unofficial Caucus? The one that happens that isn’t sanctioned by NGLTF?

        Sometimes, Marti, you let people fuck their own thing up. I realize that’s an awfully subversive thing to do.

        Nice to know that you don’t think I’m an activist, though.

        And that you have no idea how facebook works.

      2. Marti, seriously, wtf? Yeah, yeah, I know you have a hate on for all the heads of the Big Six, but that’s seriously fucking reaching.

        What? I don’t “hate” anyone. I’ve never said that Rea Carey IS a radfem, but the APPEARANCE that she MIGHT BE is TROUBLING. They’re all damn good questions to ask. If you think I hate anyone, you don’t know me. Funny you don’t reference any of the points I made. There are two trans people working for NGLTF, but you wouldn’t KNOW IT BY PERCEPTION. That’s what you either fail to realize or are ignoring wilfully. 

        “I know this because I talk to them. Try it some time.”

        Funny that, a friend of mine talked to her this morning at the Pink and Purple Awards Brunch, and she didn’t mention your conversation. 

        “Nice to know that you don’t think I’m an activist, though.”

        I had no idea you were the ED of an 8 million dollar a year budget non-profit! Congrats! Since the comment wasn’t at all about you, I’m not sure what you’re talking about. 

        “And that you have no idea how facebook works.”

        And apparently you have no clue how public perception works, how appearances work, or the difference between a National ED and an activist. 

  4. Motherfucker, I liked glenn beck and sean hannity and a spate of hilarious “stop heterophobia” pages on facebook, that doesn’t mean I deserve to have a rabid anti-beckite grill me on whether or not I agree with every horrible thing beck has ever said. This is how we make a nontroversy.

    Yes I’m dismissing your concerns while also being trans. What are you going to do? Compare me to some time cathy brennan did the same?

    1. Yes, you’re the Executive Director of an “LGBT” organisation with an 8 million dollar budget and you’re a graduate from Smith College who employs people with a history of trying to get trans women fired. It’s exactly the same thing. Totally. What was I thinking!?!

      1. *eyeroll* Yes, you have more of a responsibility to the ENTIRE community when that’s your history and your JOB. At the very LEAST, every question on this page is worthy of an answer, given the history.

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