I was taught that how a society protects its most vulnerable is the test of its humanity. Would we want a democracy without humanity? Our society could do much better in either case.
This is a straw man argument, factually incorrect and lazy, and designed to close down any rational, science-based discussion or acceptance of trans & non-binary people by those who have red-pilled themselves into a frenzy.
It’s also a genuinely ignorant thesis statement without any basis in facts or data.
Dear Yuri ... The trans students I have taught in college classes were not, even in one instance, forced into the decision by doctors, pharma, parents, teachers ... or Democrats (!?). They came to their decisions after long periods of incredibly difficult soul-searching about their identities and how they experienced their pathways of their sexual expression. What was stunning was not that people have these issues--some percentage of the population always has and had no options to change expression--but the violence and harassment to which these people were subjected. I had to walk one young trans woman to her car after class every single day to prevent men from harassing her. Murders of trans people are sky rocketing--particularly in Central and South America, Macho Country--which accounts for 70% of all trans murders globally. A staggering 90% of trans murders involve trans women, which is becoming another kind of femicide. As Brendan B points out, but for the rare exception we find in Chloe Cole, who transitioned and didn't like it, the vast, vast majority of those who've transitioned find that, except for the harassment, they are very happy with their decisions and feel at home in their own bodies for the first time. I come down on the side of this that says the real abnormality going on here is the Radical Right obsession with OTHER PEOPLE's sexuality and a tragically misguided opinion that they have a right to dictate to other people how, when, and with whom they'll have sex and what a woman can do with her body just about anytime. This screed is VERY easy to sell to men with the anxieties about which Professor Reich writes. I would ask you please to consider the very well-established fact that trans people are making valid, un-coerced choices with which they are happy. Democrats are uninvolved in these decisions--only involved in the attempt to prevent them from being harassed and killed. Your compassion for Chloe Cole is beautiful, and I thank you for that. Otherwise, please leave trans people alone, and don't drink any Kool-Aid on this issue. With fascism, the numbers and types of targeted people always expands. There's always somebody new to expose to threat and death. The threat to any group of people is, ultimately, a threat to us all. Thanks for listening.
Thank you writing so poignantly Dr. Sinclair. Republicans are so fixated on transporting us back to their version of the 'good ole days' of a majority white straight men mentality. They told their women what to think and were perfectly fine with people who looked and thought like them. Well white women got out of the kitchen, minorities and people in the LGBTQ community people thankfully came out of the closet. Republicans are scathing at the mouth because they see this country is definitely changing and they want no part of it. So glad this country is not going back to those so called 'good ole days' as the young people have classmates, friends and associates who are in the LGBTQ community and don't think like their parents. They, much like the students you teach, will be the reason we will never return and go back to those days of yonder, no matter how much Republicans fight it.
Thank you, Dr! I can't believe the hatred against a small group of people who are just trying to live their lives the best they can, like all of us do, only they don't have the freedom to do so. What is so hard to understand!
One can immediately know when another is fixated on issues that have to do with masculinity.... theirs is questionable in their eyes. Try not to stare !!!
I agree. I teach high school students, and over the years have had handful of openly trans students. They weren't forced by anyone to be trans -- they embraced that identity themselves despite the pushback from conservative families. One literally lived on the streets for a couple weeks (before a different teacher took him in) after being thrown out of his home by parents who would rather have a suicidal daughter than a health son. Another never had things go that far, but only because his mother filed for divorce from his father because she loved her child even if he had been born a girl and was now a boy.
I'm still in contact with one of those young men. He has graduated college and started a career. He is engaged to a beautiful young woman. He would love to come home to Texas, but refuses to live under the repressive policies of the current Christo-fascist regime in this state. I can't blame him.
I just subscribed to your Substack. Thank you for your kind, informative, polite responses to -- well, I won't write what I think of this Yuri because it might get me silenced 😅.
" I would ask you please to consider the very well-established fact that trans people are making valid, un-coerced choices with which they are happy. Democrats are uninvolved in these decisions--only involved in the attempt to prevent them from being harassed and killed. Your compassion for Chloe Cole is beautiful, and I thank you for that. Otherwise, please leave trans people alone, and don't drink any Kool-Aid on this issue. With fascism, the numbers and types of targeted people always expands. There's always somebody new to expose to threat and death. The threat to any group of people is, ultimately, a threat to us all. "
Chloe is NOT a fictional character. Perhaps you should listen to her two hour interview in which she shares everything that happened to her? But that would require that you CARE about the kids who de-transition and share how their lives have been destroyed by the push to mutilate children who are underage. And that might be asking too much of you.
Republicans are fixated on it- they literally cannot stop talking about these edge cases that are cherry picked to prop up their hysteria. Had the Montana legislature just let Zooey say her piece, everyone would've moved on. Instead, Republicans are using children to justify their bigotry.
The most hilarious argument is "protecting children from Big Pharma." Maybe Republicans shouldn't have been enabling mega-corporations for the last 40 years if they wanted to play that card.
Why are Republicans so fixated on the rights of LBGTQ people? Answer: Authoritarians always need to blame others and turn those others into the enemy.
Your comment is full of falsehoods and that first sentence is wallowing in ignorance. How about this, people on the right, Republicans keep going on about "freedom", so how about you lot just mind your own business and let people make up their own minds when it comes to their lives.
The elephant in the room is organized religion. LGBTQ people are, by and large, not welcome in most Christian churches in America. Plain and simple. Priests and pastors are obsessed with sex and purity. It's a really big deal. Most, however they get there in their interpretation, regard LGBTQ people as evil, sinful, and unrepentant. They preach this on Sundays from pulpits across America, and people eat it up. Just like Tucker Carlson, these "holy men" need to keep their slowly fading audience.
It seems to me that the only thing standing in the way of Homo sapiens' progress is ourselves. Or random events like getting hit by an asteroid, but we are far more of a danger than that. Eventually, scientific research will provide an answer for why some people are "different." A precise, genetic, scientific answer. I don't have the precise answer, but I know that there is nothing "wrong" with any of these people. It is simply natural variation in our human genome. Nothing more, nothing less. We are certainly not the only animal species to have these traits, either.
I used to be so upset with having to know whether God existed or not, then a friend of mine said, "Why do you have to know?" That was a game changer for me. It also applies to not understanding why some people are transgender. I now know that I don't have to get it, or understand it, and it's none of my business. People don't have to get it, don't have to understand it and especially don't have to legislate it. Just as with God, some people are obsessed with having to know and/or understand these things that are unanswerable and so they cling to right wing Christianity and right wing politics to spoon feed and/or shove down their throats the so called "answers" so that they can feel self righteous, and what? - better than everyone else? My mom used to say "insecure people blow out other people's candles to make their's appear brighter." But eventually someone will blow out their candle, and then we will all be in the dark.
I am a Unitarian Universalist now. UU's are a welcoming religious community where all are welcome, including atheists, agnostics, and people of diverse faith backgrounds, or no faith backgrounds. UU's welcome all people regardless of their gender orientation, family makeup or who they choose to love. Sin, hell, fire and brimstone have no place in the UU lexicon and teachings, thus the "Universal" part of our name as in "universal salvation." God is truly love, not a hateful, vindictive, insecure, small minded God.
As an atheist, I am just now trying to understand that god or whatever isn't to blame for all this right-wing Christian Libertarianism... Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you for putting forth the idea that science will someday explain the "differences" so many people seem to fear. But their irrational fear keeps them from respecting science. We hope for science to prevail, just the same.
Or genitalia in general. It's a lot like the abortion argument, putting themselves in the way of people who are trying to make the best decision they can for their situation.
No one is castrating children. There is a strict protocol for gender reassignments. No one under the age of 18 is even considered for sex reassignment surgery. One must undergo lengthy counseling to help the person understand the changes, and to be sure that is an appropriate procedure for them. They take hormones for a long period before deciding that surgery is appropriate.
No doctor would even consider doing surgery of that nature unless their is a lengthy process and the team helping the patient who wants to transition must be certain that the patient is fully ready for the change and it is for their best interest. Imagine the malpractice lawsuits a surgeon would incur if the patient wasn’t thoroughly prepared and deemed appropriate for that kind of surgery.
There have been dozens and perhaps hundreds of young men under 18 who have been castrated in America and elsewhere. Do better research. The Detransition stories are mounting every day. The truth is coming out, including that sex with fully transitioned Trans women is excruciatingly painful for them.
Would you care to cite your research into this topic? Specifically on your own point: "There have been dozens and perhaps hundreds of young men under 18 who have been castrated in America." I don't care about elsewhere in the world for this conversation. You claim "dozens" for sure, then "perhaps" hundreds. How many hundreds? Over what period of time?
I would also let trans women speak about physical sexual intercourse, rather than here from an intermediary on the topic. Are you claiming that sexual intercourse for them is always painful and that they do not know this before transitioning? That someone is lying to them?
Hormone blockers ≠ chemical castration. I think your prejudice is enabling your own willful ignorance. I don't believe for a moment that you give two shits about Chloe Cole, other than to use her as your only example case. You aren't in this fight to "protect the children". You're in it to righteously perpetuate your own bigotry.
Coles life has been devastated by this push to mutilate children. Yes, people DO care about her. And she deserves justice for what happened to her. Speaking the truth does not equal bigotry. Try again.
You have fallen HEAD-FIRST into an alt right conspiracy theory! SOME TRANS children need help MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR BODY. NO ONE is "castrating children." . . . If you want to talk about SEXUALLY ASSAULTING children, I would take that up with Moscowmitch, as he has proven that he is the expert.
“Defeated on same-sex marriage, the religious right went searching for an issue that would re-energize supporters and donors. The campaign that followed has stunned political leaders across the spectrum.”
Yuri, Democrats aren't "fixated" on castrating people. We ARE fixated on individuals and their parents making decision about THAT INDIVIDUAL based what they believe is best for THAT INDIVIDUAL.
It's not BIG PHARMA (did you not read how few people are trans in this country?) If you're all about BIG PHARMA, it's actually better to keep people unhealthy so that they're forced to take heart medication or high cholesterol drugs. If BIG PHARMA is your concern, perhaps you should go after McDonalds and all the processed junk in our diets.
The real Yuri Bezmenov was a PUG KBG agent and spy who died in Windsor, Canada in 1993. Born Mytishchi, Russia, 1939. This space needs to do a better job of troll hunting. Reich should consider taking down Russian posts by Russian trolls. After the treasure trove of Pentagon documents leaked by brave PATRIOT Jack Teixiera (21 years old) the FSB is reported as laughing that only 1% of their troll accounts were ever ferreted out of USA on-line media in the 2016 Presidential election.
Yuri, if that is your real name? Russian Bender Bezmenov it seems was in the control group that received no medication during and after surgery. And look, he became warped just like Putin. Let’s hear it for Russian scientific studies run by former KGB!
Yuri, that sign above your door, QUI SI CASTRANO RAGAZZI, is a dead giveaway for your Republican lies and fake news. Do you really write for Fox? No Bezmenov Baloney or your junk science needed here. How do you say castrated children in Putin’s Russian anyway. And how do you say Stolen Children in Russian? You make a much better Russian nesting troll doll than someone interested in real science, health care, or the welfare of America’s children. Trolling with your Russian lies will not get you or Putin anywhere with Americans. Well, maybe with Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene. They are idiots too and will believe almost anything anyone tells them. No worry. You have been put on the deportation list with the rest of Putin’s Russian crud just incase you might actually be living in USA. The season of Russian trolls and their castration begins.
I started to read it but, PAYWALL. I can't take a chance that I will forget to cancel or be unable to figure out how to cancel and be charged $79.99. Can you summarize please? I'm a second class citizen who can read many sub stacks but can't afford to comment. Although I have wanted to subscribe to the Atlantic for years, I am at my limit of what I can afford.
Thank you. I had access to the entire article. This is my reply: It seems that all the bases were covered as to why the U.S. mortality rate is much worse than countries with comparable wealth except for one variable; stress. Do the citizens of the other countries we are compared to have the same level of stress we suffer just to provide the basic essentials for our families? In order to get and keep employment, it is necessary to have a cell phone and an automobile. Rent is expensive. Childcare is unavailable or expensive. Even public schools are expensive because we have to pay for book rental, school physicals, vaccinations, and sports equipment if participate. Having more than one job often requires the consumption of fast food. Education beyond high school is expensive and out of reach for many unless they go into debt for decades. As a retired nurse, I’m not even going to start telling what I know about why we die prematurely due to our healthcare system. Now hospitals are closing because investors are taking their money out for huge profits. We need more research on how stress causes metabolic disease. High-stress occupations like firefighting, policing, and nursing have shown this effect due to stress hormones. Then there is suicide, especially of white males who expected that if they were law-abiding a worked hard, they could succeed. It didn’t happen.
