It all starts with allowing the activists to control the language. Even the author, who clearly knows better, is using, "she" and "her" to describe Lia (erstwhile Will) Thomas. Well, he's NOT a she, regardless of what he calls himself, any more than my calling myself an aardvark makes me one. He's a hormonally-manipulated man, and if …
It all starts with allowing the activists to control the language. Even the author, who clearly knows better, is using, "she" and "her" to describe Lia (erstwhile Will) Thomas. Well, he's NOT a she, regardless of what he calls himself, any more than my calling myself an aardvark makes me one. He's a hormonally-manipulated man, and if you want independent confirmation, simply get a cheek swab and look at his DNA. Every nucleated cell in his body contains the same DNA; his "swimmer's body" was built according to that blueprint. His fast-twitch muscle fibers, ditto. His dense bones, his muscular power - all according to that DNA, and that athletic advantage doesn't go away with a few hormone shots.
When I see the activists vehemently asserting that men menstruate, that they can have babies, that "gender" is "assigned at birth" - and ordinary people capitulate so that they not be thought transphobic or bigoted or anti- something or other, I think to myself, "What will generations to come think of this time and place?" I don't know, but it won't be flattering.
It's OK to offend people; in fact it is critically important that one not give up the Constitutionally-guaranteed right to speak one's mind. Simply stand up and say the truth. It's really not that hard. When the aggressive crazies call you names or try to cancel you, the best response is to laugh at them, for there is no defense against ridicule - and they ARE ridiculous. I see that Canada just arrested one of the Freedom Convoy organizers for holding "unacceptable views." Think that can't happen here? Think again.
The focus of this article is who gets the ribbon or trophy. There is Nothing about NCAA core values of; well-being, fairness, integrity, and teamwork. It’s been determined that transgender people who participate in sports have better mental health. So what we’re talking about here is the emotional harm done to someone who didn’t win a trophy, compared to not letting transgender’s compete. This means placing a higher value on someone winning a medal than the psychological well-being of transgender’s; what kind of value system is that?
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
Using the transgender suicide rates as justification for everything and even defying biological reality is intellectually lazy and emotional blackmail. It's the same tactic used by gender therapists to force the hands of parents when their kid is dealing with gender dysphoria when we don't have long-term studies showing causal evidence to connect reduction in suicide rates to affirmative social therapy, let alone affirmative surgery. Indeed, the evidence is pointing more in the other direction. When someone is at the risk of suicide, many other things are happening that are way more important than whether the person is allowed to compete in a sport. Access to mental health care is the key.
Gender-affirming care can take different forms: social and parental gender affirmation, gender-affirming cross-sex hormones, and gender-affirming surgery, among others. The evidence you are presenting above is relevant to the discussion on whether gender affirming care in the form of puberty blockers (PBs) and gender-affirming hormones (GAHs) is associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among transgender and non-binary youths (13-20 years old) over a very short period (3, 6, and 12 months). Allowing biological males to compete in female sports is related to social gender affirmation, not to medical gender-affirming care, so your evidence is irrelevant to the discussion.
The study you cited has nothing to do with your initial claim that transgender mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Trying to make the connection using that study is either intellectual laziness or intellectual dishonesty. Hopefully is the former because it's fixable by critically comparing your claim to the objective of the study you are using to back up your opinion.
1. I wasn't trying to prove that allowing biological males to compete in women's sports was associated with reductions in suicidal ideation. You did! I only pointed out that the evidence you shared was not related to your claim. It's not my job to defend your arguments.
2. A question for you will be, why would you cite unrelated evidence to back up your claim?
3. Let's say I engage in your question. I don't have proof that participating doesn't help transgender mental health in the same way that I don't have evidence about how allowing them to participate would affect biological women's mental health. Some biological women have spent all their life training to be the best at their respective sports. For some of them, being the best at some sport during high school is one of the few paths they will have to attend elite colleges and achieve their dreams. What about them? What about their dreams? What about their mental health when they know from the beginning that they are competing for the second or third place, as many swimming, lifting, and track events have shown (assuming you only have one or two transgender athletes competing with them)? What about the long-term implications for biological women's perception of fairness in sports and their desire to practice sports and compete at elite levels?
Since there are many things that I don't know about the potential unintended consequences of changing the way some sports have been organized for decades, mainly those where physiological differences between sexes are relevant, I think the prudent thing to do is to take a more cautious approach. That approach could take the form of creating another division to accommodate them. In the meantime, more research should be conducted to determine what sports (where physiological differences are relevant) and under what conditions biological males could be allowed to compete fairly with women.
Dave, it appears you’re on a self-righteous journey that I don’t care to join you on!
“…both boys and girls who participated in team sports were less likely to
have attempted suicide in the prior years. These youths were also less likely to have used cigarettes, cocaine and other illegal drugs. However, those par-ticipating in team sports were more likely to have used steroids (especially the boys) and to have engaged in some risky sexual activity, such as not using condoms (especially the girls)”
In the context of discussing evidence about a claim and its scientific merits, a self-righteous person would express disinterest in seeking an unselfish or objective standard for the truth. I have done precisely the opposite. I expressed interest and evaluated the relevance of the evidence for your claim. After reading the paper, I pointed out that the evidence you shared was irrelevant. That doesn't make me self-righteous. I didn't discard your evidence just because I have a different opinion or because my opinion is morally superior to yours. I challenged your sloppy use of evidence (the same applies to the research you just shared, see my comment below). When discussing scientific evidence, you first determine the relevant literature for the question you want to answer. You then summarize and evaluate the quality of that evidence, whether the evidence is causal or just correlational, and whether it refers to the population you are interested in, and if that's not the case, what would be the caveats to consider when extrapolating the conclusions to other groups (this is precisely why the evidence you just shared is not relevant unless you add nuance: that review article doesn't mention the transgender population and still you use it in that way without proper discussion.). Based on the quality of the evidence, you decide whether it's appropriate taking a hard stance on some policy issue or if a more careful approach is needed. My understanding of the evidence of the consequences of allowing biological males to compete in female sports has led me to take a more cautious approach, as I explained above. If being reasonably skeptical about making significant changes to institutions without adequately discussing the evidence and the potential unintended consequences makes me self-righteous, so be it! Have a good night!
