Hippiesq, I finally finished the article! I think you are a good writer, although perhaps not quite as concise as you might be. You make a good argument for the spread of transgenderism being a "perfect storm". I have been trying to pin it down to just a few factors (such as liberal guilt and gullibility and the public's comfort with plastic surgery, not to mention the "you can be anything you want" nonsense), but it is clear that there are many, many factors that play into the current insanity. Part of it is the sheer aggressiveness of trans people themselves. One thing is clear: In those people who have true gender dysphoria, the feelings are very strong, so much so that trans women feel perfectly comfortable believing that they should have all the rights of real women. It is the intensity of their feelings that leads me to believe that this is a reincarnational issue (sometimes, at least). My focus is on ending the fad, since it is the fad (i.e., being influenced) which harms the most people. I also believe that medicalization should be illegal up to the age of 18, so that kids have a chance to outgrow it.
Thanks for the comments. I mostly agree with you. However, that some adults with "true gender dysphoria" (they came to this long before the fad) eventually realize that it is all a lie and come to accept their sexed bodies indicates to me that this is not an inevitable endpoint. I don't think this is a reincarnation issue. We can discuss it further at some point, as your notions of reincarnation are truly fascinating.
Once a man is an adult, if he says that he has wanted to be a woman all his life, I don't question it. I don't know if I told you about it (I think I did), but in the 80's or 90's I had an experience with a gay man who spent all his time with me making high-pitched sounds as if he were trying to emulate a woman's voice, and in so doing might experience the feeling of being a woman. It was clear that his dysphoric feelings were deep-seated. Later, on the phone, when he thanked me for being understanding of his behavior, I had to tell him that, no, I didn't understand, that I was just being polite. He then blew up at me on the phone, asserting the validity of his feelings so aggressively that I had my phone number changed after the conversation ended. It actually saddened me that I COULDN'T say to him, "Sure, I understand." Being understanding is, after all, what every liberal wants to be.
I'm still more concerned about the kids who have been influenced than about adults who decide to "transition". Believing in multiple lives as I do, some lives will inevitably be devoted to mistakes.
Still, your article is very good. As a liberal, I continue to be astonished by all the liberals who have accepted the bad ideas from trans activists as if they were an advancement in human evolution, which they aren't. Probably NONE of those non-trans liberals actually believes that he or she has a gender identity which is more important than their sex, and yet they go along with the notion.
Yes, I recall that story. I know some people have deep, sincere feelings of wishing to be the opposite sex, whether they're based in a sexual fantasy (as it seems might have been the case with the man you spoke of), or self-hatred (for men who don't meet the masculinity standards of the time or of their milieu and who are often gay), or some other issue (as there are a wide variety of issues that can lead to gender dysphoria, including social contagion).
I don't doubt the feelings, particularly if they drive someone to mutilate their body in an effort to emulate the opposite sex. What I doubt is the absolute necessity to deny reality and to medically alter a healthy body. There are many ways of dealing with feelings or desires, and I think the least productive and potentially most destructive way of dealing with discomfort with one's sexed body is changing the body and denying reality.
I agree that so-called liberals are grossly mistaken in the belief that they are supporting something progressive with gender ideology, the sterilization and mutilation of vulnerable young people, and the complete denial of reality and imposition of an undefined, undefinable "Gender Identity" in place of acknowledgement of a sexed body. For the party of science, the Democratic Party fails completely and contradicts everything it is supposed to stand for when it comes to this issue.
While some lives may be devoted to mistakes, that doesn't mean we as a society should be pushing mistakes. If indeed we all reincarnate many times before reaching "nirvana," it appears that there are an inordinate number of people currently on Earth who are early in their incarnations (by contrast with the "old souls" who have achieved many levels of increased spirituality).
The things you say are always interesting! I agree with you on most of it, and I have no interest in arguing the fine points since we are on the same side. In an ideal world, trans people would simply "present" as the sex they want to be, and society would accept them as they are. But society DOESN'T accept them as they are, and there's the rub. "Passing" is the Holy Grail for trans people. A woman who is 6 feet tall and has the face of a man will always come in for ridicule, if not to his face, then behind his back. Women who feel they are trans have wider latitude, since tomboys and masculine women generally aren't ridiculed. (Thanks to misogyny. The social rule is: It is shameful for a man to be less than masculine, but it is just fine for a woman to imitate men.)
