Thank you for being a sane voice amidst a cacophony of crazies. The traditional liberal values built into the US Constitution are based on the principle that society is best served by the free interaction of ideas. Eventually, the better ideas win out in that ecosystem of competing visions.
But when all of us get trapped inside our own political bubbles, we only hear the opinions allowed inside our own ideological gulag. The foundational principal of democracy, let the people decide, becomes a hollow mockery. Instead of reasonably debating competing ideas, we become like small yapping dogs, each cowering in our own corner, barking as loudly and vehemently as we can, while hearing nothing except the howls of outrage coming from our self-righteous pack.
Agree. I think not medicalizing kids and subverting women is the issue I'm voting on and will be the great scandal of our time, but this escalation is insane. The bar to take parenting decisions away from parents should be insanely high. Whatever bipartisan work needs to be done, let me know. I'm in.
I’m with you, Lisa. It is my dream, too, that both sides can agree to disagree in peace. However, until a child is 18, medical transition should be illegal. No matter how the child is “feeling”. Overriding parental rights is wrong. Why both sides can’t at least agree with that is beyond my comprehension! Ugh!
To answer your question on drag queen shows: I think it should be approached with the same research-informed approach 1) is there any evidence that seeing a drag queen perform or read a book translate into children being more accepting or kind to a gay or gender nonconforming classmate, family member, or community member? If not, this is not a good use of limited resources and time. 2) we already have research raising concerns about the effects of exposing children and teens to highly sexualized and looks-centered images in advertising and social media resulting in negative attitudes about body image. Do these events have the same effects?
As for the short term euphoria - it seems that needs to be balanced against the immediate risks/costs and long term effects. Xanax provides an excellent short term outcome for symptoms of anxiety. Opioids are quite effective in the short term. And is “euphoria” a good metric for determining if a treatment is successful? Many harmful street drugs produce euphoria. Mania produces euphoria. Euphoria is not sustainable
Finally, I share the concern that the swimming guidelines for stopping puberty before 12 will rush more parents into medicalization thinking it is necessary in order to give their child the most future opportunities - an unintended consequence. Is there any medical knowledge on how blockers, cross sex hormones, and a synthetic opposite-sex puberty affect the child’s ability to do sustained athletic practice? Parents may end up feeling pressured to medically transition early and then end up with children with medical issues making athletics difficult.
These days, whenever someone talks about "saving the children" or the "unborn" I'm suspicious. As Margaret Atwood relayed to Ezra Klein in a recent interview, if you want people to do your bidding enlist them in a cause greater than themselves. The natural appeal of "doing the right thing" becomes a doorway into righteousness that silences opposing viewpoints.
I am extremely disappointed in the “follow the science” party, which I used to strongly identify with (for lack of a better word — I’ll never again use that, or “transition,” or “affirmative,” or “authentic” again without shuddering). Seeing how the Biden administration is moving on this is beyond distressing. It delegitimizes every health and environmental policy they put forward and makes that bipartisan meeting of minds all the more difficult. What a difference it would have made if there had been actual, rigorous, scientific debate as a measured response to the unsustainable path we’re on. It’s not too late, but just try getting a single Democratic legislator to listen to you. Another glaring example of liberals ensuring their own losses. How deplorable (aaaand another word ruined). Maybe for many, most even, this is an issue of ignorance and laziness, and for them, simply creating a forum for the open exchange of information would result in policies that protect minors (although 18 is still way too young), but it’s hard for me to believe this is purely about polarization anymore. Too much money in this to risk anything approaching a discussion based on fact.
And for as much as I share your concern about the absurd escalation on both sides, I cannot understand why schools and libraries need to invite drag queens — highly sexualized female impersonators — to read to kids. How many other controversial figures are brought in for children? And why are the libraries and schools so vehemently defending the choice instead of backing down? Seems absurd to think this is about normalizing cross-dressing, but I’d think the last thing libraries would want is to alienate some share of patrons, especially given that at least in my county, they’re always on the ballot requesting additional funding. Maybe the program had some success, but now is not the time. Retire it, even if the liberals scream about it. Surely the library could make the case that they need to be a place that’s welcoming for all, especially in regard to programming for children.
Good points, all. What I'd like to see is more teaching kids to understand issues from multiple points of view. If there's a controversy, study it, rather than fighting about it. Not that you need to do that at story hour...but you could! It's amazing how many words have become unutterable, and how quickly. Deplorable was a great word.
Turns out Wikipedia has a good history of DQSH. Might have felt innocent a few years ago. Not anymore. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_Queen_Story_Hour. “The program strives to ‘instill the imagination and play of gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models’.” These are toddlers. What exactly are they supposed to take away? And drag queens are not an underrepresented minority just seeking equality. They’re entertainers, for heaven’s sake. “[Drag queens] are incredibly talented, and they are trying to live their lives…” Oh COME ON.
Incidentally, I have a close friend who was a librarian in Berkeley, CA. His reaction to my point of “why anger patrons?” was, “It’s not angering patrons. It’s angering murderous Nazis. Civil War.”
I don’t particularly care about drag queens one way or the other - I certainly don’t think that outside of school it’s any business of the state if parents take their kids to one or to a wide variety of other entertainment - but the drag-show-in-schools/DQSH specifically seems intended to stick a thumb in the eye of conservative parents for no educational purpose I can discern. And even the political purpose seems to be to try to provoke the kind of overreaching backlash described, which I have never seen work out well. So I’m not joining any anti-drag activism but I’m also not impressed by the political logic of the DQSH proponents.