Your argument is that this one guy MIGHT commit suicide so because it MIGHT make him feel better about himself, he should be able to lie and rob the women of their chance at a medal. And the women who worked hard for this for their whole lives should just suck it up. That is ridiculous and shameful.
What other things do you argue that Thomas should be able to do because he MIGHT commit suicide and doing it will make him feel better? Plagiarize? Steal? IT MIGHT SAVE A LIFE!!! Is that how it goes now? Suicide blackmail?
This myopic focus on Thomas is ever so perplexing, Thomas as an individual, I could care less about, I’m talking about the class of people called transgender, and as a group, their overall health. You can continue to be outraged by this one incident, whereas I’m concerned about the health of the transgender population, not who wins or loses a race, which I have a hunch will outrage you again!
This article, on which you are commenting, is about Thomas. But hey, expand it if you like. Should all transgender people be able to cheat in school? Steal from stores? Break whatever rule strikes their fancy? What is your limiting principle here? Only that they might commit suicide if someone says no to them?
Think hard before you answer: you might save a life.
I didn't say that they were coequal. I'm asking you to describe the limits on your assertion.
What are those limits? At what point is the presumed threat of suicide *not* enough to justify allowing the desired behavior? Clearly, competing in women's sports is something you find allowable. What isn't allowable? I know you won't answer these questions.
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
I admire your persistence in continuing to beat a dead horse. You've now reached the “Let's throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks" phase of your argument. Transgender mental health is an important issue, and deserves to be taken seriously. The best way to do that is for transgender people to have access to good mental health services so they can figure out why they're suicidal. However, your suggestion that women should shoulder the burden of trans mental health by sacrificing their athletic aspirations for social work in order to prevent trans-identified men from killing themselves, is one of the most narcissistic and misogynistic things I've ever heard.
While we're beating a dead horse, this quote from your latest post, "Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events..." is a big fat lie. All sorts of reasons? No. Just one, regarding one specific group of transgender people. Trans-identified MALES have a biological advantage which makes their participation unfair to women. It's not trans-identified males who is victimized here, it's women. But you already know this. And FWIW, Lia Thomas is free to compete against men if he would like to do so.
By the way, nobody is saying a peep regarding trans-identified women competing against men. NO ONE CARES. Why’s that? Oh yeah, that pesky biological sex thing.
Transgender people could be taking control of their own mental and physical health by organizing their own sports teams and programs, open to all people of whatever gender identity. There could be orgs and teams depending on specific sports and gender identifications, as well as ones based on a great, big, queer free-for-all. College trans athletes could spearhead this effort at their universities. It could evolve into something wonderful. It would certainly result in improvement in self-esteem, as well as better physical and mental health. And it would solve a huge public relations problem for the trans community, because it would operate from the reality-based position that trans-identified men aren’t women, and they need to stay the hell out of the women’s lane. But it would require ditching the pity-party victim mentality and the expectation that the world owes them a medal.
I've said all I have to say on this topic. I'm done with you. Have a nice day.
If giving a coherent, reasoned explanation that supports the conclusion that transgender people should participate in sporting events is an act of trolling, then I suppose I’m trolling!
Coherent reasoned writers on difficult topics: James Baldwin, George Orwell, Susan Sontag, Annie Dillard. It’s important to know what that kind of writing looks like so you can identify it when it happens, and possibly, one day, make an attempt at it.
If you are going to try and insult me, please use the likes of these authors, Descartes, or how about John Locke? The man that’s often credited with being one of the founders of modern “liberal” thought: who pioneered ideas like; natural law, social contract, religious tolerance, and the right to revolution. It’s believed his writings were instrumental in the American Revolution and the Constitution of the United States. Or how about; Hume, who used “I think therefore I am” as part of his proof for the existence of God. I think these authors are better examples of coherent reasoning, don’t you?
Why, or why, do people do this? You said I used the straw man argument. A straw man argument is a misrepresentation of an opinion or viewpoint; I did no such thing. I’ve stated my reasoning and opinion; note the word (my). You proceed to give a laundry list of rationale that we could go on for an eternity debating and get nowhere rapidly. I’ve stated my case; you can either reject it or disassemble it, going through a laundry list of rationales would be an act of futility that I care not to participate in!
The focus of this article is who gets the ribbon or trophy. There is Nothing about NCAA core values of; well-being, fairness, integrity, and teamwork. It’s been determined that transgender people who participate in sports have better mental health. So what we’re talking about here is the emotional harm done to someone who didn’t win a trophy, compared to not letting transgender’s compete. This means placing a higher value on someone winning a medal than the psychological well-being of transgender’s; what kind of value system is that?
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
As for the dystopian bogeyman under the bed, your cup of paranoia does run over.
When I opened my feed this morning to this article, I immediately thought, "This is deliberate. This is posted to raise my stress/anger levels, to build audience thru conflict, and it's the shiny object they flash before us to distract us from reality."
I have no doubt the author believes these issues, and they are actually issues that affect some people. Still, I am not going to participate in their madness. Why is it an issue? Because no one will say what is obvious.
In the meantime, freedom is being captured by authoritarian and totalitarian governments. And, we should worry about a silly man in a pool.
I can understand your point of view. Until the Gender Ideology Cult captures someone you love, it all - including "the pronouns" sounds very silly. And, it is. At the same time, it is very harmful. Think NXIVM only promoted by all of society - as far as the kids can see. That is the impact on the tween and teen girls now that "Gender Identity" is promoted at school K-12. It undermines parents, common sense, and health.
Big pharma is making big bucks selling cross sex hormones to teens - handed out like candy. And, girls are getting "chest affirming" surgeries (double mastectomies) often paid for by insurance. The laws say parents don't need to know. Universities will even do it. Try viewing the Abigail Shrier and PITT (Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans) substacks. The assault on society is both large scale and small (family and child level).