America is a farm. The citizens are the animals to be milked and bled and slaughtered for the profit of the corporations and the rich. The politicians are paid by the corporations and the rich to make sure the animals stay in their places and obey.
Thank you, Gloria, for your most thoughtful post. What you write of has troubled me all my life, moreso in recent years. I grew up in a solidy middle-class family and for various reasons ended up more working class/working poor myself (making me a pariah in my family). One of those reasons is that my moral compass has kept me out of jobs I found personally unethical or exploitive. I often wonder why I am in this position and not better off, given my courage, strong work ethic, and academic talent. What I always come back to is an inner sense that I was meant to get to know first-hand and deeply understand Americans' struggles to make a living for themselves and their families. Doing so has been at least a challenge when it wasn't an outright struggle for me, which began at age 16 when I worked an after-school job to support myself as an emancipated minor while maintaining honors grades thoughout high school. Just this year, in my sixth decade and after my remaining parent's death, I may be in a position to receive a small share of family money. For this I am very grateful; and, having experienced all I have during my working life, feel strongly responsible to use it ethically. I'm currently reading Matthew Desmond's "Poverty by America". And I've been wondering what I can do to help. Should I go back to school and study economics, or social work, or public policy--all of which I am interested in? Coming out of a bachelor's or master's at age 65-67 doesn't seem very likely to help. I've done volunteer work and am likely to do so again. The universe saw fit to drop Prof. Reich's excellent Wealth and Poverty course in my lap, which I take as an indication that my concerns and desire to make a difference are valid. So far what I've decided is that I can start by investing anything remaining after supporting myself as simply as possible, as ethically as possible. I am happy to receive a smaller return on investments by divesting them from the profit-maximzing corporations my parents had them in, and putting them into financial products at my community-oriented credit union, for example.
Regarding the increasing visibility of trans-gender people, I see them as pioneering a paradigm shift in humanity, away from dualistic gender roles toward wholism. I see this in my own family when my son does housework and child care and gets a snide comment from his father-in-law: "Hmmph. I thought that was woman's work." To which I reply: "He grew up in a house where, if somebody saw something that needed doing, they did it. And if they couldn't do it by themselves, they asked for help."
We have a lot in common. It sounds like you know as well as I do how to make a difference. I'm writing a book about the struggle to raise my five sons by working in healthcare without health insurance for us, along with problems with the public school system. Real estate, bankers, and attorney predators prey on the working class as well as the constant threat from child services for what they call negligence when the problem is actually poverty created by public policy. I don't know how to make the world a better place except by following your conscience. Try to provide financial security for your family if you can, and help others as the occasion may arise.
I think we would be better off to go after what has already been established in the Republican budget proposal, focusing on the "bread & butter" aspect and attacking the corporate, wall-street, and billionaire tax structure, while subjecting the "culture war" issues to ridicule - particularly with respect to the Republican sex hang-ups. Fascism is a bit abstract for the voter proportionately to their standard of living. The closer you come to living out of your car, the less abstractions like "fascism" mean to you. If you're going to attack the fascists, you must endeavor to sustain ridicule on the issues they're embracing, while simultaneously stressing the importance and support for those bread & butter issues, that an opposition who has no other platform than culture wars completely evade, to mask the fact that it is >their< economic policies that actively promote unemployment, poverty, and despair. The target outcome would be to render the Republicans a laughing-stock commensurate with the way they're viewed internationally - starting with ol' Tweety. Also, make sure to tar & feather with stigma the Republicans as >the< party of unemployment, poverty, and despair - not to mention institutional racism. That's how the Democrats should proceed - IMHO!
BTW: Personally, I'd start referring to MAGA-publicans' wives as their "beards," but then again, I'm not running for public office, and feel no imperative to show them anything other than the contempt they richly deserve.
These minorities include the physically and mentally disabled many of which are military veterans who have participated in our endless wars.
We elevate our veterans with lip service. It is time we took a shot at doing what is right by them and all our citizens who are in need of the collective support of our society.
Years ago, the anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about clay pots, tools for hunting, grinding-stones, or religious artifacts.
But no. Mead said that the first evidence of civilization was a 15,000 years old fractured femur found in an archaeological site. A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking hip to knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal. This particular bone had been broken and had healed.
Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, you cannot drink or hunt for food. Wounded in this way, you are meat for your predators. No creature survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. You are eaten first.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that another person has taken time to stay with the fallen, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended them through recovery. A healed femur indicates that someone has helped a fellow human, rather than abandoning them to save their own life.
“Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts,” Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; For, indeed, that's all who ever have.”
Who can teach about minorities or the benefits of diversity and cultural responsibility these days? Much of American education has been in the toilet for decades. And Republicans keep flushing. And in MAGA Trump’s case refusing to wash hands.
We need to abolish classroom education for children. There's a better way, but it would disrupt nearly everything we've set up for ourselves for the past several hundred years. Classrooms are for grown-ups.
For someone with a lot to say, you say a lot of nothing. I don’t believe this is the forum for hinting at nutty theories on education that should be delivered to your local school board. Thankfully public schools will muster on until help arrives. Move along….
Peddle your nonsense elsewhere like at Fox or Russian troll farm. Your ideas might work for that ilk. Don’t tell me, your an anti-vaxxer too. Big surprise!
Your spelling is off. It should read, "you're an anti-" This is an excellent example of projection, which we all should endeavor not to do to each other. My education plan is well thought out, I describe it in a complete book, giving it fully six years to complete (now needing revision since tech has become more applicable, not as the old system would have it, though.) Kids don't belong in classrooms until they're about fifteen, but we could make it work with twelve years of age.
JCM, we can't be on the same page until you realize I'm a raving social democratic Bernie follower. I sent him a post card today. Why would you think I'm an anti-vaxer just because I don't want kids in classrooms? My degree is in education and I've looked at this issue my whole adult life.
The USA could become the Greatest Country on Earth. We have the most diverse population of any country which gives us the ability set the example for the rest of the world. And it’s not a huge undertaking.
As Americans all we need to do is Live And Let Live. Each of us has a life to live. If we practiced treating people with respect and practiced being Humble and Kind and accepting the way others choose to live it would be a lot nicer place to live.
We need to raise the white flag and get back to being civil with others. We are all in this together. The longer we fuel division the weaker we become.
Our leaders in Congress need to Lead By Example and show us and the rest of the world how they can WORK TOGETHER instead of against each other.
Our Country could and should be the Envy of the world! We have the talent in spades.
I believe that we were headed in that direction (although painfully slowly) until 10-15 years ago, when racism & white nationalism became overt as a reaction to Obama being President, & exacerbated much further under Trump
The Republican party is hooked at the hip with the far right wings religious line of thinking. The votes buried within this group represent a large portion of the party's base. To secure their continued loyalty the Republican machine maintains moral positions that reflect the church's core interests. People are just people, they come in all shapes and sizes with varying social positions and ideologies. They don't come out of a mold where human perfection could be expected. To discriminate against others because of physical or psychological differences is a crime against humanity. All anyone really wants is to be accepted for who they are. It takes less effort to accept than it does to discriminate.
The best response to racism and white nationalism is D investment in rural areas. Ds don't bother in districts they can't win this cycle, which means they are out of the conversation entirely. I would also caution those who use the actions of a few to brand an entire party as racist. Ds have zero influence over Rs and vice versa. Both of these parties are messed up, the only one you might be able to change is your own. "Listen, Liberal!" by Thomas Frank is a great place to start considering ways to improve the D party.
Corporations do that all the time: talk nicely to the left with progressive sounding messages, but put their money into opposing causes & candidates. Disgusting!
Yes, it’s a longstanding practice, dating back at least as far as the Gilded Age, of p(l)aying both sides against the middle (class). “Citizens United” put it on ‘steroids’.
I agree with everything you say exept for the wish(?)/idea for the US to become the greatest country on Earth. I was born in Germany right after the Nazi time/war (1946). I'm allergic to ANY country being the greatest. I always think that EVERY country has some citizens who feel THEIR'S is the greatest/best whatever. That makes the whole idea moot, doesn't it. Let's become a GOOD country.
Agreed! We don’t need to be “the greatest” country on Earth. Besides, who decides which country is the greatest? That’s a subjective concept at best. Additionally, I believe the rest of the world is tired of the US either seeing itself as or needing to be the greatest which translates into the most dominant nation. That’s more of a MAGA value.
I think you take him not literally enough. He doesn't mean great the way we've said it forever, he means, in fact, we could be the greatest. Greatest to follow, emulate, imitate, not be beholden to
This is especially disturbing after our visit to the Auschwitz exhibit at the Reagan Presidential Library yesterday ( yes, I know, the dichotomy). The Nazi monstors not only targeted jews but the disabled, the Roma (gypsies), gay , communists, etc. The targeting of these groups went unheeded by the many "good Germans" who stood by and did nothing (as did many countries ).
This aspect of the Nazis was explored in the TV series, "The Man In the High Castle" with the Nazi character's son who was disabled. They referred to them as "eaters." They were considered useless takers, and a burden on the "perfect" society they were trying to build. Repulsive and disgusting for me to talk about what the Nazis did.
STAND ! in the CENTER! as a NATION ! EMBRACING ONE ANOTHER, With TRUE HEARTFELT LOVE UNLOAD the CHILDISH QUABLING !! Grow UP ! SHARE , THE gifts, & TALENTS that GOD!, has BLESSED US ALL WITH ! ......MANKIND !, WAKE UP ! ETERNITY ! is a " TWINKLE of an EYE ! AWAY ! "
Agreed! I would add that we need to put our differences aside and focus on the changes needed to restore the American Dream, a topic I write about in my Substack publication "The Singular Solution." Give it a read.
Not to detract from the main topic but a governor of ANY state who assaults a reporter (or anyone else for that matter) should not have a job.
On topic, it’s ironic that they call the protests insurrection, given that an actual insurrection took place on January 6th 2021 led by the de facto leader of the Republican Party. Republican hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Derek Wessner ; Like children, the MAGA 'republicans' accuse their opponents of doing what they have done in a bigger, more violent way; attempting to make it 'both sides ism' of sorts. Another lie and distortion/projection.
Derek, you are right about rampant Republican hypocrisy, blatant and cruel. I have referred to Republicans as the Hypocricans in the past and the name suits them well.
Derek, I would say that it’s sardonic that they use the word insurrection to refer to democracy in action because it comes from a vicious place. They accuse others of being like themselves, vicious, because they are unprincipled and cruel. The cruelty is the point. They delight in dragging others down to their level.
Keep watching: every bad thing the far right does that gets a label: insurrection, fascism, etc., they find a way to use that “word” against the left. The action the GOP labels won’t fit the definition of the action being labeled. But, this tactic is used for a couple reasons: 1) to give the base new things to accuse the left of, 2) to confuse the far right base as to the meaning of these very real concepts, 3) they want to put a negative spin on a constitutionally protected or approved behavior/action performed by the left.
GOP lawmakers are very aware the many people on the right don’t read--even those who went to college. The GOP is teaming with people who turned off their lights while taking courses that taught the actual meanings of these concepts. I know because I saw it happen many times when I was a student and later when I taught. Often, it’s far right students who disrupt classes not because they have something to add to a debate, the never did. They disrupted classes to stop learning. I suppose if we use the right’s definition of “insurrection”, that’s what they were doing. LOL I have said many times that once can go to college and graduate without an education.
So, right-wing strategists know that many on the right dumbed way down over the last few decades, saying they didn’t need to be educated to have worth. True as that is, that lack of education made these people intellectually vulnerable to being misled.
I have decided to stop giving right-wing behaviors a label because the savvy among them will use those labels against us to create fear and confusion.
They use the term "insurrection" sarcastically because a decent amount of them think the January 6th was just some good ol' boys and girls touring Congress.
They are fascists. They probably went to Trump University where they learn to lie and be by bombastic as heck. These are not people I would want as my neighbor much less my legislators. I'm afraid that we can no longer call the Republican Party by that name. Let's call him for what they are, not to be disparaging, but to be factual. They should be called the Cons party.
I have a lot of trouble wrapping my head around someone's manhood being threatened by the existence of transgender people. How fragile they must be! It's the same nonsensical reaction that causes men to fear the admission of gays (or women or Blacks) into the Army.