If I recall correctly, your daughter just turned 18. I hope she chooses to wear men's clothing and leave it at that. Even if she just goes in for testosterone, two years of it will leave her with a baritone voice, an angular face, and a beard that may never stop growing -- and she may even become sterile. I hope she wises up once she's on her own.
One more thing: I don't believe in Nirvana, nor do I believe that we reincarnate thousands of times, as the Buddhists do.
Thanks, Perry, for the well wishes and your interesting, thought-provoking comments. We are definitely on the same side, and I agree that, in an ideal world, people would just present how they feel comfortable and not suffer ridicule for it. Here's hoping my own 18-year-old daughter and all the other vulnerable people who have been convinced that they are "trans" come to their senses before doing harm to their bodies!! :)
Perry, I agree with you about a possible reincarnation connection. I have believed for a while that there is a spiritual basis for the plethora of trans people in this world at this time. I wrote an article alluding to a spiritual connection to transgenderism on my Substack if you are interested.
Yes, I will definitely read it (later this evening).
I'm pleased to encounter another person (you) who believes in reincarnation. Some people see it as kooky, but you know, probably 40% of the world believes in it -- perhaps even more. An opinion poll done in the U.S. years ago showed that even many Christians believe in it. The Christian model of the afterlife -- living one life and then going to heaven or hell forever depending on how you lived it -- just doesn't cut it.
I also think you could have made more of the role of transactivists censoring people particularly on social media, hounding them out of their jobs etc. though you do mention them I know.
Trump definitely caused kids to decide they were born in the wrong body. And, of course it was Trump that caused the pediatric medical and psychology professions to ignore that the studies and data they relied upon was all a sham in order to convince parents their child would commit suicide unless they spent tens of thousands on hormones and surgery. I too only hope the author will begin to wake up to the absurdity and put the blame where it properly belongs.
I'm not sure how much of the article you read. Did you read the part about intellectual laziness? Perhaps you should, because it seems you missed a few obvious points in #10.
I quote:
"I know many people still think Trump is a viable presidential candidate and will disagree with my very brief analysis of his presidency, but that is irrelevant to the point being made here. The point is that Trump not only enabled trans activists to quickly silence opposition from the left, but he played a part in convincing those opposed to his politics that their own doubts should be squashed lest they accidentally support an evil Republican agenda."
That indicated that I acknowledge that many people think Trump was a fine president, and that it doesn't matter what your opinion of Trump is. The point is that he was used by activists to foment fear and sway people to believe the activists' insane ideas simply because they were different than what Trump thought. (In that sense, I was on Trump's "side" as it concerned those issues.) I didn't think Trump meant to be used by activists in this way, but just that this is what happened.
And further, I noted:
"As for medical transition, Trump gave those who were looking to increase so-called 'trans rights' just the enemy they needed to justify all of their claims of persecution and then to justify all of their demands." Further still, "the election of Donald Trump gave trans activists the perfect foil they needed to legitimize their fight at the exact right time."
Do you see the point? I don't think Trump did those things you listed. I think he was a convenient and in many ways perfect excuse or tool to be used by trans activists to create fear and cause anyone who otherwise disagreed with Trump to stupidly, kneejerk nod along with the activists' claims.
Further, although it is not in this essay, I have repeatedly in comments noted that Biden's speeches, urging parents to transition their children are a big reason for this problem. That is subsumed in my argument about power and the desire for votes, although I guess I could have been more explicit. I also agree with others that Obama's policies, furthered by Biden, also led to what is going on in schools, and with women's rights - and I am disgusted by all of that. I do hold the Democratic party largely responsible for all of this, but I guess I thought that was obvious. I was getting at the fact that Trump was a "perfect foil" to move things along. I hope that clarifies that I am not blaming Trump for orchestrating mass transition of vulnerable people.
Excellent article! And I particularly like point # 10. I have thought so myself often.