Yes, I follow AS, and I don't dispute the harm this cult is creating. Laura Dodsworth (https://lauradodsworth.substack.com)also has photographic work on her website of de-transitioners (entitled Salamanders) that is heart wrenching.
So many battles, dear LovingMother. How many can I fight, actually fight and do something about instead of merely posture or argue or sympathize, me personally, this old man whose greatest fear is when the authoritarians (maybe totalitarians, as they also seem to want to control even my mind) come for me, my family, my bank accounts, etc? And, what of the massive spiritual death that subsumes our society and threatens to erase our connections to God and steal the Light of the World?
From my first principles, those are the battle lines, and that is the breach, and that's where I need to stand. This issue is sad, and saddens me.
Good post. I think that one way in which society is under assault is with language. If we roll over and accept all the Newspeak we will not even be able to discuss the absence of freedoms or the theft of property. The State is working to own the minds of the children. And, we get confused people making decisions in Health, radicals in charge of finance...
It's not just a silly man in a pool, though. It is a symptom of something much much larger. Fail to push back on the small things and you will invariably fall victim to the big things.
In principle I agree with you. It's a distraction but it is also something more. It is a lie and a sign of our times. We are bombarded with one lie after another. Men are not women no matter how many hormones they take and what they have lopped off their body. Women are not men no matter how much testosterone they take and if they have their breasts lopped off their chests. Children don't have the maturity to make decisions on their sexuality and to believe otherwise is to participate in the worst form of child abuse. In too many places parents are kept from the knowledge their children are being encouraged to go through psychological and medical sex change processes. This is a great evil Do we have to suspend common sense and wait 20 years for these now adults to come forward publicly and share the horror and nightmare of their lives? We know it is coming. Why are we allowing this to happen? Is it to gratify some sick adults and pedophiles?
"Why are we allowing this to happen? Is it to gratify some sick adults and pedophiles?" Yes, it is to gratify spiritually dead virtue seekers.
It's not that I don't care, because I do. It's that it is not even on the front burner as an issue, and so many people are fiddling while our freedom burns. Bread and circuses, maybe? I don't know.
So, my view of a discussion of college sports v. basic freedoms might be similar to yours. Maybe universities should not even have such competitive sports & recruitment. Maybe kids should just go to college and take up a sport if it is fun for them. It's good for everyone to do athletics and who needs to hear about it? (Although a male in girls sports is very unfair and gross in the locker room.)
But, it is my hope that this unfairness is sports issue gets more people to open their eyes and become concerned about how the Gender Cult has come to dominate education, medicine and law. I am not even sure where to start, but here is something: https://abigailshrier.substack.com/p/the-gender-cult-marches-on?utm_source=url
The freedom to parent our own children has been undermined big time. If our children have just become creatures of the State, how can there be any freedom?
How did collegiate athletics ever become the billion dollar industry it currently is?
You may be right, though, that this issue will bring the absurdity to awareness of more people. My fear is that that same virtue narcissism you describe also runs throughout our society and this issue may have more support than it should. It could strengthen, even in the face of its absurdity.
That is a frightening thought. As a mother I must hope. Our daughter is physically just fine (thank God) and may be recovering from the psychological abuse that is Gender Ideology promoted at school, but I will push back on the side of reality until my last breath :) Tween/teen girls and young women are very easily influenced socially. I think they are the canaries in the coal mine for the health of society. Think of the future generations.
The Leftists are attacking all our foundations and we are forced to look in so many different directions and places that it becomes hard to fight back. They divide us and conquer. They never give up either. Their goal is the destruction of our culture and our civilization.
They are winning right now. But, even the Salem Witch hysteria ended. I think we cannot combat one attack on freedom or reality and ignore another when there is a full on assault by radicals on all fronts. It's been going on for some time but I think some of society is just starting to wake up.
The education system thinks they are executing on "kindness and understanding", medicine does not stand up to GI as too many therapists and doctors only see the $$, big pharma makes big bucks off lifetime patients, and the laws have been changed without much, if any, public discussion. I do not remember voting on an initiative to agree that Gender means anything other than sex which is binary. I also do not recall any major scientific discovery on this issue but it is everywhere now in law: https://genspect.org/local/
If the "Equality Act" passes "Sex" will have no legal meaning. Only "Gender" will.
You are just fine as you are. Sometimes deeper thought can lead you down deeper holes. The fact that you care enough to comment is more than enough for me to take your thoughts seriously.
Say the truth. That's the whole crux of the matter right there. Just refuse to participate in a lie. Live NOT by lies. How can someone be more attached to a future that requires lie upon lie, instead of a future that allows freedom because of truth?
"When you play along with an evil game, what happens to you?
“When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity.
To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control.”
I have been viewing this situation in the same straight forward manner. Arguing with the truth is simply a waste of time and it will never get one anywhere good. Regardless of gender ideology lingo, surgical procedures, and injected synthetic hormones it will never be fair for bodies created at conception by either XX or XY chromosomes to complete against each other. How long will it take for these trans athletes and the activists that surround them tire of this shameful charade? I believe that they definitely know, in their hearts, that this is morally wrong and this is not legitimate fair athletic competition.
Certainly the majority of sane people know this is not legitimate but somehow it goes on. A small unhinged minority is driving all this and getting away with it.
Solsenitzen said the Soviet Union began to fall apart when people refused to participate in the lie. I know this can be difficult for many people because it means they can lose their jobs. It is the worst kind of coercion. If I had to support a family it would keep me in a continual state of stress to be forced to go along with the lies. I have just learned that Google monitors everything in your emails and your Internet history. Scary times.
All my Internet browsing goes through a VPN, which projects my address as coming from elsewhere. Today I'm in the Midwest, probably tomorrow Canada, Maybe Thailand the next day. My email is through ProtonMail, an end-to-end encrypted server in Switzerland. ProtonMail is free.