I am a 68 year old male and i don't feel threatened in least by trans people. My oldest granddaughter is married to a trans person that was a female to male trans. I like her partner and get along great with him... my daughter showed me a picture of a male to female trans person yesterday and she was drop dead gorgeous, i asked my daughter if i could get her phone number. She told me i was too old for her...
Jaime, it is exactly the same. It is conservative scared white male fear of everyone else, the folks who might "steal" their manhood or somehow show them up as not man enough. It is destructive all around, but there is so much promotion in our society of toxic manhood through sports, shows where criminal men are the protagonists, police violence against people of color, a man who disrespects even dismisses women who don't bow and kiss his ring running for the presidency again, and so much more. We need to find ways to curb the male fear and their need to keep proving they are stronger, more powerful than anyone else and having to demonstrate how they can hurt anyone who does not do exactly what they want. Sound like toddler behavior? Well it is. I call them toddler-men because they have not had to grow up mentally or socially. We need to replace them in office with people who don't require a diet of lies, conspiracy theories, and constant reminders from everyone around them that they are man enough, even when they are not even humane enough.
HAS GOT THE QUESTION I WAS SCROLLING THESE COMMENTS TO ANSWER FOR ME.
I THINK IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THAT BROKEN X CHROMOSOME, MEN ARE FRAGILE LOOK FROM THE START THEY ARE BROKEN ,INSECURE THEY DEVELOPE LATER THAN WOMEN .THEIR EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS ARE USUALY MISSPLACED OR STATIONARY STAYING ON MOMMY INSTED OF WIFE. CAN WE BLAME THEM IF THEY ARE SUSEPTIBLE TO PROPIGANDA MORE THAN MOST ?
YOU KNOW LIKE MY MOM TOLD ME IN THE 70S
THEY CAN'T HELP BEING THE WAY THEY ARE . BUT ITS JUST EONS OF BEING PHYSICALLY STRONGER THAT GAVE THEM THE EDGE OVER US.
MAYBE THATS WHAT GOD MENT WHEN HE MADE THE DIFFERENT SEXES , THERE IS A STRONG ONE AND SMART ONE, IN OTHER WORDS AND GENETICS ASIDE, THE PEOPLE HERE ,NOW, NEED TO UNDERSTAND WE ALL REQUIRE THE PRESENTS OF EACHOTHER THE GIFTS AND TALENTS WE WERE MADE WITH AND ACCORDING TO GODS PLAN ARE TO BRING INTO THIS SPACE AT THIS TIME. IT IS OUR BIODIVERSITY AND OUR POTENTIAL THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THE APEX TOGETHER , WE HAVE TO KEEP T UP IF WE WANT TO HAVE A HOPE FOR SERVIVAL .
Disney did it right...As soon as the new board was put into place. WHAMO lawsuit. Rep Zephyr should do EXACTLY that. That is what it will take. Courts. There is a Constitution. LEAN ON IT! Her constituents voices need to be heard... show up. SHOW UP. Mass the people. Stand up. EVERYONE! ENOUGH!!! The youth are needed. Register the youth to vote !!!
An important reminder. Thank you. There is SO much behind it it is almost hard to catalog. Transphobia and homophobia was present in Naziism. However, the form this transphobia is taking is similar to antisemitism as it involves a conspiracy theory, a sexualized minority, a secret hidden threat, a threat to children and civilization itself. Right wingers like Charlie Kirk, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Marco Rubio have blamed transgender people for inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the formula shortage. In addition, it’s also a useful foil for the loss of Roe v. Wade, which was the shield the GOP always used to evade any criticism for their policies. In fact, it is all of a piece, as Prof. Stanley’s blurb shows. There is a larger attempt to regulate gender roles--opposition to birth control, abortion, no-fault divorce, etc. It’s a moving target and very frightening because there are now fantasies of elimination, and extremist violence. All of this is a test case to see what is possible. If people don’t push back, the GOP will certainly push forward. Almost any account of fascism contains most of the things we’ve seen--book bans, people being fired, dehumanizing rhetoric, attempts to ostracize and threaten, stochastic violence, laws targeting visible minorities. We’re already there. I wish people would not be so complacent.
There will be a continual need to escalate because the drama that’s been created has somehow caught fire, and they need to maintain the interest. They tried with immigrants and various other groups but now they have a sense that this is a winner. In fact, it is not in terms of increasing their numbers but it certainly has created an intensity that feels like momentum to them and they just don’t have anything else that can elicit the emotions because they’re stumbling a bit on the abortion issue. The centrist media is encouraging them, much like they did on the issue of abortion long ago. The effort is also extremely well-funded. The National Christian Charity Foundation has very deep pockets as do other billionaires. What’s chilling is that they are actually imitating the fascist template with this--it is not accidentally following a fascist line. There is a deliberate use of tropes that have worked in the past. Some of the groups designing these campaigns are well aware of how to do such a campaign.
In addition, they are folding antisemitism into transphobia by claiming LGBT rights have links to George Soros and the Pritzker family. What’s weird or maybe not so weird is that a lot of these ideas like drag being a method for grooming children (how exactly?) started on qanon forums. It really sucks that as a child, I used to wonder how these terrible things happened like the Holocaust and the Balkans War. How did people go from living peacefully with others for generations to baying for their neighbors’ blood? Now it doesn’t seem mysterious at all but completely obvious. It isn’t even puzzling to us anymore how people could lose their minds and turn on other people as a result of completely absurd and far out ideas that are easily disproven. That’s how much things have changed in the last 5 or so years.
Republican strategists see the transgender issue as a potent force to bring foam to the mouths of their brethren. Male hatred of former males pegs the meter on multiple levels.
If they ever smiled at a tight butt and realized it was a guy, they have to react forcefully to hide any shame they carry with them from that moment.
Any hint of tolerance or God forbid compassion is a direct assault on their manhood.
If they don’t deny trans folks 100% of their humanity, rightwing and evangelical men fear that suspicion may point in their direction.
Todd, that was well said. Men are really worried all the time about their manhood. They can't imagine men attracted to other men. They act as though that was never a regular part of life, but of course, as with so many things, they are wrong. They see male to female transgender persons as a kind of traitor. Those conservative men have such a low view of women (ala Trump) they can't imagine why anyone would "choose" to be a woman when they were really a man. It is ridiculous, their lack of understanding, but so many men have been able to go through life thinking very little about who they are in relation to others beyond being superior to everyone not white, straight, and male. So much of it is related to toxic masculinity which is a destructive force. Now, if we could get those toxic men out of positions of power, we all would be better off. Maybe a medication that could calm the fears of those perpetually scared conservative white men would be a good research area.
Oh Daniel, you are so right. It is just that men have so much more power and influence. The shlafleys of the world though got more influence than they deserved because they served the purposes of the men who needed a cause to whip up their base, and abortion turned out to be it. Phyllis was a giant hypocrite, telling women they should stay at home taking care of their hubby and kids while she was a public figure, a lawyer running all over the country, giving only some of her time to her family. It's amazing but the women in huge numbers bought the crap. I think women just wanted to feel important, and she certainly let them feel important with her ridiculous rallies. Many of her supporters couldn't make it staying at home for hubby because wages stagnated and they couldn't afford that. This became just another thing conservatives/Republicans could have against Democrats, people of color, and anyone else they could be led to believe was causing their inability to reach "the American dream." That trend continues and trans people and the LGBTQ community in general have been given to them as targets, and they love having more people to malign. It's so loving and Christian, you know.
Because when you are indoctrinated to believe that there are fundamental, unchangeable, inherent differences between men and women, and that because of those differences it's right and proper that men hold power over women, and furthermore that the only path to power for a woman is to attach herself to a powerful man and/or fit the stereotypes of how a woman acts and presents herself, there's no misogyny going on. It's the natural order of things. Why would they be angry at the natural order? No one is angry at gravity or the ideal gas law.
I’m all for lobotomizing the scaredy-cats. Has this toxic penis envy been around forever or has the disease just become apparent in the last couple of generations?
SPW, as you know, for centuries, men have been "lording" it over women, and rich men over everyone. Of course not all men, not even a majority, necessarily need to constantly prove their manhood, but a lot do, which I suspect is what leads to so many wars, attacks, and other male proving sessions. The problem with that is that everyone else pays a lot for the toxic masculinity. Right now, because women, people of color, LGBTQ persons, and more are moving out of the range of male total control and it is really scaring a lot of men, particularly but not exclusively white men. The question, what happens if they lose a job to a woman? OMG! or to a Black or other man of color, a trans person? OMG again! Women's contributions to life have generally been relegated to a distant second place in value beyond being baby factories. The ability to control when and whether to get pregnant and abortion have freed women from that low status which is why Republicans are fighting against it so hard. Scripture does not outlaw abortion or birth control, but religions found it necessary to keep women pregnant, nursing or having toddlers tied to apron strings severely limiting what women could do no matter how intelligent, talented, and creative. It kept them from making waves. We know the names of the few women who managed to rise above the places men designated for them and women are still being firsts, after all this time. Straight men often have no clue about anyone but themselves because we train them to see themselves as being the most important from birth. That puts a lot of pressure on them but also lets them be confronted with behaviors and lifestyles they would rather not understand. The way to fix this is to keep pushing for more women and people of color as well as LGBTQ persons to hold high-level positions in every field so scared white men and scared white women can get used to them and see that with them in charge, the world is not going to end immediately, and may even last a whole lot longer.
If we are going to live together in peace on a small and shrinking planet, we must first embrace the diversity that is so obviously part of the human race. That means seeking out people who are different from us and focussing on things we have in common with them. It isn't so difficult once you attempt it.
So, males threatened by economic security and gender equality undermining their provider/protector roles are drawn to the party that both aggravates their insecurity and stimulates their anger (an emotional substitute for power?) by presenting them with a scapegoat, though that party does nothing to improve their economic situation, and if it gains power by using their insecurity, this party will immediately vote in tax breaks for the wealthy that leave these guys even worse off. Meanwhile, the party that is working to strengthen unions and build the economy from the bottom up is loathed and despised because it also promotes gender equality and an end to sexual bigotry? Do i have that right? What are the necessary conditions for human beings to clearly see what is in their best interest?
What is particularly cruel about the GOP fascist fear & loathing strategy is that the victims of transmania are kids; not adults. Gender identity and sexual orientation are basically birth anomalies like learning disabilities, diabetes, deafness, and other such physical attributes that are not always externally manifested. They are hard enough to adapt to without being bullied and mocked by both age peers and ignorant hateful adults - and now Governors, legislator are forcing teachers to regulate things like sports participation and use of school toilets. It is deplorable.
Well, the GOP is waging war against children. They won't pass gun regulations, so the leading cause of death for kids is gun violence. They attack public education. They to gut food stamps and other safety net programs. But they claim that their anti abortion stance is pro life. What bs!
Pro-life from the Republic point of view is simply an anti women's rights stand. The idea that they are pro-life is a total 100% lie. If they were pro-life would they not first consider the life in front of their eyes - women. Would they not Grant all women, 51% of the human population on Earth, the right to life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on their own terms? Are they granting women their constitutional rights telling them "you have no right over your own body"
And then we come up against the Roman Catholic supreme Court with it's religious prejudice against women. The Republi-cult christo-fascists are no longer a viable political party. They are acting as a religion, forcing their ideology on people and depressing entire civilizations.. The followers of the Republi-cult are cultists and seriously are in need of intervention.
There is very little debate among health scientists regarding my assertion. Colleagues might use a different term than anomaly. While transgender seems to be a recent discovery among right-wing politicians, I started my collection back in 2000, when I became a research program official at the National Institutes of Health.
Perhaps you you can explain how it is that I have over 150 refereed scientific medical journal articles in my library that report empirical findings that gender identity is linked to the human genome. Genomic anomalies have been shown to affect neurotransmitters and brain systems such as the dopamine system as well as those affecting hormones - often in ways that are inconsistent with their birth-assigned gender. Some articles report hermaphroditism and other cases of malformed genitals such as small gonads inside the vaginal cavity - even discovering covert wombs when preparing males for transition surgery to female. If that is not a birth anomaly than what would you call it? BTW, there are biologists who specialize in gender who can concretely measure these indicators and contrast them with cisgen humans.
One final point. I have several photos of people with ambiguous genitalia. If I was in junior high, and those were my genitals, it would freak me out and I would be seeking mental and medical health support. When that interferes with normal bodily functions, sometimes surgery in childhood becomes medically necessary.
