A charming young man pointed out something interesting on Benjamin Boyce's podcast the other day: when the trans activists claim that men behaving in some way that strikes them as feminine means that they're trans, what they're doing is reducing the acceptable scope of manhood. (Likewise, of course, when they say that a woman behaving in some way they deem masculine means they're trans). In doing this, the trans activists are enforcing narrower gender rules, not supporting gender non-conformity. This is essentially the same thing that middle school bullies do when they call a boy a faggot for wearing a colorful shirt. The idea of trans - that the behavioral outliers among men and women must be deemed not really men or women - is fundamentally opposed to gender non-conformity.
This is a lovely piece, Lisa. Heartfelt and humane. Your closing litany of questions is beautifully done, with the final question offering the very best of goals: “Actually, shouldn’t it just be boy or girl and no reason to categorize people because of their haircuts or clothes or the sex of their playmates?”
Of course these ideologues are opposed to "clearer dialogue, better data collection, rigorous science and improved treatment options". That's exactly what "#NoDebate" means, isn't it? And that opposition is the proof beyond any doubt that their ideology is a modern Gnostic cult with one major difference. Instead of advancing an ineffable, esoteric wisdom imparted in secret and accessible only to the spiritually elevated, its doctrine is such blazing self-evident truth any doubt must be the work of the evil Forces of Darkness, to be expunged from pubic circulation with any available means.
Always helpful to hear your thoughts and observations Lisa, I’m glad you’re persevering
The upside down world you describe of being on the other side of the protests repeatedly humbles me as I recall the way I myself would have also instinctively assumed anyone on opposing LGBT rights was bigoted and would have likely distrusted anyone presenting viewpoints that appeared to be in opposition to my values
We who identify as progressives in this movement are regarded with suspicion, guilty by association
It’s like a battlefield in which one can be shot for appearing to be one of “them” and we try to wave our flags to show “I am not the enemy” but no one hears us
I picture a literal crevasse into which so many young people’s lives are tumbling because of this righteous denialism and refusal to listen and yet I am more and more confident that in hindsight “all will be revealed” as they say in addiction recovery
Our mission to present information that is urgently needed to stop the harm remains very challenging but it’s important to understand that the loudest voices in the room don’t necessarily represent the majority
Your link to 2022 Colin W article is much appreciated I’m adding it to my list that I’m compiling to help educate some of my peers who might be willing to listen 👂
Maybe we will never know if it was a brilliant witticism or a typo!
A charming young man pointed out something interesting on Benjamin Boyce's podcast the other day: when the trans activists claim that men behaving in some way that strikes them as feminine means that they're trans, what they're doing is reducing the acceptable scope of manhood. (Likewise, of course, when they say that a woman behaving in some way they deem masculine means they're trans). In doing this, the trans activists are enforcing narrower gender rules, not supporting gender non-conformity. This is essentially the same thing that middle school bullies do when they call a boy a faggot for wearing a colorful shirt. The idea of trans - that the behavioral outliers among men and women must be deemed not really men or women - is fundamentally opposed to gender non-conformity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoZ1-pOGK4E
This is a lovely piece, Lisa. Heartfelt and humane. Your closing litany of questions is beautifully done, with the final question offering the very best of goals: “Actually, shouldn’t it just be boy or girl and no reason to categorize people because of their haircuts or clothes or the sex of their playmates?”
Of course these ideologues are opposed to "clearer dialogue, better data collection, rigorous science and improved treatment options". That's exactly what "#NoDebate" means, isn't it? And that opposition is the proof beyond any doubt that their ideology is a modern Gnostic cult with one major difference. Instead of advancing an ineffable, esoteric wisdom imparted in secret and accessible only to the spiritually elevated, its doctrine is such blazing self-evident truth any doubt must be the work of the evil Forces of Darkness, to be expunged from pubic circulation with any available means.
Always helpful to hear your thoughts and observations Lisa, I’m glad you’re persevering
The upside down world you describe of being on the other side of the protests repeatedly humbles me as I recall the way I myself would have also instinctively assumed anyone on opposing LGBT rights was bigoted and would have likely distrusted anyone presenting viewpoints that appeared to be in opposition to my values
We who identify as progressives in this movement are regarded with suspicion, guilty by association
It’s like a battlefield in which one can be shot for appearing to be one of “them” and we try to wave our flags to show “I am not the enemy” but no one hears us
I picture a literal crevasse into which so many young people’s lives are tumbling because of this righteous denialism and refusal to listen and yet I am more and more confident that in hindsight “all will be revealed” as they say in addiction recovery
Our mission to present information that is urgently needed to stop the harm remains very challenging but it’s important to understand that the loudest voices in the room don’t necessarily represent the majority
Your link to 2022 Colin W article is much appreciated I’m adding it to my list that I’m compiling to help educate some of my peers who might be willing to listen 👂
Obvs a brilliant witticism!!! Hope you didn’t actually drive tho! And remember to look left,too !!
Lisa, I can't tell if 'driving on the “wrong” side of the room' is a a Freudian slip, a comment about bothsidesism, or a bog standard typo.