By the way, the gub'ment - ever watchful of our welfare, is trying once again to pass a bill making end-to-end encryption unlawful - my son tells me to include the encryption of hard drives, &c. &c. They just can't stand not being able to put their hands down your pants whenever and wherever they want. And, of course, the Republicans, being equal-opportunity rights abusers, are right in there, too. (It's to protect the children, you know....)
re: Google. Several months ago, my son was sitting at his computer and we were discussing the purchase of some consumer good or other. He has one of those Amazon things that you can talk to sitting on his desk. As I turned to leave, he called me back. There on the screen was an advertisement for the very thing we were discussing. Trust none of these players. None. There is probably a big business opportunity in modern privacy.
edit: addendum. I just subscribed to Reason online. Fifteen bucks a year. Can't beat it. This parallel economy is really taking off, and the Lamestream Press need not apply. We Just May Make it.
That's why I try to use the Firefox browser for most things rather than Chrome. I use Yahoo rather than Gmail for most of my emails. Although those things are probably not much safer.
“Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.”
I've read Dalrymple for nearly forty years now. Good stuff. Along those lines, another favorite, this time from Rod Dreher: "The pitter-patter of woke tears is no different from the stomping of Brownshirts' boots."
I have recently discovered Dalrymple. Such a giant dose of common sense. I have read 3 of his books in the past two weeks. I’m also a big fan of Rod Dreher. Now I’m working my way through Anne Applebaum’s books. Just finished “Gulag “. Next up is “Twilight of Democracy” .
I've read Dalrymple's columns for years. Due to Substack I have discovered Rod Dreher. He has a substack too but I currently have so many subscriptions I can't take on any more at this time.
Thank you - that's one of my favorite quotes! It really makes clear how cruel political correctness is. And also makes clear that cruelty is part of the point.
Yes. The goal is to humiliate you and control you. Not to foster justice or whatever it is they disguise it with. Of course there are many kind people who get swept up in it unknowingly. We call them useful idiots.
I agree with you but I am somewhat insulated by being retired. What if I had a family to support, no savings to fall back on and debt of various sources including student loans? I have to be honest and admit I would be intimidated into silence and unwilling and unenthusiastic compliance. Not everyone has the talent and wherewithal to be self supporting and free of outside coercion.
I have made a decision for myself not to lie but I understand the stress and pressures others live with.
It's a daily decision, isn't it, like deciding to be sober, living day by day. Today, I am not going to live the lie. The costs add up over time, but they are usually not dramatic each day. A friend lost today, a business refused to patronize yesterday, a restaurant I can no longer go into, etc.
Still, I'll add a caution. They will come for our finances, for our savings, bank accounts, investments, credit cards, real estate holdings, etc. We are not immune from them just because we're retired and somewhat well situated for the future.
They have given themselves that authority and no one financial entity is pushing back.
You are correct. Biden initiated a similar emergency powers order a couple of days ago to what Trudeau did. If they don't like who you donate to and support they will freeze your account. No one is immune or insulated.
I'd a friend in law school many years ago, when this "hate crime" stuff started. He was livid. "THE most fundamental tenet of the Constitution is that people may be punished for their actions - only. Now these moral busybodies are changing sentencing because of what they THINK was in the person's mind. Mind-reading. They are now punishing thought crimes. This is a very bad slippery slope we are starting down." Over forty years ago, he called it.
And that is precisely why the globalist elites want to crush and destroy America. Because our penchant for liberty and individualism stand opposed to their collectivist, anti-liberty aims and goals.
This article is an example of where I think it is appropriate to use a made-up gender pronoun. It is confusing when standard pronouns are applied to transgender people because by doing so, it implies that the person is fully accepted by everyone as the gender they have chosen, rather than the one they were born into. I understand using their chosen pronoun in order to be polite when you are talking directly with a transgender person, but when it is an article, podcast, etc., intended for public consumption, a neutral pronoun should be used. Otherwise, it is catering to the ideology and ignoring the biology.
I suggest adopting the term AGAP as an acronym for "appropriate gender pronoun". This avoids using the "wrong" pronoun and includes those who are gender fluid.
Sometimes, when the singular “they” is invoked in news articles featuring a person, some other people, and some groups of people, it can make for a confusing narrative.
It all starts with allowing the activists to control the language. Even the author, who clearly knows better, is using, "she" and "her" to describe Lia (erstwhile Will) Thomas. Well, he's NOT a she, regardless of what he calls himself, any more than my calling myself an aardvark makes me one. He's a hormonally-manipulated man, and if you want independent confirmation, simply get a cheek swab and look at his DNA. Every nucleated cell in his body contains the same DNA; his "swimmer's body" was built according to that blueprint. His fast-twitch muscle fibers, ditto. His dense bones, his muscular power - all according to that DNA, and that athletic advantage doesn't go away with a few hormone shots.
When I see the activists vehemently asserting that men menstruate, that they can have babies, that "gender" is "assigned at birth" - and ordinary people capitulate so that they not be thought transphobic or bigoted or anti- something or other, I think to myself, "What will generations to come think of this time and place?" I don't know, but it won't be flattering.
It's OK to offend people; in fact it is critically important that one not give up the Constitutionally-guaranteed right to speak one's mind. Simply stand up and say the truth. It's really not that hard. When the aggressive crazies call you names or try to cancel you, the best response is to laugh at them, for there is no defense against ridicule - and they ARE ridiculous. I see that Canada just arrested one of the Freedom Convoy organizers for holding "unacceptable views." Think that can't happen here? Think again.
The focus of this article is who gets the ribbon or trophy. There is Nothing about NCAA core values of; well-being, fairness, integrity, and teamwork. It’s been determined that transgender people who participate in sports have better mental health. So what we’re talking about here is the emotional harm done to someone who didn’t win a trophy, compared to not letting transgender’s compete. This means placing a higher value on someone winning a medal than the psychological well-being of transgender’s; what kind of value system is that?
It's a value system that values truth. That's what it is.