Thank you for being a sane voice amidst a cacophony of crazies. The traditional liberal values built into the US Constitution are based on the principle that society is best served by the free interaction of ideas. Eventually, the better ideas win out in that ecosystem of competing visions.
But when all of us get trapped inside our own political bubbles, we only hear the opinions allowed inside our own ideological gulag. The foundational principal of democracy, let the people decide, becomes a hollow mockery. Instead of reasonably debating competing ideas, we become like small yapping dogs, each cowering in our own corner, barking as loudly and vehemently as we can, while hearing nothing except the howls of outrage coming from our self-righteous pack.
Beautifully put.
Agree. I think not medicalizing kids and subverting women is the issue I'm voting on and will be the great scandal of our time, but this escalation is insane. The bar to take parenting decisions away from parents should be insanely high. Whatever bipartisan work needs to be done, let me know. I'm in.
I’m with you, Lisa. It is my dream, too, that both sides can agree to disagree in peace. However, until a child is 18, medical transition should be illegal. No matter how the child is “feeling”. Overriding parental rights is wrong. Why both sides can’t at least agree with that is beyond my comprehension! Ugh!
To answer your question on drag queen shows: I think it should be approached with the same research-informed approach 1) is there any evidence that seeing a drag queen perform or read a book translate into children being more accepting or kind to a gay or gender nonconforming classmate, family member, or community member? If not, this is not a good use of limited resources and time. 2) we already have research raising concerns about the effects of exposing children and teens to highly sexualized and looks-centered images in advertising and social media resulting in negative attitudes about body image. Do these events have the same effects?
As for the short term euphoria - it seems that needs to be balanced against the immediate risks/costs and long term effects. Xanax provides an excellent short term outcome for symptoms of anxiety. Opioids are quite effective in the short term. And is “euphoria” a good metric for determining if a treatment is successful? Many harmful street drugs produce euphoria. Mania produces euphoria. Euphoria is not sustainable
Finally, I share the concern that the swimming guidelines for stopping puberty before 12 will rush more parents into medicalization thinking it is necessary in order to give their child the most future opportunities - an unintended consequence. Is there any medical knowledge on how blockers, cross sex hormones, and a synthetic opposite-sex puberty affect the child’s ability to do sustained athletic practice? Parents may end up feeling pressured to medically transition early and then end up with children with medical issues making athletics difficult.
These days, whenever someone talks about "saving the children" or the "unborn" I'm suspicious. As Margaret Atwood relayed to Ezra Klein in a recent interview, if you want people to do your bidding enlist them in a cause greater than themselves. The natural appeal of "doing the right thing" becomes a doorway into righteousness that silences opposing viewpoints.
I am extremely disappointed in the “follow the science” party, which I used to strongly identify with (for lack of a better word — I’ll never again use that, or “transition,” or “affirmative,” or “authentic” again without shuddering). Seeing how the Biden administration is moving on this is beyond distressing. It delegitimizes every health and environmental policy they put forward and makes that bipartisan meeting of minds all the more difficult. What a difference it would have made if there had been actual, rigorous, scientific debate as a measured response to the unsustainable path we’re on. It’s not too late, but just try getting a single Democratic legislator to listen to you. Another glaring example of liberals ensuring their own losses. How deplorable (aaaand another word ruined). Maybe for many, most even, this is an issue of ignorance and laziness, and for them, simply creating a forum for the open exchange of information would result in policies that protect minors (although 18 is still way too young), but it’s hard for me to believe this is purely about polarization anymore. Too much money in this to risk anything approaching a discussion based on fact.
And for as much as I share your concern about the absurd escalation on both sides, I cannot understand why schools and libraries need to invite drag queens — highly sexualized female impersonators — to read to kids. How many other controversial figures are brought in for children? And why are the libraries and schools so vehemently defending the choice instead of backing down? Seems absurd to think this is about normalizing cross-dressing, but I’d think the last thing libraries would want is to alienate some share of patrons, especially given that at least in my county, they’re always on the ballot requesting additional funding. Maybe the program had some success, but now is not the time. Retire it, even if the liberals scream about it. Surely the library could make the case that they need to be a place that’s welcoming for all, especially in regard to programming for children.
Good points, all. What I'd like to see is more teaching kids to understand issues from multiple points of view. If there's a controversy, study it, rather than fighting about it. Not that you need to do that at story hour...but you could! It's amazing how many words have become unutterable, and how quickly. Deplorable was a great word.
Turns out Wikipedia has a good history of DQSH. Might have felt innocent a few years ago. Not anymore. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_Queen_Story_Hour. “The program strives to ‘instill the imagination and play of gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models’.” These are toddlers. What exactly are they supposed to take away? And drag queens are not an underrepresented minority just seeking equality. They’re entertainers, for heaven’s sake. “[Drag queens] are incredibly talented, and they are trying to live their lives…” Oh COME ON.
Incidentally, I have a close friend who was a librarian in Berkeley, CA. His reaction to my point of “why anger patrons?” was, “It’s not angering patrons. It’s angering murderous Nazis. Civil War.”
I don’t particularly care about drag queens one way or the other - I certainly don’t think that outside of school it’s any business of the state if parents take their kids to one or to a wide variety of other entertainment - but the drag-show-in-schools/DQSH specifically seems intended to stick a thumb in the eye of conservative parents for no educational purpose I can discern. And even the political purpose seems to be to try to provoke the kind of overreaching backlash described, which I have never seen work out well. So I’m not joining any anti-drag activism but I’m also not impressed by the political logic of the DQSH proponents.