BROADview in Brief

Tell us what you've seen

I’m still looking for someone to take over weekly write-ups for BROADview in Brief. Ping me if interested!

Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash

Our beloved AlejandraQ is out for a bit—please send her your congratulations on welcoming a new human into the world! Luckily, nothing has been happening in the gender world, except…

He said, she said? Will a male win the women’s boxing championships? Nobody knows. Or maybe some people know? The uproar over Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting, who may or may not have XY chromosomes, did not lead to a fair and balanced discussion of how to protect women’s sports. Shocking, I know. The most likely scenario is that these boxers are male and have DSDs, like Caster Semanya—perhaps 5-alpha reductase deficiency, in which a newborn is mis-assigned female at birth, and then develops male characteristics, due to internal testes, at puberty. In the DR, it’s known as “testicles at 12.” Carole Hooven has a good overview on X if you’d like to learn more. And more from the wonderful Helen Lewis here.

What we could have learned was that self-ID—being allowed a legal fiction on a passport or other documents—results in broad implications and complications that we need to address, and not just dismiss the desire to address them as bigotry.

I got an email this morning from a reader who embraces that narrative, that objections and leaning toward the most likely scenario is small-mindedness, and accusing me of confirmation bias. (Could be—I usually try to acknowledge my biases, not force other people to swallow them.)

Oh well. I also got a note from a reader last week—a conservative, Catholic, autogynephilic transsexual—who felt unwelcome here, and that bums me out. If you’re willing to admit the truth about sex, and especially about why you want to transition, come on in!

If you’re mean, take it to Twitter.

O-Hi-O. A judge upheld House Bill 68, which prevents minors from accessing “sex change” procedures until they reach adulthood—otherwise known as a “ban on gender affirming care.” It also requires students to play sports according to sex, not self-proclaimed gender identity. Imagine if we reported it this way!

Young people already on gender meds are grandfathered in, but if the law is upheld after the ACLU’s vowed next appeal, doctors could lose licenses or get sued if they provide it. Of course, they can get sued now!

Planned Parenthood, Testosterone Factory Speaking of lawsuits…Jen Block detailed how Planned Parenthood got deep into the gender medicine biz, often with very little oversight or much in the way of safeguarding—and the detransitioners now suing them.

And now, some headlines. Please add more in the comments. Tell us what you’ve been reading and thinking. Disagree with me or each other, or add context, or suggest other ways to see complex issues. Just don’t be a jerk.

An open letter to Kamala Harris from a Democratic woman (Washington Examiner)

'Gender Ideology' Is Not What You Think It Is (Newsweek)

U.K. Trans Youth Wait an Average of Two Years for Gender-Affirming Care (Them)

Liberal Feminists Have Betrayed Young Girls to Gender Ideology (Maine Wire)

This gender moment didn’t happen overnight (with Diane Ehrensaft) (KERA)

Book Review: The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities around the World by Lee Wind (School Library Journal)

BAFTA tells non-binary stars to pick a side as they refuse to introduce woke gender-neutral categories (Daily Mail)

Binge drinking more common in sexual- and gender-minority students (MedicalXpress)

One in three Americans say that a doctor has treated them negatively because of their identity (YouGov.com)

Gov. Tim Walz And The MN 'Trans Refugee' Law: What To Know (Patch)

Schools

Half of schools in the US encourage use of gender-neutral pronouns for inclusivity (Charlotte Observer)
'Our children aren't social projects:' New law restricts discussions of sexual orientation, gender identity (KTBX)
Huntington Beach mayor proposes ordinance against state gender identification law (ABC7)
Gender identity video shown at Middle School sparks outrage (LI Herald)
Parents push for state law requiring school notification about gender-identity change (Sentinel Colorado)
Moms for Liberty is trying to block gender discrimination regulations at dozens of PA. schools (The Keystone)

Title IX

Biden’s Title IX sexual orientation and gender identity protections blocked in 26 states (Advocate)
Explaining the debate over Title IX sexual orientation and gender regulations (National Constitution Center)
NC only southern state to adopt Biden’s Title IX gender rules (Carolina Journal)