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
Using the transgender suicide rates as justification for everything and even defying biological reality is intellectually lazy and emotional blackmail. It's the same tactic used by gender therapists to force the hands of parents when their kid is dealing with gender dysphoria when we don't have long-term studies showing causal evidence to connect reduction in suicide rates to affirmative social therapy, let alone affirmative surgery. Indeed, the evidence is pointing more in the other direction. When someone is at the risk of suicide, many other things are happening that are way more important than whether the person is allowed to compete in a sport. Access to mental health care is the key.
Question Is gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) youths associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidality?
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2789423
Gender-affirming care can take different forms: social and parental gender affirmation, gender-affirming cross-sex hormones, and gender-affirming surgery, among others. The evidence you are presenting above is relevant to the discussion on whether gender affirming care in the form of puberty blockers (PBs) and gender-affirming hormones (GAHs) is associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation among transgender and non-binary youths (13-20 years old) over a very short period (3, 6, and 12 months). Allowing biological males to compete in female sports is related to social gender affirmation, not to medical gender-affirming care, so your evidence is irrelevant to the discussion.
The study you cited has nothing to do with your initial claim that transgender mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Trying to make the connection using that study is either intellectual laziness or intellectual dishonesty. Hopefully is the former because it's fixable by critically comparing your claim to the objective of the study you are using to back up your opinion.
Dave, do you have proof that participating in sports does not help?
1. I wasn't trying to prove that allowing biological males to compete in women's sports was associated with reductions in suicidal ideation. You did! I only pointed out that the evidence you shared was not related to your claim. It's not my job to defend your arguments.
2. A question for you will be, why would you cite unrelated evidence to back up your claim?
3. Let's say I engage in your question. I don't have proof that participating doesn't help transgender mental health in the same way that I don't have evidence about how allowing them to participate would affect biological women's mental health. Some biological women have spent all their life training to be the best at their respective sports. For some of them, being the best at some sport during high school is one of the few paths they will have to attend elite colleges and achieve their dreams. What about them? What about their dreams? What about their mental health when they know from the beginning that they are competing for the second or third place, as many swimming, lifting, and track events have shown (assuming you only have one or two transgender athletes competing with them)? What about the long-term implications for biological women's perception of fairness in sports and their desire to practice sports and compete at elite levels?
Since there are many things that I don't know about the potential unintended consequences of changing the way some sports have been organized for decades, mainly those where physiological differences between sexes are relevant, I think the prudent thing to do is to take a more cautious approach. That approach could take the form of creating another division to accommodate them. In the meantime, more research should be conducted to determine what sports (where physiological differences are relevant) and under what conditions biological males could be allowed to compete fairly with women.
Dave, it appears you’re on a self-righteous journey that I don’t care to join you on!
“…both boys and girls who participated in team sports were less likely to
have attempted suicide in the prior years. These youths were also less likely to have used cigarettes, cocaine and other illegal drugs. However, those par-ticipating in team sports were more likely to have used steroids (especially the boys) and to have engaged in some risky sexual activity, such as not using condoms (especially the girls)”
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281925839_Participation_in_sports_activities_and_suicide_prevention
In the context of discussing evidence about a claim and its scientific merits, a self-righteous person would express disinterest in seeking an unselfish or objective standard for the truth. I have done precisely the opposite. I expressed interest and evaluated the relevance of the evidence for your claim. After reading the paper, I pointed out that the evidence you shared was irrelevant. That doesn't make me self-righteous. I didn't discard your evidence just because I have a different opinion or because my opinion is morally superior to yours. I challenged your sloppy use of evidence (the same applies to the research you just shared, see my comment below). When discussing scientific evidence, you first determine the relevant literature for the question you want to answer. You then summarize and evaluate the quality of that evidence, whether the evidence is causal or just correlational, and whether it refers to the population you are interested in, and if that's not the case, what would be the caveats to consider when extrapolating the conclusions to other groups (this is precisely why the evidence you just shared is not relevant unless you add nuance: that review article doesn't mention the transgender population and still you use it in that way without proper discussion.). Based on the quality of the evidence, you decide whether it's appropriate taking a hard stance on some policy issue or if a more careful approach is needed. My understanding of the evidence of the consequences of allowing biological males to compete in female sports has led me to take a more cautious approach, as I explained above. If being reasonably skeptical about making significant changes to institutions without adequately discussing the evidence and the potential unintended consequences makes me self-righteous, so be it! Have a good night!
What a ridiculous and shameful argument.
Rather than refute my reasoning, Missy, you simply complain about it! Why is it ridiculous and shameful?
Your argument is that this one guy MIGHT commit suicide so because it MIGHT make him feel better about himself, he should be able to lie and rob the women of their chance at a medal. And the women who worked hard for this for their whole lives should just suck it up. That is ridiculous and shameful.
What other things do you argue that Thomas should be able to do because he MIGHT commit suicide and doing it will make him feel better? Plagiarize? Steal? IT MIGHT SAVE A LIFE!!! Is that how it goes now? Suicide blackmail?
This myopic focus on Thomas is ever so perplexing, Thomas as an individual, I could care less about, I’m talking about the class of people called transgender, and as a group, their overall health. You can continue to be outraged by this one incident, whereas I’m concerned about the health of the transgender population, not who wins or loses a race, which I have a hunch will outrage you again!
This article, on which you are commenting, is about Thomas. But hey, expand it if you like. Should all transgender people be able to cheat in school? Steal from stores? Break whatever rule strikes their fancy? What is your limiting principle here? Only that they might commit suicide if someone says no to them?
Think hard before you answer: you might save a life.
Right, each thing that you have cited is coequal; you presented a spurious argument!
I didn't say that they were coequal. I'm asking you to describe the limits on your assertion.
What are those limits? At what point is the presumed threat of suicide *not* enough to justify allowing the desired behavior? Clearly, competing in women's sports is something you find allowable. What isn't allowable? I know you won't answer these questions.
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
I admire your persistence in continuing to beat a dead horse. You've now reached the “Let's throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks" phase of your argument. Transgender mental health is an important issue, and deserves to be taken seriously. The best way to do that is for transgender people to have access to good mental health services so they can figure out why they're suicidal. However, your suggestion that women should shoulder the burden of trans mental health by sacrificing their athletic aspirations for social work in order to prevent trans-identified men from killing themselves, is one of the most narcissistic and misogynistic things I've ever heard.