Clair Ainsworth has a nice review of gender biologist in a 2015 article in Nature [https://www.nature.com/articles/518288a]. Additionally, this 2022 overview book chapter by Rosa Fernandez et al. at the Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, Spain [https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/80813] is a bit more technical, but still understandable without a PhD in biology. There are numerous references to the research she and her co-authors review should you wish to deep-dive into the basic science. A terrific source of information on gender identity is the blog of my biologist friend Veronica Drantz [https://drdrantz-sciencesexuality.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-gender-binary-and-lgbti-people.html]. I have used her power points in several scientific conference presentations.
To reduce insecurity in all but the uppermost strata will require politicians to do what their donors don't want them to do. (All but the uppermost strata? AI will make many professions almost obsolete in the near future.)
We have to get big money out of politics.
That will also remove the major roadblock to climate and healthcare action and make dealing with guns easier.
In order to accomplish what you suggest we will need to get rid of the Roman Catholic supreme Court and replace it with unprejudiced non-fascist justices. Roberts, Thomas, Gorsuch, and what's her name -the handmaiden - along with Cavanaugh need to go.
While Republicans appear to have many problems with democracy, I think this current fascination with gender/equality/women's rights, is to focus their foot soldiers on the cultural-wedge, which is really all they have for '24. Whatever you think of Biden & his performance at serving the American people, that, has been his focus, how to make life better/fairer for those who voted for him, & those that didn't. The Republicans have nothing but grievance & division to run on, it's their bumper sticker! Democrats & Biden's campaign would do well, to simply focus attention on this list of accomplishments, & contrast that with the Orwellian actions of the GOP.
Has anyone else noticed that the transgender movement "magically" came to the forefront of political discussions right after Roe vs. Wade was struck down by the Supreme Court? The transgender arguments are almost identical to abortion for both teams. Is it real or merely a new means to fundraise while smashing political foes?
Yes religious Republicans have a distaste for women having any control over themselves because they see themselves as the Masters of the family and over the woman. They see transgender male to female individuals as sub subpar women and therefore something be scorned and hated. This is what religious
Masters of the family? LOL - Hellooooo, divorce rate 50%!!!! And that percentage is higher if you include second/subsequent marriages and a decline in the marriage rate in the US. "Over the last 50 years, the marriage rate in the U.S. has dropped by nearly 60%." Axios.com
Republicans are not the only people who see the new white patriarchal Transgender women's movement for the misogyny that it quite often is. Seriously, you can't make yourself out to be a White Savior by pretending that Transgender women are the same as biological women. You can't make yourself out to be a White Savior by pretending to be so compassionate and woke, because there are MANY different realities and truths.
I'm not referring to men who transitioned, I'm talking about Transgender "women" who are actually anatomical, fully intact males with penises and testicles. Educate yourself. Women are under attack, and it is not ONLY Republicans who see this, it is women like me, Democrats who consider themselves liberal. I am an adult human female. I am a WOMAN.
Oh geez, stop comparing yourself to others and try to be a good human. Something is bothering you, and you should be patient with yourself while you are working out what that is. Projecting isn’t a good solution.
I am a feminist. Transgender women who remain biological anatomical and fully intact men are not women. Projection? Nah. I’m s fighter for women’s rights. Biological women remain the most oppressed gender on this planet. And males with penises and testicles are not women. I will compare myself to others, when appropriate. I am an adult human female. I am a woman. Men with fully intact sex organs who wear women’s clothing are not biological women. We can agree to disagree. Being a “good person” is what I am. You’d know that if you knew one thing about me, which you do not. Be well.
I don't understand your comments. Who's trying to be a "White Savior" by pretending Transgender women are the same as biological women. They're calling themselves Transgender, for goodness sakes, so there's no mystery about what sex they were at birth.
In my life, unless something someone says or does affects me or someone I love, I try to be sympathetic. It's pretty obvious that the Republicans have really lost ground because of the Dobbs opinion, so their new war on the very small Trans community is a way of rousing their base - a base that is always looking for reasons for phony outrage & grievance.
There is no war on Transgender women. I abhor violence of every kind. But I also abhor violence against women. As in biological women like me. Are you aware of the Transgender woman who raped a ten-year-old girl in a women’s restroom with her penis, in 2022. Google it. That “woman” was a man with a penis, wearing makeup who raped a child.
Are you aware of the Transgender woman, fully intact male, who murdered a Portland taxi driver this past Easter Sunday, after threatening numerous others with his knife? Or the Transgender woman, fully intact male, who murdered six people at a school recently? Including 3 children?
Transgender women, (fully intact males) are invading women’s spaces and are becoming more and more dangerous toward women and girls. My original point was simple. This is not just Republicans who are speaking up about this, it is Democrats too.
Phony outrage and grievance? Nah. Not at all, but thank you for your comment. It confirms you are a true misogynist.
Not sure how my comment showed I'm a "true misogynist". But that's your mistaken opinion.
In fact I'm an old woman who has been fighting for women's rights for over 50 years, including marching for the ERA Amendment in the 80s, donating to women's rights organizations, & more recently writing Postcards to Voters - for candidates who support women & women's rights & to the voters in Kansas re their abortion referendum last summer.
My point in posting was similar to others who today pointed out that Republicans have seized on the Trans issue, because the Dobbs decision is very unpopular, & they needed something else to keep the MAGA base outraged. That opinion is still valid.
Right, and I'm sure your point has some validity, but MY opinion is also valid. That WOMEN should be allowed to have safe places that are ONLY for WOMEN and no, not everyone should be allowed to say "I am a woman!" particularly if that someone has a PENIS and TESTICLES. Women should also NOT be raped and attacked by MEN in women's clothing. I'm sorry KMD, but we can agree to disagree. Though I will also say, your tone began this back and forth. Be well. :)
You are incorrect about your info on the person who killed 6 people in Nashville, TN. Audrey Elizabeth Hale was born female. She was not a fully intact male. She had been living as a male named Aiden Hale.
You're right about that. I stand corrected on that issue, but this woman/man illustrates fully the incredible room for mental illness of those in the Transgender community. Particularly the biological men in women's clothing who try to physically attack, hit, punch, beat Adult Human Females who may disagree with them - WOMEN.
Men are STILL the most violent and dangerous gender for women to contend with and against. That has not changed. All those Transgender women/MEN who tried to beat and batter Riley Gaines last month to silence her make my points for me beautifully. They are who they are. MEN.
A group of protesters coming to demand that their representative be allowed to speak and represent them is not an insurrection unless they are carrying weapons or things used as weapons, like 'bear spray', flags with poles to jab with or the like ; or hitting pushing etc. hitting with with fire extinguishers, punching or kicking; in other words attacking physically. What I saw was police pushing people with rifles and gun stocks. and shoving them. Not a good look for Democracy! It reminded me of similar 60's protests.
The sad fact is that we are little different today from what we were when we slouched onto our own branch of the evolutionary tree. We are creatures of emotion and our most powerful emotional motivator is fear. Unfortunately, it is the most easily manipulated. The sad thing is, our adaptive capabilities that fostered the creation of human civilization have never been pointed at the issue of our fear and how it feeds our bigotry. It seems, in the US at least, that humanity is starting to devolve into the primal primacy of fear, foregoing all our advancements in knowledge, eschewing all our accomplishments in moral philosophy, such as they are. We are becoming more tribal in the sense that we seek sameness and reject difference.
I am proud to say that I am that difference. I am a gay man in an ex-urban area of North Texas near the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. I see daily friendly faces that turn to anger in a heartbeat over three little words: I am gay. I hear their litany of ‘hate the sin, love the sinner,’ as they confidently and without remorse discuss the denial of our rights to exist as we are. They are disgusted if we hold hands or express our love publicly, complaining that we are ‘throwing it in their face’ never once considering their public displays of affection are no different. They will gladly take advantage of our talents, but would just as easily see us rounded up and disposed of. We do have allies here, good people who do stand up to the bigotry and hate. But the power of churches in the area is almost iron clad, and few of them are on our side. Many are direct social control agents of the Right, using the power of the pulpit to stir up and maintain fear among the congregations, ensuring their sermons are on point with the political messages from the Right and the votes are cast for the right candidate. They hate us because they are told to hate us. Most of them have at least one uncle who has a ‘friend’ he lives with, or an aunt and her ‘friend.’ They can’t hate the individual at their dinner table, but they can hate the group because their relationship to the LGBTQIA+ community is anonymous. Uncle Bob is great, but any collective that seeks recognition and defends his rights and the rights of LGBTQIA+ communities is bad because they are just groomers and pedophiles.
Yes, the health of a democracy can be measured by how its people treat those who have the least power within it. In a country that prides itself on the advancement of individualism, it is ironic that so many reject what could be seen as the most courageous act of individualism one can engage, being who one really is. Gender Dysphoria is real. Homosexuality is not unknown to nature. We are born this way. I find it funny how quickly those on the Right become advocates of nurture where sexuality is concerned while relying on ‘human nature’ to define the characteristics they like.
If we want to eliminate bigotry, against sexual minorities or people of color or women, we have to address our unrestrained fear. Fear is a protector, but it is also a mind killer, as the Litany from Dune says. Until we face our fears of difference both individually and as a society, we will cycle through those with the least power in our world assigning them the hate du jour and feeling good about it. We have a clear choice: we are either a society held together by a common fear, or we are a society held together by the choice to value all members and work together to ensure we all are treated with dignity and respect. What people who rely on fear don’t understand is that fear will devour all that you love until you are the only thing left. Then you are alone in the dark, and all that exists becomes a source of fear and there is no one left to hold your hand and tell you it will be ok, no one to ignite the flame of hope and keep it burning through the night. In the grip of fear, your world dies in darkness.
I was taught that how a society protects it minorities is a test of its democracy . What grade does America earn today ?
I was taught that how a society protects its most vulnerable is the test of its humanity. Would we want a democracy without humanity? Our society could do much better in either case.
There is very little humanity in the US..
This is a straw man argument, factually incorrect and lazy, and designed to close down any rational, science-based discussion or acceptance of trans & non-binary people by those who have red-pilled themselves into a frenzy.
It’s also a genuinely ignorant thesis statement without any basis in facts or data.
Also an example of psychological projection.
Yuri gets an “F” and must go back to video-game.
I assume you mean the arguments of the trans-phobics.
Dear Yuri ... The trans students I have taught in college classes were not, even in one instance, forced into the decision by doctors, pharma, parents, teachers ... or Democrats (!?). They came to their decisions after long periods of incredibly difficult soul-searching about their identities and how they experienced their pathways of their sexual expression. What was stunning was not that people have these issues--some percentage of the population always has and had no options to change expression--but the violence and harassment to which these people were subjected. I had to walk one young trans woman to her car after class every single day to prevent men from harassing her. Murders of trans people are sky rocketing--particularly in Central and South America, Macho Country--which accounts for 70% of all trans murders globally. A staggering 90% of trans murders involve trans women, which is becoming another kind of femicide. As Brendan B points out, but for the rare exception we find in Chloe Cole, who transitioned and didn't like it, the vast, vast majority of those who've transitioned find that, except for the harassment, they are very happy with their decisions and feel at home in their own bodies for the first time. I come down on the side of this that says the real abnormality going on here is the Radical Right obsession with OTHER PEOPLE's sexuality and a tragically misguided opinion that they have a right to dictate to other people how, when, and with whom they'll have sex and what a woman can do with her body just about anytime. This screed is VERY easy to sell to men with the anxieties about which Professor Reich writes. I would ask you please to consider the very well-established fact that trans people are making valid, un-coerced choices with which they are happy. Democrats are uninvolved in these decisions--only involved in the attempt to prevent them from being harassed and killed. Your compassion for Chloe Cole is beautiful, and I thank you for that. Otherwise, please leave trans people alone, and don't drink any Kool-Aid on this issue. With fascism, the numbers and types of targeted people always expands. There's always somebody new to expose to threat and death. The threat to any group of people is, ultimately, a threat to us all. Thanks for listening.
Thank you writing so poignantly Dr. Sinclair. Republicans are so fixated on transporting us back to their version of the 'good ole days' of a majority white straight men mentality. They told their women what to think and were perfectly fine with people who looked and thought like them. Well white women got out of the kitchen, minorities and people in the LGBTQ community people thankfully came out of the closet. Republicans are scathing at the mouth because they see this country is definitely changing and they want no part of it. So glad this country is not going back to those so called 'good ole days' as the young people have classmates, friends and associates who are in the LGBTQ community and don't think like their parents. They, much like the students you teach, will be the reason we will never return and go back to those days of yonder, no matter how much Republicans fight it.
