Lately I ran into quite a few feminist spaces that seemed to think that every conversation about trans inclusivity was over because they had labelled their spaces ‘no cis men’. Problem solved? 

Like… no. Not at all. 

First of all, trans inclusivity takes actual work. Something is not a trans safe space just because you called it that. Your community is still full of terfs. 

And second, unless you intend to leave a ‘no cis men’ rule completely unpoliced (and are open about the fact that you will not ask anyone if they are a cis man), you have just created a space where people whose bodies have been influenced by testosterone in any way can be put on the spot to explain their gender identity.

This happens to intersex women, trans women, trans men, non binary people, etc. This happens both when people with testosterone-impacted bodies do not present enough obvious feminine gender presentation (showing up in jeans and a t-shirt) and when they present too many obvious feminine gender presentation (showing up to a party with glitter heels, fantastic make up and a fifties dress) because people will accuse them of being ‘cis male drag queens’. 

So in your supposed safe space, trans people still need to worry about looking the right kind of trans in order to be accepted. Which puts them in exactly the vulnerable position terfs love to exploit to attack trans people.

So no, you have not found a solution. Your ‘no cis men’ rule is not the end of the conversation about creating trans inclusive safe spaces. Try again.