While we're beating a dead horse, this quote from your latest post, "Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events..." is a big fat lie. All sorts of reasons? No. Just one, regarding one specific group of transgender people. Trans-identified MALES have a biological advantage which makes their participation unfair to women. It's not trans-identified males who is victimized here, it's women. But you already know this. And FWIW, Lia Thomas is free to compete against men if he would like to do so.
By the way, nobody is saying a peep regarding trans-identified women competing against men. NO ONE CARES. Why’s that? Oh yeah, that pesky biological sex thing.
Transgender people could be taking control of their own mental and physical health by organizing their own sports teams and programs, open to all people of whatever gender identity. There could be orgs and teams depending on specific sports and gender identifications, as well as ones based on a great, big, queer free-for-all. College trans athletes could spearhead this effort at their universities. It could evolve into something wonderful. It would certainly result in improvement in self-esteem, as well as better physical and mental health. And it would solve a huge public relations problem for the trans community, because it would operate from the reality-based position that trans-identified men aren’t women, and they need to stay the hell out of the women’s lane. But it would require ditching the pity-party victim mentality and the expectation that the world owes them a medal.
I've said all I have to say on this topic. I'm done with you. Have a nice day.
I, yes, the potent mix of hate, anger, and resentment, it must smell so sweet to you!
You are trolling. That’s pretty obvious.
If giving a coherent, reasoned explanation that supports the conclusion that transgender people should participate in sporting events is an act of trolling, then I suppose I’m trolling!
Coherent reasoned writers on difficult topics: James Baldwin, George Orwell, Susan Sontag, Annie Dillard. It’s important to know what that kind of writing looks like so you can identify it when it happens, and possibly, one day, make an attempt at it.
If you are going to try and insult me, please use the likes of these authors, Descartes, or how about John Locke? The man that’s often credited with being one of the founders of modern “liberal” thought: who pioneered ideas like; natural law, social contract, religious tolerance, and the right to revolution. It’s believed his writings were instrumental in the American Revolution and the Constitution of the United States. Or how about; Hume, who used “I think therefore I am” as part of his proof for the existence of God. I think these authors are better examples of coherent reasoning, don’t you?
Why, or why, do people do this? You said I used the straw man argument. A straw man argument is a misrepresentation of an opinion or viewpoint; I did no such thing. I’ve stated my reasoning and opinion; note the word (my). You proceed to give a laundry list of rationale that we could go on for an eternity debating and get nowhere rapidly. I’ve stated my case; you can either reject it or disassemble it, going through a laundry list of rationales would be an act of futility that I care not to participate in!
I reiterate:
The focus of this article is who gets the ribbon or trophy. There is Nothing about NCAA core values of; well-being, fairness, integrity, and teamwork. It’s been determined that transgender people who participate in sports have better mental health. So what we’re talking about here is the emotional harm done to someone who didn’t win a trophy, compared to not letting transgender’s compete. This means placing a higher value on someone winning a medal than the psychological well-being of transgender’s; what kind of value system is that?
Here’s are the facts, on one side of the scale, transgender’s as a group have almost three times the attempted suicide rate than the average population does. Transgender’s mental health is improved when they participate in sports. Therefore it’s is not unreasonable to surmise that allowing transgender people to participate in sports could save a life. On the other side of the scale, you have ten or more times a year when someone is denied a first or second place in a sporting event. Folks are giving all sorts of reasons to deny transgender participation in sporting events, but, It boils down to this; if you’re comfortable with the possibility of not saving a transgender life or, to put it another way, it doesn’t bother you if a transgender person commits suicide, just, say so!
As for the dystopian bogeyman under the bed, your cup of paranoia does run over.
Try getting that to stick in front of a U.S. just judge.
It is immoral to refuse to offend people like these.
@Jim, i agree wholeheartedly.
When I opened my feed this morning to this article, I immediately thought, "This is deliberate. This is posted to raise my stress/anger levels, to build audience thru conflict, and it's the shiny object they flash before us to distract us from reality."
I have no doubt the author believes these issues, and they are actually issues that affect some people. Still, I am not going to participate in their madness. Why is it an issue? Because no one will say what is obvious.
In the meantime, freedom is being captured by authoritarian and totalitarian governments. And, we should worry about a silly man in a pool.
I can understand your point of view. Until the Gender Ideology Cult captures someone you love, it all - including "the pronouns" sounds very silly. And, it is. At the same time, it is very harmful. Think NXIVM only promoted by all of society - as far as the kids can see. That is the impact on the tween and teen girls now that "Gender Identity" is promoted at school K-12. It undermines parents, common sense, and health.
Big pharma is making big bucks selling cross sex hormones to teens - handed out like candy. And, girls are getting "chest affirming" surgeries (double mastectomies) often paid for by insurance. The laws say parents don't need to know. Universities will even do it. Try viewing the Abigail Shrier and PITT (Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans) substacks. The assault on society is both large scale and small (family and child level).
Yes, I follow AS, and I don't dispute the harm this cult is creating. Laura Dodsworth (https://lauradodsworth.substack.com)also has photographic work on her website of de-transitioners (entitled Salamanders) that is heart wrenching.
So many battles, dear LovingMother. How many can I fight, actually fight and do something about instead of merely posture or argue or sympathize, me personally, this old man whose greatest fear is when the authoritarians (maybe totalitarians, as they also seem to want to control even my mind) come for me, my family, my bank accounts, etc? And, what of the massive spiritual death that subsumes our society and threatens to erase our connections to God and steal the Light of the World?
From my first principles, those are the battle lines, and that is the breach, and that's where I need to stand. This issue is sad, and saddens me.