It is a true pleasure to read responses like yours. Thank you!
Thank you, Dr! I can't believe the hatred against a small group of people who are just trying to live their lives the best they can, like all of us do, only they don't have the freedom to do so. What is so hard to understand!
Yes, Dr.Sinclair,
One can immediately know when another is fixated on issues that have to do with masculinity.... theirs is questionable in their eyes. Try not to stare !!!
I agree. I teach high school students, and over the years have had handful of openly trans students. They weren't forced by anyone to be trans -- they embraced that identity themselves despite the pushback from conservative families. One literally lived on the streets for a couple weeks (before a different teacher took him in) after being thrown out of his home by parents who would rather have a suicidal daughter than a health son. Another never had things go that far, but only because his mother filed for divorce from his father because she loved her child even if he had been born a girl and was now a boy.
I'm still in contact with one of those young men. He has graduated college and started a career. He is engaged to a beautiful young woman. He would love to come home to Texas, but refuses to live under the repressive policies of the current Christo-fascist regime in this state. I can't blame him.
I just subscribed to your Substack. Thank you for your kind, informative, polite responses to -- well, I won't write what I think of this Yuri because it might get me silenced 😅.
The heart of this matter. Thank you.
" I would ask you please to consider the very well-established fact that trans people are making valid, un-coerced choices with which they are happy. Democrats are uninvolved in these decisions--only involved in the attempt to prevent them from being harassed and killed. Your compassion for Chloe Cole is beautiful, and I thank you for that. Otherwise, please leave trans people alone, and don't drink any Kool-Aid on this issue. With fascism, the numbers and types of targeted people always expands. There's always somebody new to expose to threat and death. The threat to any group of people is, ultimately, a threat to us all. "
They are not being pushed into it
Period.
Is it a reality? What is your source? Please post a link.
Stick to trolling the minor leagues Bimbo Bezmenov. We wouldn’t want to see you castrated before your deportation back to Putin.
BS
Chloe is NOT a fictional character. Perhaps you should listen to her two hour interview in which she shares everything that happened to her? But that would require that you CARE about the kids who de-transition and share how their lives have been destroyed by the push to mutilate children who are underage. And that might be asking too much of you.
Democrats are not fixated on it.
Republicans are fixated on it- they literally cannot stop talking about these edge cases that are cherry picked to prop up their hysteria. Had the Montana legislature just let Zooey say her piece, everyone would've moved on. Instead, Republicans are using children to justify their bigotry.
The most hilarious argument is "protecting children from Big Pharma." Maybe Republicans shouldn't have been enabling mega-corporations for the last 40 years if they wanted to play that card.
Why would they do this?!? They have ZERO popular ideas Americans AGREE WITH! In other words: fake "culture wars" issues is ALL they have.
Yeah, because they really protected us from Big Pharma opioids, didn't they?
Exactly, the republicans have always backed big business, and, as an aside, that ain't unfettered capitalism
Excellent points!
Why are Republicans so fixated on the rights of LBGTQ people? Answer: Authoritarians always need to blame others and turn those others into the enemy.
Your comment is full of falsehoods and that first sentence is wallowing in ignorance. How about this, people on the right, Republicans keep going on about "freedom", so how about you lot just mind your own business and let people make up their own minds when it comes to their lives.
The elephant in the room is organized religion. LGBTQ people are, by and large, not welcome in most Christian churches in America. Plain and simple. Priests and pastors are obsessed with sex and purity. It's a really big deal. Most, however they get there in their interpretation, regard LGBTQ people as evil, sinful, and unrepentant. They preach this on Sundays from pulpits across America, and people eat it up. Just like Tucker Carlson, these "holy men" need to keep their slowly fading audience.
It seems to me that the only thing standing in the way of Homo sapiens' progress is ourselves. Or random events like getting hit by an asteroid, but we are far more of a danger than that. Eventually, scientific research will provide an answer for why some people are "different." A precise, genetic, scientific answer. I don't have the precise answer, but I know that there is nothing "wrong" with any of these people. It is simply natural variation in our human genome. Nothing more, nothing less. We are certainly not the only animal species to have these traits, either.
I used to be so upset with having to know whether God existed or not, then a friend of mine said, "Why do you have to know?" That was a game changer for me. It also applies to not understanding why some people are transgender. I now know that I don't have to get it, or understand it, and it's none of my business. People don't have to get it, don't have to understand it and especially don't have to legislate it. Just as with God, some people are obsessed with having to know and/or understand these things that are unanswerable and so they cling to right wing Christianity and right wing politics to spoon feed and/or shove down their throats the so called "answers" so that they can feel self righteous, and what? - better than everyone else? My mom used to say "insecure people blow out other people's candles to make their's appear brighter." But eventually someone will blow out their candle, and then we will all be in the dark.
I am a Unitarian Universalist now. UU's are a welcoming religious community where all are welcome, including atheists, agnostics, and people of diverse faith backgrounds, or no faith backgrounds. UU's welcome all people regardless of their gender orientation, family makeup or who they choose to love. Sin, hell, fire and brimstone have no place in the UU lexicon and teachings, thus the "Universal" part of our name as in "universal salvation." God is truly love, not a hateful, vindictive, insecure, small minded God.
As an atheist, I am just now trying to understand that god or whatever isn't to blame for all this right-wing Christian Libertarianism... Thanks for sharing!!!
Eileen G.: You're telling my story. UU since '72. I could have written your comments.
Money and religion are the roots of all evil.
Thank you for putting forth the idea that science will someday explain the "differences" so many people seem to fear. But their irrational fear keeps them from respecting science. We hope for science to prevail, just the same.
Or genitalia in general. It's a lot like the abortion argument, putting themselves in the way of people who are trying to make the best decision they can for their situation.
No one is castrating children. There is a strict protocol for gender reassignments. No one under the age of 18 is even considered for sex reassignment surgery. One must undergo lengthy counseling to help the person understand the changes, and to be sure that is an appropriate procedure for them. They take hormones for a long period before deciding that surgery is appropriate.
No doctor would even consider doing surgery of that nature unless their is a lengthy process and the team helping the patient who wants to transition must be certain that the patient is fully ready for the change and it is for their best interest. Imagine the malpractice lawsuits a surgeon would incur if the patient wasn’t thoroughly prepared and deemed appropriate for that kind of surgery.
There have been dozens and perhaps hundreds of young men under 18 who have been castrated in America and elsewhere. Do better research. The Detransition stories are mounting every day. The truth is coming out, including that sex with fully transitioned Trans women is excruciatingly painful for them.
Would you care to cite your research into this topic? Specifically on your own point: "There have been dozens and perhaps hundreds of young men under 18 who have been castrated in America." I don't care about elsewhere in the world for this conversation. You claim "dozens" for sure, then "perhaps" hundreds. How many hundreds? Over what period of time?
I would also let trans women speak about physical sexual intercourse, rather than here from an intermediary on the topic. Are you claiming that sexual intercourse for them is always painful and that they do not know this before transitioning? That someone is lying to them?
Where did you get these tidy little factoids?
To answer your question Pat, I do research. That's where "these tidy little factoids" come from. Does that make sense? :)
Let's start over. To whom are you addressing?
I once had that much faith in the medical community.
Hormone blockers ≠ chemical castration. I think your prejudice is enabling your own willful ignorance. I don't believe for a moment that you give two shits about Chloe Cole, other than to use her as your only example case. You aren't in this fight to "protect the children". You're in it to righteously perpetuate your own bigotry.
https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2021/04/08/tucker_carlson_misrepresents_the_science_on_transgender_youth_771801.html
Coles life has been devastated by this push to mutilate children. Yes, people DO care about her. And she deserves justice for what happened to her. Speaking the truth does not equal bigotry. Try again.
Yuri, stop sticking your nose in other peoples business!
Yuri, I would like to thank you for your comments here today. Now please drink your goat's milk and get out.
Yuri, other peoples life choices are theirs (and theirs alone to make)
what exactly did ANY LGPTQ person do to harm you?
p.s. on what specific day did you decide to be straight?
Again, none of your business. Plus your sources are terrible
You have fallen HEAD-FIRST into an alt right conspiracy theory! SOME TRANS children need help MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR BODY. NO ONE is "castrating children." . . . If you want to talk about SEXUALLY ASSAULTING children, I would take that up with Moscowmitch, as he has proven that he is the expert.
“Defeated on same-sex marriage, the religious right went searching for an issue that would re-energize supporters and donors. The campaign that followed has stunned political leaders across the spectrum.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/us/politics/transgender-conservative-campaign.html?
It's only a matter of time for them to outlaw homosexuality too
Yuri, Democrats aren't "fixated" on castrating people. We ARE fixated on individuals and their parents making decision about THAT INDIVIDUAL based what they believe is best for THAT INDIVIDUAL.
It's not BIG PHARMA (did you not read how few people are trans in this country?) If you're all about BIG PHARMA, it's actually better to keep people unhealthy so that they're forced to take heart medication or high cholesterol drugs. If BIG PHARMA is your concern, perhaps you should go after McDonalds and all the processed junk in our diets.
Hey what planet you live on.. please go back..
The real Yuri Bezmenov was a PUG KBG agent and spy who died in Windsor, Canada in 1993. Born Mytishchi, Russia, 1939. This space needs to do a better job of troll hunting. Reich should consider taking down Russian posts by Russian trolls. After the treasure trove of Pentagon documents leaked by brave PATRIOT Jack Teixiera (21 years old) the FSB is reported as laughing that only 1% of their troll accounts were ever ferreted out of USA on-line media in the 2016 Presidential election.
Yuri, if that is your real name? Russian Bender Bezmenov it seems was in the control group that received no medication during and after surgery. And look, he became warped just like Putin. Let’s hear it for Russian scientific studies run by former KGB!
Yuri, that sign above your door, QUI SI CASTRANO RAGAZZI, is a dead giveaway for your Republican lies and fake news. Do you really write for Fox? No Bezmenov Baloney or your junk science needed here. How do you say castrated children in Putin’s Russian anyway. And how do you say Stolen Children in Russian? You make a much better Russian nesting troll doll than someone interested in real science, health care, or the welfare of America’s children. Trolling with your Russian lies will not get you or Putin anywhere with Americans. Well, maybe with Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene. They are idiots too and will believe almost anything anyone tells them. No worry. You have been put on the deportation list with the rest of Putin’s Russian crud just incase you might actually be living in USA. The season of Russian trolls and their castration begins.
We already follow the science, not bunco Bezmenov FSB Putin propaganda.
We get an F. When a certain segment of the population excused the slaughter at Sandy Hook, I knew we were in deep trouble. Really deep trouble.
America Fails the Civilization Test
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/america-mortality-rate-guns-health/673799/
I started to read it but, PAYWALL. I can't take a chance that I will forget to cancel or be unable to figure out how to cancel and be charged $79.99. Can you summarize please? I'm a second class citizen who can read many sub stacks but can't afford to comment. Although I have wanted to subscribe to the Atlantic for years, I am at my limit of what I can afford.
Try this for a summary:
https://leisureguy.wordpress.com/2023/04/21/america-fails/
Thank you. I had access to the entire article. This is my reply: It seems that all the bases were covered as to why the U.S. mortality rate is much worse than countries with comparable wealth except for one variable; stress. Do the citizens of the other countries we are compared to have the same level of stress we suffer just to provide the basic essentials for our families? In order to get and keep employment, it is necessary to have a cell phone and an automobile. Rent is expensive. Childcare is unavailable or expensive. Even public schools are expensive because we have to pay for book rental, school physicals, vaccinations, and sports equipment if participate. Having more than one job often requires the consumption of fast food. Education beyond high school is expensive and out of reach for many unless they go into debt for decades. As a retired nurse, I’m not even going to start telling what I know about why we die prematurely due to our healthcare system. Now hospitals are closing because investors are taking their money out for huge profits. We need more research on how stress causes metabolic disease. High-stress occupations like firefighting, policing, and nursing have shown this effect due to stress hormones. Then there is suicide, especially of white males who expected that if they were law-abiding a worked hard, they could succeed. It didn’t happen.
America is a farm. The citizens are the animals to be milked and bled and slaughtered for the profit of the corporations and the rich. The politicians are paid by the corporations and the rich to make sure the animals stay in their places and obey.
#MangoWanker #Turdking #Mobster #Traitor
#GOPtraitors
#Fascists
#Murdoch
and nobody gets more milked than women!
Succinct analogy.