Hippiesq, I finally finished the article! I think you are a good writer, although perhaps not quite as concise as you might be. You make a good argument for the spread of transgenderism being a "perfect storm". I have been trying to pin it down to just a few factors (such as liberal guilt and gullibility and the public's comfort with plastic surgery, not to mention the "you can be anything you want" nonsense), but it is clear that there are many, many factors that play into the current insanity. Part of it is the sheer aggressiveness of trans people themselves. One thing is clear: In those people who have true gender dysphoria, the feelings are very strong, so much so that trans women feel perfectly comfortable believing that they should have all the rights of real women. It is the intensity of their feelings that leads me to believe that this is a reincarnational issue (sometimes, at least). My focus is on ending the fad, since it is the fad (i.e., being influenced) which harms the most people. I also believe that medicalization should be illegal up to the age of 18, so that kids have a chance to outgrow it.
Concise has never been my strong point! :)
Thanks for the comments. I mostly agree with you. However, that some adults with "true gender dysphoria" (they came to this long before the fad) eventually realize that it is all a lie and come to accept their sexed bodies indicates to me that this is not an inevitable endpoint. I don't think this is a reincarnation issue. We can discuss it further at some point, as your notions of reincarnation are truly fascinating.
Once a man is an adult, if he says that he has wanted to be a woman all his life, I don't question it. I don't know if I told you about it (I think I did), but in the 80's or 90's I had an experience with a gay man who spent all his time with me making high-pitched sounds as if he were trying to emulate a woman's voice, and in so doing might experience the feeling of being a woman. It was clear that his dysphoric feelings were deep-seated. Later, on the phone, when he thanked me for being understanding of his behavior, I had to tell him that, no, I didn't understand, that I was just being polite. He then blew up at me on the phone, asserting the validity of his feelings so aggressively that I had my phone number changed after the conversation ended. It actually saddened me that I COULDN'T say to him, "Sure, I understand." Being understanding is, after all, what every liberal wants to be.
I'm still more concerned about the kids who have been influenced than about adults who decide to "transition". Believing in multiple lives as I do, some lives will inevitably be devoted to mistakes.
Still, your article is very good. As a liberal, I continue to be astonished by all the liberals who have accepted the bad ideas from trans activists as if they were an advancement in human evolution, which they aren't. Probably NONE of those non-trans liberals actually believes that he or she has a gender identity which is more important than their sex, and yet they go along with the notion.
Yes, I recall that story. I know some people have deep, sincere feelings of wishing to be the opposite sex, whether they're based in a sexual fantasy (as it seems might have been the case with the man you spoke of), or self-hatred (for men who don't meet the masculinity standards of the time or of their milieu and who are often gay), or some other issue (as there are a wide variety of issues that can lead to gender dysphoria, including social contagion).
I don't doubt the feelings, particularly if they drive someone to mutilate their body in an effort to emulate the opposite sex. What I doubt is the absolute necessity to deny reality and to medically alter a healthy body. There are many ways of dealing with feelings or desires, and I think the least productive and potentially most destructive way of dealing with discomfort with one's sexed body is changing the body and denying reality.
I agree that so-called liberals are grossly mistaken in the belief that they are supporting something progressive with gender ideology, the sterilization and mutilation of vulnerable young people, and the complete denial of reality and imposition of an undefined, undefinable "Gender Identity" in place of acknowledgement of a sexed body. For the party of science, the Democratic Party fails completely and contradicts everything it is supposed to stand for when it comes to this issue.
While some lives may be devoted to mistakes, that doesn't mean we as a society should be pushing mistakes. If indeed we all reincarnate many times before reaching "nirvana," it appears that there are an inordinate number of people currently on Earth who are early in their incarnations (by contrast with the "old souls" who have achieved many levels of increased spirituality).
The things you say are always interesting! I agree with you on most of it, and I have no interest in arguing the fine points since we are on the same side. In an ideal world, trans people would simply "present" as the sex they want to be, and society would accept them as they are. But society DOESN'T accept them as they are, and there's the rub. "Passing" is the Holy Grail for trans people. A woman who is 6 feet tall and has the face of a man will always come in for ridicule, if not to his face, then behind his back. Women who feel they are trans have wider latitude, since tomboys and masculine women generally aren't ridiculed. (Thanks to misogyny. The social rule is: It is shameful for a man to be less than masculine, but it is just fine for a woman to imitate men.)
