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Women's Platform for Action International

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Women's Platform for Action International (WoPAI) is a Sweden-based international TERF and anti-gender group that campaigns against transgender rights and against what it calls the "pro-gender movement" and the "queer agenda",[1] an anti-LGBT+ conspiracy theory. It states that it promotes "sex-based rights",[1] an anti-trans pseudolegal concept and TERF dogwhistle that essentially refers to TERF ideology. The member organizations are a who's who of TERFism and include SPLC-designated hate group Women's Declaration International (WDI) and other well-known TERF groups, some of which are linked to the far right.

Opposing the "queer agenda"[edit]

Launched in 2024, it purports to be "a unified voice for a global women's movement" and, eerily reminiscent of MAGA politics, to "put women and girls first."[2] The organization states that it promotes "sex-based rights", a TERF dogwhistle and anti-trans pseudolegal concept, and claims to oppose an alleged "pro-gender movement" in academia and NGOs, as well as "queer, postmodern, or neoliberal agendas of liberal and leftist origin." The language about "the queer agenda" refers to an anti-LGBT+ conspiracy theory popular among far-right and anti-gender activists and is borrowed from the old homophobic trope "the gay agenda." It positions itself as opposing "large civil society organizations that claim to be feminist" and "non-legal and not agreed upon by the international community concepts of ‘gender identity’." It explicitly defines itself as a counterweight to mainstream women's organizations, bringing together organizations that promote "sex-based rights", that is, TERF ideology.[1]

Spreading all over the world are also states, organisations, interests and ideologies that position themselves as “progressives” but, in fact, are too rolling back women's rights. Neoliberal, relativist, left-labeled agendas rooted in the exploitation and subjugation of women are being institutionalised. These actors have codified postmodern identity based ideologies and theories which harm women’s rights. They claim that being a woman is a matter of opinion (...) They say that a floating gender replaces sex.
—Political platform of Women's Platform for Action International[1]

WoPAI is closely associated with Women's Declaration International (WDI), an SPLC-designated hate group that is aligned with Trumpist, alt-right and fascist movements, and appears to be heavily influenced by it, particularly in its strategic appropriation of feminist language and concepts. Like WDI, it seems to deliberately craft an air of faux legitimacy by adopting an official-sounding name that echoes official United Nations frameworks or documents, merely tacking on “International” to give the impression of being an authoritative global body. Indeed, one of WoPAI's two founding organizations,[3] the Brussels-based TERF group European Network of Migrant Women, is listed as one of WDI’s “supporting organizations.”[4]

In its first action, the group launched a declaration of support[5] for well-known TERF and WDI supporter[6] Reem Alsalem, which was framed as a counter-declaration to a 2025 open letter by 230 recognized women's groups spearheaded by Planned Parenthood and Women Deliver condemning Alsalem's long track record of transphobia, that includes appearances at anti-trans events organized by Alliance Defending Freedom, an SPLC-designated far-right anti-LGBT+ hate group.[7]

Member organizations[edit]

The member organizations are a who's who of TERFism and include Women's Declaration International, FiLiA, European Network of Migrant Women, For Women Scotland, and other well-known TERF groups.[8]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Why Wopai is needed (archived)
  2. Women's Platform for Action International
  3. We are launching Wopai
  4. Supporting organizations
  5. CALL FOR A GLOBAL ACTION OF SUPPORT FOR UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Ms Reem Alsalem
  6. "Rights For Me, Not For Thee: How Anti-Trans Feminists Took Their Advocacy to the United Nations". While their past attempts had failed, WDI and their supporters saw their biggest success in late 2022: getting the ear of Reem Alsalem
  7. Joint Statement Concerning the Call for Input by the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls
  8. Who we are