Thank you, Gloria, for your most thoughtful post. What you write of has troubled me all my life, moreso in recent years. I grew up in a solidy middle-class family and for various reasons ended up more working class/working poor myself (making me a pariah in my family). One of those reasons is that my moral compass has kept me out of jobs I found personally unethical or exploitive. I often wonder why I am in this position and not better off, given my courage, strong work ethic, and academic talent. What I always come back to is an inner sense that I was meant to get to know first-hand and deeply understand Americans' struggles to make a living for themselves and their families. Doing so has been at least a challenge when it wasn't an outright struggle for me, which began at age 16 when I worked an after-school job to support myself as an emancipated minor while maintaining honors grades thoughout high school. Just this year, in my sixth decade and after my remaining parent's death, I may be in a position to receive a small share of family money. For this I am very grateful; and, having experienced all I have during my working life, feel strongly responsible to use it ethically. I'm currently reading Matthew Desmond's "Poverty by America". And I've been wondering what I can do to help. Should I go back to school and study economics, or social work, or public policy--all of which I am interested in? Coming out of a bachelor's or master's at age 65-67 doesn't seem very likely to help. I've done volunteer work and am likely to do so again. The universe saw fit to drop Prof. Reich's excellent Wealth and Poverty course in my lap, which I take as an indication that my concerns and desire to make a difference are valid. So far what I've decided is that I can start by investing anything remaining after supporting myself as simply as possible, as ethically as possible. I am happy to receive a smaller return on investments by divesting them from the profit-maximzing corporations my parents had them in, and putting them into financial products at my community-oriented credit union, for example.
Regarding the increasing visibility of trans-gender people, I see them as pioneering a paradigm shift in humanity, away from dualistic gender roles toward wholism. I see this in my own family when my son does housework and child care and gets a snide comment from his father-in-law: "Hmmph. I thought that was woman's work." To which I reply: "He grew up in a house where, if somebody saw something that needed doing, they did it. And if they couldn't do it by themselves, they asked for help."
We have a lot in common. It sounds like you know as well as I do how to make a difference. I'm writing a book about the struggle to raise my five sons by working in healthcare without health insurance for us, along with problems with the public school system. Real estate, bankers, and attorney predators prey on the working class as well as the constant threat from child services for what they call negligence when the problem is actually poverty created by public policy. I don't know how to make the world a better place except by following your conscience. Try to provide financial security for your family if you can, and help others as the occasion may arise.
LOVE your response to the snarky father-in-law, Franne!
Retired social worker here and agree with your well said analysis. Thank you for commenting.
Whoops, yes paywall for me, too. I read *part* of this article in an emailed newsletter from them, which I no longer have. Sorry.
Excellent article. Everyone should read it. It is horrifying. Especially since the trend may be accelerating.
That was my message to National Geographic TV. Bank with PBS or possibly wither. What a loss, but no more channel bills. BILLS!
restore taxation of the 50's. If you believe taxes are the price for civilization.
D-minus at best.
I think we would be better off to go after what has already been established in the Republican budget proposal, focusing on the "bread & butter" aspect and attacking the corporate, wall-street, and billionaire tax structure, while subjecting the "culture war" issues to ridicule - particularly with respect to the Republican sex hang-ups. Fascism is a bit abstract for the voter proportionately to their standard of living. The closer you come to living out of your car, the less abstractions like "fascism" mean to you. If you're going to attack the fascists, you must endeavor to sustain ridicule on the issues they're embracing, while simultaneously stressing the importance and support for those bread & butter issues, that an opposition who has no other platform than culture wars completely evade, to mask the fact that it is >their< economic policies that actively promote unemployment, poverty, and despair. The target outcome would be to render the Republicans a laughing-stock commensurate with the way they're viewed internationally - starting with ol' Tweety. Also, make sure to tar & feather with stigma the Republicans as >the< party of unemployment, poverty, and despair - not to mention institutional racism. That's how the Democrats should proceed - IMHO!
As a case in point: https://youtu.be/Ko7lNc8KfmY
BTW: Personally, I'd start referring to MAGA-publicans' wives as their "beards," but then again, I'm not running for public office, and feel no imperative to show them anything other than the contempt they richly deserve.
Cognitive dissonance
These minorities include the physically and mentally disabled many of which are military veterans who have participated in our endless wars.
We elevate our veterans with lip service. It is time we took a shot at doing what is right by them and all our citizens who are in need of the collective support of our society.
And this goes for mothers. More women die in childbirth in our country, than soldiers die in war. We need a VA for mothers.
How we treat the most vulnerable in society marks the greatness of any civilization.
An F!
Since the Senate failed to pass the Equal Rights Amendnent today, I'd say America earned an F today!
A D-!
Years ago, the anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about clay pots, tools for hunting, grinding-stones, or religious artifacts.
But no. Mead said that the first evidence of civilization was a 15,000 years old fractured femur found in an archaeological site. A femur is the longest bone in the body, linking hip to knee. In societies without the benefits of modern medicine, it takes about six weeks of rest for a fractured femur to heal. This particular bone had been broken and had healed.
Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, you cannot drink or hunt for food. Wounded in this way, you are meat for your predators. No creature survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. You are eaten first.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that another person has taken time to stay with the fallen, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended them through recovery. A healed femur indicates that someone has helped a fellow human, rather than abandoning them to save their own life.
“Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts,” Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; For, indeed, that's all who ever have.”
LOL! https://youtube.com/shorts/Mg_albQOyvA?feature=share
Film Club . .
In a Classic, Little Big Man . .one rides Backwards on a Horse, with Elan. .
Not a least of the least .. but a Force sent to teach ..
a Shaman, if you will, mysteriously Grand . . # School Board Referral . . .
Working hard on a D- and teetering on the brink. No wonder the civilized world thinks we’ve lost some part of our mind.
Who can teach about minorities or the benefits of diversity and cultural responsibility these days? Much of American education has been in the toilet for decades. And Republicans keep flushing. And in MAGA Trump’s case refusing to wash hands.
We need to abolish classroom education for children. There's a better way, but it would disrupt nearly everything we've set up for ourselves for the past several hundred years. Classrooms are for grown-ups.
For someone with a lot to say, you say a lot of nothing. I don’t believe this is the forum for hinting at nutty theories on education that should be delivered to your local school board. Thankfully public schools will muster on until help arrives. Move along….
Peddle your nonsense elsewhere like at Fox or Russian troll farm. Your ideas might work for that ilk. Don’t tell me, your an anti-vaxxer too. Big surprise!
Your spelling is off. It should read, "you're an anti-" This is an excellent example of projection, which we all should endeavor not to do to each other. My education plan is well thought out, I describe it in a complete book, giving it fully six years to complete (now needing revision since tech has become more applicable, not as the old system would have it, though.) Kids don't belong in classrooms until they're about fifteen, but we could make it work with twelve years of age.
Oh really? LOL! Maybe I’ll read it tomorrow.
JCM, we can't be on the same page until you realize I'm a raving social democratic Bernie follower. I sent him a post card today. Why would you think I'm an anti-vaxer just because I don't want kids in classrooms? My degree is in education and I've looked at this issue my whole adult life.
America gets a big fat F- (in bold).
Here’s A Thought
The USA could become the Greatest Country on Earth. We have the most diverse population of any country which gives us the ability set the example for the rest of the world. And it’s not a huge undertaking.
As Americans all we need to do is Live And Let Live. Each of us has a life to live. If we practiced treating people with respect and practiced being Humble and Kind and accepting the way others choose to live it would be a lot nicer place to live.
We need to raise the white flag and get back to being civil with others. We are all in this together. The longer we fuel division the weaker we become.
Our leaders in Congress need to Lead By Example and show us and the rest of the world how they can WORK TOGETHER instead of against each other.
Our Country could and should be the Envy of the world! We have the talent in spades.
I believe that we were headed in that direction (although painfully slowly) until 10-15 years ago, when racism & white nationalism became overt as a reaction to Obama being President, & exacerbated much further under Trump
The Republican party is hooked at the hip with the far right wings religious line of thinking. The votes buried within this group represent a large portion of the party's base. To secure their continued loyalty the Republican machine maintains moral positions that reflect the church's core interests. People are just people, they come in all shapes and sizes with varying social positions and ideologies. They don't come out of a mold where human perfection could be expected. To discriminate against others because of physical or psychological differences is a crime against humanity. All anyone really wants is to be accepted for who they are. It takes less effort to accept than it does to discriminate.
The best response to racism and white nationalism is D investment in rural areas. Ds don't bother in districts they can't win this cycle, which means they are out of the conversation entirely. I would also caution those who use the actions of a few to brand an entire party as racist. Ds have zero influence over Rs and vice versa. Both of these parties are messed up, the only one you might be able to change is your own. "Listen, Liberal!" by Thomas Frank is a great place to start considering ways to improve the D party.
Corporations do that all the time: talk nicely to the left with progressive sounding messages, but put their money into opposing causes & candidates. Disgusting!
Yes, it’s a longstanding practice, dating back at least as far as the Gilded Age, of p(l)aying both sides against the middle (class). “Citizens United” put it on ‘steroids’.
I agree with everything you say exept for the wish(?)/idea for the US to become the greatest country on Earth. I was born in Germany right after the Nazi time/war (1946). I'm allergic to ANY country being the greatest. I always think that EVERY country has some citizens who feel THEIR'S is the greatest/best whatever. That makes the whole idea moot, doesn't it. Let's become a GOOD country.
Agreed! We don’t need to be “the greatest” country on Earth. Besides, who decides which country is the greatest? That’s a subjective concept at best. Additionally, I believe the rest of the world is tired of the US either seeing itself as or needing to be the greatest which translates into the most dominant nation. That’s more of a MAGA value.
I think you take him not literally enough. He doesn't mean great the way we've said it forever, he means, in fact, we could be the greatest. Greatest to follow, emulate, imitate, not be beholden to
This is especially disturbing after our visit to the Auschwitz exhibit at the Reagan Presidential Library yesterday ( yes, I know, the dichotomy). The Nazi monstors not only targeted jews but the disabled, the Roma (gypsies), gay , communists, etc. The targeting of these groups went unheeded by the many "good Germans" who stood by and did nothing (as did many countries ).
This aspect of the Nazis was explored in the TV series, "The Man In the High Castle" with the Nazi character's son who was disabled. They referred to them as "eaters." They were considered useless takers, and a burden on the "perfect" society they were trying to build. Repulsive and disgusting for me to talk about what the Nazis did.
STAND ! in the CENTER! as a NATION ! EMBRACING ONE ANOTHER, With TRUE HEARTFELT LOVE UNLOAD the CHILDISH QUABLING !! Grow UP ! SHARE , THE gifts, & TALENTS that GOD!, has BLESSED US ALL WITH ! ......MANKIND !, WAKE UP ! ETERNITY ! is a " TWINKLE of an EYE ! AWAY ! "
Is there something wrong with your caps lock button?
Please! This is a forum for free speech and freedom of expression therefore I ask you to leave your religion at the door.
I just now imagined a white flag flying on my flagpole. Quite a vision.
Agreed! I would add that we need to put our differences aside and focus on the changes needed to restore the American Dream, a topic I write about in my Substack publication "The Singular Solution." Give it a read.
MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
... uh - well, maybe it's too early; sorry about that.
Not to detract from the main topic but a governor of ANY state who assaults a reporter (or anyone else for that matter) should not have a job.
On topic, it’s ironic that they call the protests insurrection, given that an actual insurrection took place on January 6th 2021 led by the de facto leader of the Republican Party. Republican hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Derek Wessner ; Like children, the MAGA 'republicans' accuse their opponents of doing what they have done in a bigger, more violent way; attempting to make it 'both sides ism' of sorts. Another lie and distortion/projection.
Derek, you are right about rampant Republican hypocrisy, blatant and cruel. I have referred to Republicans as the Hypocricans in the past and the name suits them well.
Derek, I would say that it’s sardonic that they use the word insurrection to refer to democracy in action because it comes from a vicious place. They accuse others of being like themselves, vicious, because they are unprincipled and cruel. The cruelty is the point. They delight in dragging others down to their level.
Schadenfreude is the word for their uncultured activity.
Keep watching: every bad thing the far right does that gets a label: insurrection, fascism, etc., they find a way to use that “word” against the left. The action the GOP labels won’t fit the definition of the action being labeled. But, this tactic is used for a couple reasons: 1) to give the base new things to accuse the left of, 2) to confuse the far right base as to the meaning of these very real concepts, 3) they want to put a negative spin on a constitutionally protected or approved behavior/action performed by the left.
