Feminist movements and ideologies
Radical feminism considers the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy, which it describes as sexist, as the defining feature of women's oppression. Radical feminists believe that women can free themselves only when they have done away with what they consider an inherently oppressive and dominating patriarchal system. Radical feminists feel that there is a male-based authority and power structure and that it is responsible for oppression and inequality, and that, as long as the system and its values are in place, society will not be able to be reformed in any significant way. Some radical feminists see no alternatives other than the total uprooting and reconstruction of society in order to achieve their goals.
Feminist views on transgender topics
The term "TERF" was coined by Viv Smythe, also known as tigtog on the blog Hoyden About Town, in August 2008. Smythe said in the interview with Cristan Williams that she believes that she and Lauredhel coined it some time prior as a chat shorthand. It is an acronym for "trans exclusionary radical feminist". It is used to describe feminists who oppose the inclusion of trans women in women's spaces and organizations, or dispute that trans women are women. Feminist Viv Smythe, who coined the term, said "it was meant to be a deliberately technically neutral description of an activist grouping. We wanted a way to distinguish TERFs from other RadFems with whom we engaged who were trans*-positive/neutral, because we had several years of history of engaging productively/substantively with non-TERF RadFems." Cristan Williams from "The Transadvocate" argues that the term references "a brand of ‘radical feminism’ that is so rooted in sex essentialism and its resulting biologism, it actively campaigns against the existence, equality, and/or inclusion of trans people." Critics of the term, such as journalist and commentator Sarah Ditum, say it is a mischaracterization of their positions and a slur.