Are Transwomen Women?

There are few social and ethical debates today as controversial as those that swirl around the simple statement “Transwomen are women.” Here is an argument against the statement in the form of modus ponens.

1. If transwomen are women then the cis man who refuses to date transwomen in principle is a transphobe.
2. The cis man who refuses to date transwomen in principle is not a transphobe.
3. Therefore, transwomen are not women.

Of course, a person may simply deny premise 2 and end up with the opposite conclusion:

1. If transwomen are women then the cis man who refuses to date transwomen in principle is a transphobe
2. ‘ The cis man who refuses to date transwomen in principle is a transphobe
3. Therefore, transwomen are women.

At that point, the positions have been identified and debate can focus on the whether the evidence favors 2 or 2′. Personally, I think the evidence favors 2 and thus I think the modus ponens argument against the statement that “Transwomen are women” succeeds. But either way, we know where the point of disagreement lies.