GOP lawmakers are very aware the many people on the right don’t read--even those who went to college. The GOP is teaming with people who turned off their lights while taking courses that taught the actual meanings of these concepts. I know because I saw it happen many times when I was a student and later when I taught. Often, it’s far right students who disrupt classes not because they have something to add to a debate, the never did. They disrupted classes to stop learning. I suppose if we use the right’s definition of “insurrection”, that’s what they were doing. LOL I have said many times that once can go to college and graduate without an education.
So, right-wing strategists know that many on the right dumbed way down over the last few decades, saying they didn’t need to be educated to have worth. True as that is, that lack of education made these people intellectually vulnerable to being misled.
I have decided to stop giving right-wing behaviors a label because the savvy among them will use those labels against us to create fear and confusion.
They’re creating a permission structure for them to escalate their extremism by blaming others for exactly what they are doing.
If the left are insurrectionists too, then the right can justify whatever they want.
They use the term "insurrection" sarcastically because a decent amount of them think the January 6th was just some good ol' boys and girls touring Congress.
Of course it knows no bounds
They are fascists. They probably went to Trump University where they learn to lie and be by bombastic as heck. These are not people I would want as my neighbor much less my legislators. I'm afraid that we can no longer call the Republican Party by that name. Let's call him for what they are, not to be disparaging, but to be factual. They should be called the Cons party.
I have a lot of trouble wrapping my head around someone's manhood being threatened by the existence of transgender people. How fragile they must be! It's the same nonsensical reaction that causes men to fear the admission of gays (or women or Blacks) into the Army.
I am a 68 year old male and i don't feel threatened in least by trans people. My oldest granddaughter is married to a trans person that was a female to male trans. I like her partner and get along great with him... my daughter showed me a picture of a male to female trans person yesterday and she was drop dead gorgeous, i asked my daughter if i could get her phone number. She told me i was too old for her...
Ageism is also discrimination. Haha
Jaime, it is exactly the same. It is conservative scared white male fear of everyone else, the folks who might "steal" their manhood or somehow show them up as not man enough. It is destructive all around, but there is so much promotion in our society of toxic manhood through sports, shows where criminal men are the protagonists, police violence against people of color, a man who disrespects even dismisses women who don't bow and kiss his ring running for the presidency again, and so much more. We need to find ways to curb the male fear and their need to keep proving they are stronger, more powerful than anyone else and having to demonstrate how they can hurt anyone who does not do exactly what they want. Sound like toddler behavior? Well it is. I call them toddler-men because they have not had to grow up mentally or socially. We need to replace them in office with people who don't require a diet of lies, conspiracy theories, and constant reminders from everyone around them that they are man enough, even when they are not even humane enough.
RUTH SHEETS
HAS GOT THE QUESTION I WAS SCROLLING THESE COMMENTS TO ANSWER FOR ME.
I THINK IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THAT BROKEN X CHROMOSOME, MEN ARE FRAGILE LOOK FROM THE START THEY ARE BROKEN ,INSECURE THEY DEVELOPE LATER THAN WOMEN .THEIR EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS ARE USUALY MISSPLACED OR STATIONARY STAYING ON MOMMY INSTED OF WIFE. CAN WE BLAME THEM IF THEY ARE SUSEPTIBLE TO PROPIGANDA MORE THAN MOST ?
YOU KNOW LIKE MY MOM TOLD ME IN THE 70S
THEY CAN'T HELP BEING THE WAY THEY ARE . BUT ITS JUST EONS OF BEING PHYSICALLY STRONGER THAT GAVE THEM THE EDGE OVER US.
MAYBE THATS WHAT GOD MENT WHEN HE MADE THE DIFFERENT SEXES , THERE IS A STRONG ONE AND SMART ONE, IN OTHER WORDS AND GENETICS ASIDE, THE PEOPLE HERE ,NOW, NEED TO UNDERSTAND WE ALL REQUIRE THE PRESENTS OF EACHOTHER THE GIFTS AND TALENTS WE WERE MADE WITH AND ACCORDING TO GODS PLAN ARE TO BRING INTO THIS SPACE AT THIS TIME. IT IS OUR BIODIVERSITY AND OUR POTENTIAL THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THE APEX TOGETHER , WE HAVE TO KEEP T UP IF WE WANT TO HAVE A HOPE FOR SERVIVAL .
CATGEEZZ🌈🇺🇸♥️🖖☮️👌🤭
Jaime Ramirez ; They fear being 'replaced', or made less powerful.
Disney did it right...As soon as the new board was put into place. WHAMO lawsuit. Rep Zephyr should do EXACTLY that. That is what it will take. Courts. There is a Constitution. LEAN ON IT! Her constituents voices need to be heard... show up. SHOW UP. Mass the people. Stand up. EVERYONE! ENOUGH!!! The youth are needed. Register the youth to vote !!!
An important reminder. Thank you. There is SO much behind it it is almost hard to catalog. Transphobia and homophobia was present in Naziism. However, the form this transphobia is taking is similar to antisemitism as it involves a conspiracy theory, a sexualized minority, a secret hidden threat, a threat to children and civilization itself. Right wingers like Charlie Kirk, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Marco Rubio have blamed transgender people for inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the formula shortage. In addition, it’s also a useful foil for the loss of Roe v. Wade, which was the shield the GOP always used to evade any criticism for their policies. In fact, it is all of a piece, as Prof. Stanley’s blurb shows. There is a larger attempt to regulate gender roles--opposition to birth control, abortion, no-fault divorce, etc. It’s a moving target and very frightening because there are now fantasies of elimination, and extremist violence. All of this is a test case to see what is possible. If people don’t push back, the GOP will certainly push forward. Almost any account of fascism contains most of the things we’ve seen--book bans, people being fired, dehumanizing rhetoric, attempts to ostracize and threaten, stochastic violence, laws targeting visible minorities. We’re already there. I wish people would not be so complacent.
There will be a continual need to escalate because the drama that’s been created has somehow caught fire, and they need to maintain the interest. They tried with immigrants and various other groups but now they have a sense that this is a winner. In fact, it is not in terms of increasing their numbers but it certainly has created an intensity that feels like momentum to them and they just don’t have anything else that can elicit the emotions because they’re stumbling a bit on the abortion issue. The centrist media is encouraging them, much like they did on the issue of abortion long ago. The effort is also extremely well-funded. The National Christian Charity Foundation has very deep pockets as do other billionaires. What’s chilling is that they are actually imitating the fascist template with this--it is not accidentally following a fascist line. There is a deliberate use of tropes that have worked in the past. Some of the groups designing these campaigns are well aware of how to do such a campaign.
In addition, they are folding antisemitism into transphobia by claiming LGBT rights have links to George Soros and the Pritzker family. What’s weird or maybe not so weird is that a lot of these ideas like drag being a method for grooming children (how exactly?) started on qanon forums. It really sucks that as a child, I used to wonder how these terrible things happened like the Holocaust and the Balkans War. How did people go from living peacefully with others for generations to baying for their neighbors’ blood? Now it doesn’t seem mysterious at all but completely obvious. It isn’t even puzzling to us anymore how people could lose their minds and turn on other people as a result of completely absurd and far out ideas that are easily disproven. That’s how much things have changed in the last 5 or so years.
Republican strategists see the transgender issue as a potent force to bring foam to the mouths of their brethren. Male hatred of former males pegs the meter on multiple levels.
If they ever smiled at a tight butt and realized it was a guy, they have to react forcefully to hide any shame they carry with them from that moment.
Any hint of tolerance or God forbid compassion is a direct assault on their manhood.
If they don’t deny trans folks 100% of their humanity, rightwing and evangelical men fear that suspicion may point in their direction.
Todd, that was well said. Men are really worried all the time about their manhood. They can't imagine men attracted to other men. They act as though that was never a regular part of life, but of course, as with so many things, they are wrong. They see male to female transgender persons as a kind of traitor. Those conservative men have such a low view of women (ala Trump) they can't imagine why anyone would "choose" to be a woman when they were really a man. It is ridiculous, their lack of understanding, but so many men have been able to go through life thinking very little about who they are in relation to others beyond being superior to everyone not white, straight, and male. So much of it is related to toxic masculinity which is a destructive force. Now, if we could get those toxic men out of positions of power, we all would be better off. Maybe a medication that could calm the fears of those perpetually scared conservative white men would be a good research area.
Sorry to report that there are are a lot of women who are just as reprehensible.
Republican woman (an oxymoron) includes the Phyllis Schafleys and her progeny, even when they may be gay or trans.
Oh Daniel, you are so right. It is just that men have so much more power and influence. The shlafleys of the world though got more influence than they deserved because they served the purposes of the men who needed a cause to whip up their base, and abortion turned out to be it. Phyllis was a giant hypocrite, telling women they should stay at home taking care of their hubby and kids while she was a public figure, a lawyer running all over the country, giving only some of her time to her family. It's amazing but the women in huge numbers bought the crap. I think women just wanted to feel important, and she certainly let them feel important with her ridiculous rallies. Many of her supporters couldn't make it staying at home for hubby because wages stagnated and they couldn't afford that. This became just another thing conservatives/Republicans could have against Democrats, people of color, and anyone else they could be led to believe was causing their inability to reach "the American dream." That trend continues and trans people and the LGBTQ community in general have been given to them as targets, and they love having more people to malign. It's so loving and Christian, you know.
Republican women watch Fox. Why are they not angry at the misogamy?
Because when you are indoctrinated to believe that there are fundamental, unchangeable, inherent differences between men and women, and that because of those differences it's right and proper that men hold power over women, and furthermore that the only path to power for a woman is to attach herself to a powerful man and/or fit the stereotypes of how a woman acts and presents herself, there's no misogyny going on. It's the natural order of things. Why would they be angry at the natural order? No one is angry at gravity or the ideal gas law.
The Stockholm syndrome.
They have to go with the flow or be ostracized from their community. They can't afford to leave or live on their own.
I suspect many women in marriages with controlling men keep quiet to keep the peace. Then, in the privacy of the voting booth...
Look what happened in Kansas.
Low self-esteem
When, in human history, has masculinity not been toxic? War, crime, abuse, etc.
I’m all for lobotomizing the scaredy-cats. Has this toxic penis envy been around forever or has the disease just become apparent in the last couple of generations?
SPW, as you know, for centuries, men have been "lording" it over women, and rich men over everyone. Of course not all men, not even a majority, necessarily need to constantly prove their manhood, but a lot do, which I suspect is what leads to so many wars, attacks, and other male proving sessions. The problem with that is that everyone else pays a lot for the toxic masculinity. Right now, because women, people of color, LGBTQ persons, and more are moving out of the range of male total control and it is really scaring a lot of men, particularly but not exclusively white men. The question, what happens if they lose a job to a woman? OMG! or to a Black or other man of color, a trans person? OMG again! Women's contributions to life have generally been relegated to a distant second place in value beyond being baby factories. The ability to control when and whether to get pregnant and abortion have freed women from that low status which is why Republicans are fighting against it so hard. Scripture does not outlaw abortion or birth control, but religions found it necessary to keep women pregnant, nursing or having toddlers tied to apron strings severely limiting what women could do no matter how intelligent, talented, and creative. It kept them from making waves. We know the names of the few women who managed to rise above the places men designated for them and women are still being firsts, after all this time. Straight men often have no clue about anyone but themselves because we train them to see themselves as being the most important from birth. That puts a lot of pressure on them but also lets them be confronted with behaviors and lifestyles they would rather not understand. The way to fix this is to keep pushing for more women and people of color as well as LGBTQ persons to hold high-level positions in every field so scared white men and scared white women can get used to them and see that with them in charge, the world is not going to end immediately, and may even last a whole lot longer.
If we are going to live together in peace on a small and shrinking planet, we must first embrace the diversity that is so obviously part of the human race. That means seeking out people who are different from us and focussing on things we have in common with them. It isn't so difficult once you attempt it.
So, males threatened by economic security and gender equality undermining their provider/protector roles are drawn to the party that both aggravates their insecurity and stimulates their anger (an emotional substitute for power?) by presenting them with a scapegoat, though that party does nothing to improve their economic situation, and if it gains power by using their insecurity, this party will immediately vote in tax breaks for the wealthy that leave these guys even worse off. Meanwhile, the party that is working to strengthen unions and build the economy from the bottom up is loathed and despised because it also promotes gender equality and an end to sexual bigotry? Do i have that right? What are the necessary conditions for human beings to clearly see what is in their best interest?