Good post. I think that one way in which society is under assault is with language. If we roll over and accept all the Newspeak we will not even be able to discuss the absence of freedoms or the theft of property. The State is working to own the minds of the children. And, we get confused people making decisions in Health, radicals in charge of finance...
https://mercatornet.com/pronouns-game/77649/
It's not just a silly man in a pool, though. It is a symptom of something much much larger. Fail to push back on the small things and you will invariably fall victim to the big things.
In principle I agree with you. It's a distraction but it is also something more. It is a lie and a sign of our times. We are bombarded with one lie after another. Men are not women no matter how many hormones they take and what they have lopped off their body. Women are not men no matter how much testosterone they take and if they have their breasts lopped off their chests. Children don't have the maturity to make decisions on their sexuality and to believe otherwise is to participate in the worst form of child abuse. In too many places parents are kept from the knowledge their children are being encouraged to go through psychological and medical sex change processes. This is a great evil Do we have to suspend common sense and wait 20 years for these now adults to come forward publicly and share the horror and nightmare of their lives? We know it is coming. Why are we allowing this to happen? Is it to gratify some sick adults and pedophiles?
"Why are we allowing this to happen? Is it to gratify some sick adults and pedophiles?" Yes, it is to gratify spiritually dead virtue seekers.
It's not that I don't care, because I do. It's that it is not even on the front burner as an issue, and so many people are fiddling while our freedom burns. Bread and circuses, maybe? I don't know.
So, my view of a discussion of college sports v. basic freedoms might be similar to yours. Maybe universities should not even have such competitive sports & recruitment. Maybe kids should just go to college and take up a sport if it is fun for them. It's good for everyone to do athletics and who needs to hear about it? (Although a male in girls sports is very unfair and gross in the locker room.)
But, it is my hope that this unfairness is sports issue gets more people to open their eyes and become concerned about how the Gender Cult has come to dominate education, medicine and law. I am not even sure where to start, but here is something: https://abigailshrier.substack.com/p/the-gender-cult-marches-on?utm_source=url
The freedom to parent our own children has been undermined big time. If our children have just become creatures of the State, how can there be any freedom?
How did collegiate athletics ever become the billion dollar industry it currently is?
You may be right, though, that this issue will bring the absurdity to awareness of more people. My fear is that that same virtue narcissism you describe also runs throughout our society and this issue may have more support than it should. It could strengthen, even in the face of its absurdity.
That is a frightening thought. As a mother I must hope. Our daughter is physically just fine (thank God) and may be recovering from the psychological abuse that is Gender Ideology promoted at school, but I will push back on the side of reality until my last breath :) Tween/teen girls and young women are very easily influenced socially. I think they are the canaries in the coal mine for the health of society. Think of the future generations.
The Leftists are attacking all our foundations and we are forced to look in so many different directions and places that it becomes hard to fight back. They divide us and conquer. They never give up either. Their goal is the destruction of our culture and our civilization.
...and, it seems, they are winning.
They are winning right now. But, even the Salem Witch hysteria ended. I think we cannot combat one attack on freedom or reality and ignore another when there is a full on assault by radicals on all fronts. It's been going on for some time but I think some of society is just starting to wake up.
We are literally letting the narcissistic mentally ill run our society:
https://pitt.substack.com/p/time-magazine-response-from-a-parent?utm_source=url
The education system thinks they are executing on "kindness and understanding", medicine does not stand up to GI as too many therapists and doctors only see the $$, big pharma makes big bucks off lifetime patients, and the laws have been changed without much, if any, public discussion. I do not remember voting on an initiative to agree that Gender means anything other than sex which is binary. I also do not recall any major scientific discovery on this issue but it is everywhere now in law: https://genspect.org/local/
If the "Equality Act" passes "Sex" will have no legal meaning. Only "Gender" will.
I don't know either. I wish I was a deeper thinker.
You are just fine as you are. Sometimes deeper thought can lead you down deeper holes. The fact that you care enough to comment is more than enough for me to take your thoughts seriously.
Thank you. You are too kind.
Very well said.
Say the truth. That's the whole crux of the matter right there. Just refuse to participate in a lie. Live NOT by lies. How can someone be more attached to a future that requires lie upon lie, instead of a future that allows freedom because of truth?
"When you play along with an evil game, what happens to you?
“When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity.
To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control.”
— Theodore Dalrymple"
From: https://mercatornet.com/pronouns-game/77649/
Then what happens is children are harmed: https://pitt.substack.com/p/time-magazine-response-from-a-parent?utm_source=url
I have been viewing this situation in the same straight forward manner. Arguing with the truth is simply a waste of time and it will never get one anywhere good. Regardless of gender ideology lingo, surgical procedures, and injected synthetic hormones it will never be fair for bodies created at conception by either XX or XY chromosomes to complete against each other. How long will it take for these trans athletes and the activists that surround them tire of this shameful charade? I believe that they definitely know, in their hearts, that this is morally wrong and this is not legitimate fair athletic competition.
Certainly the majority of sane people know this is not legitimate but somehow it goes on. A small unhinged minority is driving all this and getting away with it.
Thank you.
Cheryl, yes, exactly. We know how to do this.
Solsenitzen said the Soviet Union began to fall apart when people refused to participate in the lie. I know this can be difficult for many people because it means they can lose their jobs. It is the worst kind of coercion. If I had to support a family it would keep me in a continual state of stress to be forced to go along with the lies. I have just learned that Google monitors everything in your emails and your Internet history. Scary times.
All my Internet browsing goes through a VPN, which projects my address as coming from elsewhere. Today I'm in the Midwest, probably tomorrow Canada, Maybe Thailand the next day. My email is through ProtonMail, an end-to-end encrypted server in Switzerland. ProtonMail is free.
By the way, the gub'ment - ever watchful of our welfare, is trying once again to pass a bill making end-to-end encryption unlawful - my son tells me to include the encryption of hard drives, &c. &c. They just can't stand not being able to put their hands down your pants whenever and wherever they want. And, of course, the Republicans, being equal-opportunity rights abusers, are right in there, too. (It's to protect the children, you know....)
https://reason.com/2022/02/16/earn-it-bill-abuses-privacy-in-the-guise-of-protecting-kids/
re: Google. Several months ago, my son was sitting at his computer and we were discussing the purchase of some consumer good or other. He has one of those Amazon things that you can talk to sitting on his desk. As I turned to leave, he called me back. There on the screen was an advertisement for the very thing we were discussing. Trust none of these players. None. There is probably a big business opportunity in modern privacy.
edit: addendum. I just subscribed to Reason online. Fifteen bucks a year. Can't beat it. This parallel economy is really taking off, and the Lamestream Press need not apply. We Just May Make it.