If I recall correctly, your daughter just turned 18. I hope she chooses to wear men's clothing and leave it at that. Even if she just goes in for testosterone, two years of it will leave her with a baritone voice, an angular face, and a beard that may never stop growing -- and she may even become sterile. I hope she wises up once she's on her own.
One more thing: I don't believe in Nirvana, nor do I believe that we reincarnate thousands of times, as the Buddhists do.
Thanks, Perry, for the well wishes and your interesting, thought-provoking comments. We are definitely on the same side, and I agree that, in an ideal world, people would just present how they feel comfortable and not suffer ridicule for it. Here's hoping my own 18-year-old daughter and all the other vulnerable people who have been convinced that they are "trans" come to their senses before doing harm to their bodies!! :)
Perry, I agree with you about a possible reincarnation connection. I have believed for a while that there is a spiritual basis for the plethora of trans people in this world at this time. I wrote an article alluding to a spiritual connection to transgenderism on my Substack if you are interested.
Yes, I will definitely read it (later this evening).
I'm pleased to encounter another person (you) who believes in reincarnation. Some people see it as kooky, but you know, probably 40% of the world believes in it -- perhaps even more. An opinion poll done in the U.S. years ago showed that even many Christians believe in it. The Christian model of the afterlife -- living one life and then going to heaven or hell forever depending on how you lived it -- just doesn't cut it.
I agree. I find the Christian version actually horrifying.
I also wrote an article about reincarnation on another platform. I may put it on my Substack.
What a great post, summarising what we know so far and explaining a very complex and horrifying phenomenon. Thank you.
I also think you could have made more of the role of transactivists censoring people particularly on social media, hounding them out of their jobs etc. though you do mention them I know.
Yes, isn't the behavior of trans activists obnoxious? They have honed their posture as victims of society to the nth degree.
This is the best summary I've seen of how we've gotten to this unbelievable situation. Thank you!
Thank you, I will be keeping this essay and rereading it.
Not really Trump’s fault if trans loons started calling everyone “far right”.
The rest of the article is fabulous
Trump definitely caused kids to decide they were born in the wrong body. And, of course it was Trump that caused the pediatric medical and psychology professions to ignore that the studies and data they relied upon was all a sham in order to convince parents their child would commit suicide unless they spent tens of thousands on hormones and surgery. I too only hope the author will begin to wake up to the absurdity and put the blame where it properly belongs.
I'm not sure how much of the article you read. Did you read the part about intellectual laziness? Perhaps you should, because it seems you missed a few obvious points in #10.
I quote:
"I know many people still think Trump is a viable presidential candidate and will disagree with my very brief analysis of his presidency, but that is irrelevant to the point being made here. The point is that Trump not only enabled trans activists to quickly silence opposition from the left, but he played a part in convincing those opposed to his politics that their own doubts should be squashed lest they accidentally support an evil Republican agenda."
That indicated that I acknowledge that many people think Trump was a fine president, and that it doesn't matter what your opinion of Trump is. The point is that he was used by activists to foment fear and sway people to believe the activists' insane ideas simply because they were different than what Trump thought. (In that sense, I was on Trump's "side" as it concerned those issues.) I didn't think Trump meant to be used by activists in this way, but just that this is what happened.
And further, I noted:
"As for medical transition, Trump gave those who were looking to increase so-called 'trans rights' just the enemy they needed to justify all of their claims of persecution and then to justify all of their demands." Further still, "the election of Donald Trump gave trans activists the perfect foil they needed to legitimize their fight at the exact right time."
Do you see the point? I don't think Trump did those things you listed. I think he was a convenient and in many ways perfect excuse or tool to be used by trans activists to create fear and cause anyone who otherwise disagreed with Trump to stupidly, kneejerk nod along with the activists' claims.
Further, although it is not in this essay, I have repeatedly in comments noted that Biden's speeches, urging parents to transition their children are a big reason for this problem. That is subsumed in my argument about power and the desire for votes, although I guess I could have been more explicit. I also agree with others that Obama's policies, furthered by Biden, also led to what is going on in schools, and with women's rights - and I am disgusted by all of that. I do hold the Democratic party largely responsible for all of this, but I guess I thought that was obvious. I was getting at the fact that Trump was a "perfect foil" to move things along. I hope that clarifies that I am not blaming Trump for orchestrating mass transition of vulnerable people.