38% of Montana women vote against women's rights.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/state/montana/party-affiliation/
And they were women married to Republican men without much doubt are suffering from Stockholm syndrome and must obey their lardo master
😢😱😵
Pretty effective trope, no?
What is particularly cruel about the GOP fascist fear & loathing strategy is that the victims of transmania are kids; not adults. Gender identity and sexual orientation are basically birth anomalies like learning disabilities, diabetes, deafness, and other such physical attributes that are not always externally manifested. They are hard enough to adapt to without being bullied and mocked by both age peers and ignorant hateful adults - and now Governors, legislator are forcing teachers to regulate things like sports participation and use of school toilets. It is deplorable.
Well, the GOP is waging war against children. They won't pass gun regulations, so the leading cause of death for kids is gun violence. They attack public education. They to gut food stamps and other safety net programs. But they claim that their anti abortion stance is pro life. What bs!
Pro-life from the Republic point of view is simply an anti women's rights stand. The idea that they are pro-life is a total 100% lie. If they were pro-life would they not first consider the life in front of their eyes - women. Would they not Grant all women, 51% of the human population on Earth, the right to life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on their own terms? Are they granting women their constitutional rights telling them "you have no right over your own body"
And then we come up against the Roman Catholic supreme Court with it's religious prejudice against women. The Republi-cult christo-fascists are no longer a viable political party. They are acting as a religion, forcing their ideology on people and depressing entire civilizations.. The followers of the Republi-cult are cultists and seriously are in need of intervention.
There is very little debate among health scientists regarding my assertion. Colleagues might use a different term than anomaly. While transgender seems to be a recent discovery among right-wing politicians, I started my collection back in 2000, when I became a research program official at the National Institutes of Health.
Perhaps you you can explain how it is that I have over 150 refereed scientific medical journal articles in my library that report empirical findings that gender identity is linked to the human genome. Genomic anomalies have been shown to affect neurotransmitters and brain systems such as the dopamine system as well as those affecting hormones - often in ways that are inconsistent with their birth-assigned gender. Some articles report hermaphroditism and other cases of malformed genitals such as small gonads inside the vaginal cavity - even discovering covert wombs when preparing males for transition surgery to female. If that is not a birth anomaly than what would you call it? BTW, there are biologists who specialize in gender who can concretely measure these indicators and contrast them with cisgen humans.
One final point. I have several photos of people with ambiguous genitalia. If I was in junior high, and those were my genitals, it would freak me out and I would be seeking mental and medical health support. When that interferes with normal bodily functions, sometimes surgery in childhood becomes medically necessary.
Clair Ainsworth has a nice review of gender biologist in a 2015 article in Nature [https://www.nature.com/articles/518288a]. Additionally, this 2022 overview book chapter by Rosa Fernandez et al. at the Advanced Scientific Research Center (CICA), University of A Coruña, Spain [https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/80813] is a bit more technical, but still understandable without a PhD in biology. There are numerous references to the research she and her co-authors review should you wish to deep-dive into the basic science. A terrific source of information on gender identity is the blog of my biologist friend Veronica Drantz [https://drdrantz-sciencesexuality.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-gender-binary-and-lgbti-people.html]. I have used her power points in several scientific conference presentations.
To reduce insecurity in all but the uppermost strata will require politicians to do what their donors don't want them to do. (All but the uppermost strata? AI will make many professions almost obsolete in the near future.)
We have to get big money out of politics.
That will also remove the major roadblock to climate and healthcare action and make dealing with guns easier.
In order to accomplish what you suggest we will need to get rid of the Roman Catholic supreme Court and replace it with unprejudiced non-fascist justices. Roberts, Thomas, Gorsuch, and what's her name -the handmaiden - along with Cavanaugh need to go.
Amy Coathanger Barret
While Republicans appear to have many problems with democracy, I think this current fascination with gender/equality/women's rights, is to focus their foot soldiers on the cultural-wedge, which is really all they have for '24. Whatever you think of Biden & his performance at serving the American people, that, has been his focus, how to make life better/fairer for those who voted for him, & those that didn't. The Republicans have nothing but grievance & division to run on, it's their bumper sticker! Democrats & Biden's campaign would do well, to simply focus attention on this list of accomplishments, & contrast that with the Orwellian actions of the GOP.
Has anyone else noticed that the transgender movement "magically" came to the forefront of political discussions right after Roe vs. Wade was struck down by the Supreme Court? The transgender arguments are almost identical to abortion for both teams. Is it real or merely a new means to fundraise while smashing political foes?
Yes religious Republicans have a distaste for women having any control over themselves because they see themselves as the Masters of the family and over the woman. They see transgender male to female individuals as sub subpar women and therefore something be scorned and hated. This is what religious
Fascism is all about.
Masters of the family? LOL - Hellooooo, divorce rate 50%!!!! And that percentage is higher if you include second/subsequent marriages and a decline in the marriage rate in the US. "Over the last 50 years, the marriage rate in the U.S. has dropped by nearly 60%." Axios.com
Bingo!
Republicans are not the only people who see the new white patriarchal Transgender women's movement for the misogyny that it quite often is. Seriously, you can't make yourself out to be a White Savior by pretending that Transgender women are the same as biological women. You can't make yourself out to be a White Savior by pretending to be so compassionate and woke, because there are MANY different realities and truths.
I'm not referring to men who transitioned, I'm talking about Transgender "women" who are actually anatomical, fully intact males with penises and testicles. Educate yourself. Women are under attack, and it is not ONLY Republicans who see this, it is women like me, Democrats who consider themselves liberal. I am an adult human female. I am a WOMAN.
https://www.commentary.org/articles/christine-rosen/the-new-misogyny/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voaYjKMw5rI
Oh geez, stop comparing yourself to others and try to be a good human. Something is bothering you, and you should be patient with yourself while you are working out what that is. Projecting isn’t a good solution.
I am a feminist. Transgender women who remain biological anatomical and fully intact men are not women. Projection? Nah. I’m s fighter for women’s rights. Biological women remain the most oppressed gender on this planet. And males with penises and testicles are not women. I will compare myself to others, when appropriate. I am an adult human female. I am a woman. Men with fully intact sex organs who wear women’s clothing are not biological women. We can agree to disagree. Being a “good person” is what I am. You’d know that if you knew one thing about me, which you do not. Be well.
I don't understand your comments. Who's trying to be a "White Savior" by pretending Transgender women are the same as biological women. They're calling themselves Transgender, for goodness sakes, so there's no mystery about what sex they were at birth.
In my life, unless something someone says or does affects me or someone I love, I try to be sympathetic. It's pretty obvious that the Republicans have really lost ground because of the Dobbs opinion, so their new war on the very small Trans community is a way of rousing their base - a base that is always looking for reasons for phony outrage & grievance.
Yes, most Transgender women are fully intact biological white males. My comment stands.
There is no war on Transgender women. I abhor violence of every kind. But I also abhor violence against women. As in biological women like me. Are you aware of the Transgender woman who raped a ten-year-old girl in a women’s restroom with her penis, in 2022. Google it. That “woman” was a man with a penis, wearing makeup who raped a child.
Are you aware of the Transgender woman, fully intact male, who murdered a Portland taxi driver this past Easter Sunday, after threatening numerous others with his knife? Or the Transgender woman, fully intact male, who murdered six people at a school recently? Including 3 children?
Transgender women, (fully intact males) are invading women’s spaces and are becoming more and more dangerous toward women and girls. My original point was simple. This is not just Republicans who are speaking up about this, it is Democrats too.
Phony outrage and grievance? Nah. Not at all, but thank you for your comment. It confirms you are a true misogynist.
Not sure how my comment showed I'm a "true misogynist". But that's your mistaken opinion.
In fact I'm an old woman who has been fighting for women's rights for over 50 years, including marching for the ERA Amendment in the 80s, donating to women's rights organizations, & more recently writing Postcards to Voters - for candidates who support women & women's rights & to the voters in Kansas re their abortion referendum last summer.
My point in posting was similar to others who today pointed out that Republicans have seized on the Trans issue, because the Dobbs decision is very unpopular, & they needed something else to keep the MAGA base outraged. That opinion is still valid.
Right, and I'm sure your point has some validity, but MY opinion is also valid. That WOMEN should be allowed to have safe places that are ONLY for WOMEN and no, not everyone should be allowed to say "I am a woman!" particularly if that someone has a PENIS and TESTICLES. Women should also NOT be raped and attacked by MEN in women's clothing. I'm sorry KMD, but we can agree to disagree. Though I will also say, your tone began this back and forth. Be well. :)
I agree that women should have safe places. And I completely understand your concern about that.
You are incorrect about your info on the person who killed 6 people in Nashville, TN. Audrey Elizabeth Hale was born female. She was not a fully intact male. She had been living as a male named Aiden Hale.
You're right about that. I stand corrected on that issue, but this woman/man illustrates fully the incredible room for mental illness of those in the Transgender community. Particularly the biological men in women's clothing who try to physically attack, hit, punch, beat Adult Human Females who may disagree with them - WOMEN.
Men are STILL the most violent and dangerous gender for women to contend with and against. That has not changed. All those Transgender women/MEN who tried to beat and batter Riley Gaines last month to silence her make my points for me beautifully. They are who they are. MEN.
A group of protesters coming to demand that their representative be allowed to speak and represent them is not an insurrection unless they are carrying weapons or things used as weapons, like 'bear spray', flags with poles to jab with or the like ; or hitting pushing etc. hitting with with fire extinguishers, punching or kicking; in other words attacking physically. What I saw was police pushing people with rifles and gun stocks. and shoving them. Not a good look for Democracy! It reminded me of similar 60's protests.
The sad fact is that we are little different today from what we were when we slouched onto our own branch of the evolutionary tree. We are creatures of emotion and our most powerful emotional motivator is fear. Unfortunately, it is the most easily manipulated. The sad thing is, our adaptive capabilities that fostered the creation of human civilization have never been pointed at the issue of our fear and how it feeds our bigotry. It seems, in the US at least, that humanity is starting to devolve into the primal primacy of fear, foregoing all our advancements in knowledge, eschewing all our accomplishments in moral philosophy, such as they are. We are becoming more tribal in the sense that we seek sameness and reject difference.
I am proud to say that I am that difference. I am a gay man in an ex-urban area of North Texas near the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. I see daily friendly faces that turn to anger in a heartbeat over three little words: I am gay. I hear their litany of ‘hate the sin, love the sinner,’ as they confidently and without remorse discuss the denial of our rights to exist as we are. They are disgusted if we hold hands or express our love publicly, complaining that we are ‘throwing it in their face’ never once considering their public displays of affection are no different. They will gladly take advantage of our talents, but would just as easily see us rounded up and disposed of. We do have allies here, good people who do stand up to the bigotry and hate. But the power of churches in the area is almost iron clad, and few of them are on our side. Many are direct social control agents of the Right, using the power of the pulpit to stir up and maintain fear among the congregations, ensuring their sermons are on point with the political messages from the Right and the votes are cast for the right candidate. They hate us because they are told to hate us. Most of them have at least one uncle who has a ‘friend’ he lives with, or an aunt and her ‘friend.’ They can’t hate the individual at their dinner table, but they can hate the group because their relationship to the LGBTQIA+ community is anonymous. Uncle Bob is great, but any collective that seeks recognition and defends his rights and the rights of LGBTQIA+ communities is bad because they are just groomers and pedophiles.
Yes, the health of a democracy can be measured by how its people treat those who have the least power within it. In a country that prides itself on the advancement of individualism, it is ironic that so many reject what could be seen as the most courageous act of individualism one can engage, being who one really is. Gender Dysphoria is real. Homosexuality is not unknown to nature. We are born this way. I find it funny how quickly those on the Right become advocates of nurture where sexuality is concerned while relying on ‘human nature’ to define the characteristics they like.
If we want to eliminate bigotry, against sexual minorities or people of color or women, we have to address our unrestrained fear. Fear is a protector, but it is also a mind killer, as the Litany from Dune says. Until we face our fears of difference both individually and as a society, we will cycle through those with the least power in our world assigning them the hate du jour and feeling good about it. We have a clear choice: we are either a society held together by a common fear, or we are a society held together by the choice to value all members and work together to ensure we all are treated with dignity and respect. What people who rely on fear don’t understand is that fear will devour all that you love until you are the only thing left. Then you are alone in the dark, and all that exists becomes a source of fear and there is no one left to hold your hand and tell you it will be ok, no one to ignite the flame of hope and keep it burning through the night. In the grip of fear, your world dies in darkness.
Thanks for sharing. Beautifully stated and it rings true.