My iPhone does that frequently. It is too often to be a coincidence. They are listening to me and also monitoring my texts. I use a VPN too.
That's why I try to use the Firefox browser for most things rather than Chrome. I use Yahoo rather than Gmail for most of my emails. Although those things are probably not much safer.
I've used Brave browser for a year now. This from my sign-on screen this morning:
1,655,948 Trackers & ads blocked
30.83GB Bandwidth saved
23hours Time saved
I use DuckDuckGo for my browser, and Yahoo.
“Political correctness is communist propaganda writ small. In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, not to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore, the less it corresponded to reality the better. When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is in some small way to become evil oneself. One's standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.”
― Theodore Dalrymple
Completely agree. I first encountered him and that quote recently in this piece regarding all this "use your pronouns" now dominating the culture.
https://mercatornet.com/pronouns-game/77649/
I've read Dalrymple for nearly forty years now. Good stuff. Along those lines, another favorite, this time from Rod Dreher: "The pitter-patter of woke tears is no different from the stomping of Brownshirts' boots."
I have recently discovered Dalrymple. Such a giant dose of common sense. I have read 3 of his books in the past two weeks. I’m also a big fan of Rod Dreher. Now I’m working my way through Anne Applebaum’s books. Just finished “Gulag “. Next up is “Twilight of Democracy” .
I've read Dalrymple's columns for years. Due to Substack I have discovered Rod Dreher. He has a substack too but I currently have so many subscriptions I can't take on any more at this time.
We just may make it.
That is profound. How true.
Good to meet another New Criterion reader. :) Thanks for the Dreher quote. True.
Thank you - that's one of my favorite quotes! It really makes clear how cruel political correctness is. And also makes clear that cruelty is part of the point.
Yes. The goal is to humiliate you and control you. Not to foster justice or whatever it is they disguise it with. Of course there are many kind people who get swept up in it unknowingly. We call them useful idiots.
That is correct. You would enjoy Peter Boghossian's substack.
Thanks for the recommendation! I've landed there from time to time but I'll check it out more thoroughly.
One of my favs!
Mine too. Sadly, it is ever applicable these days.
Yes, Naomi, you're so right. But, we can not go along with the lies, even at the cost of losing job, friends, family, fortune and even life.
That is the price of freedom. Why do people think it's easy? Don't they realize what it has cost to build it?
I agree with you but I am somewhat insulated by being retired. What if I had a family to support, no savings to fall back on and debt of various sources including student loans? I have to be honest and admit I would be intimidated into silence and unwilling and unenthusiastic compliance. Not everyone has the talent and wherewithal to be self supporting and free of outside coercion.
I have made a decision for myself not to lie but I understand the stress and pressures others live with.
Oh, yes. I surely understand that stress, too.
It's a daily decision, isn't it, like deciding to be sober, living day by day. Today, I am not going to live the lie. The costs add up over time, but they are usually not dramatic each day. A friend lost today, a business refused to patronize yesterday, a restaurant I can no longer go into, etc.
Still, I'll add a caution. They will come for our finances, for our savings, bank accounts, investments, credit cards, real estate holdings, etc. We are not immune from them just because we're retired and somewhat well situated for the future.
They have given themselves that authority and no one financial entity is pushing back.
You are correct. Biden initiated a similar emergency powers order a couple of days ago to what Trudeau did. If they don't like who you donate to and support they will freeze your account. No one is immune or insulated.
ditch gmail for a secure source such as protonmail.
I have protonmail but rarely use it. I should make it my default email.
You are so right. Hate speech has devolved into unacceptable views. Scary times. To be arrested because you are not participating in RIGHT THINK.
There is no such thing as 'hate speech'.
I'd a friend in law school many years ago, when this "hate crime" stuff started. He was livid. "THE most fundamental tenet of the Constitution is that people may be punished for their actions - only. Now these moral busybodies are changing sentencing because of what they THINK was in the person's mind. Mind-reading. They are now punishing thought crimes. This is a very bad slippery slope we are starting down." Over forty years ago, he called it.
I’m livid too. No more being silent on this garbage. Push back is required.
I felt the same way at the time.
I agree. It amounts to judging a person guilty based on their thoughts and it is against Anglo Saxon law.
The arrest-ors have a little problem in America that they do not in Canada: the potential arrest-ees are ornery, angry, and armed.
And that is precisely why the globalist elites want to crush and destroy America. Because our penchant for liberty and individualism stand opposed to their collectivist, anti-liberty aims and goals.
This article is an example of where I think it is appropriate to use a made-up gender pronoun. It is confusing when standard pronouns are applied to transgender people because by doing so, it implies that the person is fully accepted by everyone as the gender they have chosen, rather than the one they were born into. I understand using their chosen pronoun in order to be polite when you are talking directly with a transgender person, but when it is an article, podcast, etc., intended for public consumption, a neutral pronoun should be used. Otherwise, it is catering to the ideology and ignoring the biology.
One can always use a name and not a pronoun.
I suggest adopting the term AGAP as an acronym for "appropriate gender pronoun". This avoids using the "wrong" pronoun and includes those who are gender fluid.
There is already a gender neutral pronoun. Lots of errors would be avoided if it was used.
Using "they" for singular averts blame when it belongs to a single person and reduces praise when one person does a praiseworthy deed
Sometimes, when the singular “they” is invoked in news articles featuring a person, some other people, and some groups of people, it can make for a confusing narrative.
What sort of errors?
as BasicB mentioned...
The aversion to the single gender neutral English pronoun is quite amazing. It is an effective word.