According to the language police, you should rather say “people with a vulva” instead of “women”, even when talking about the issues of female genital mutilation.
Another excellent article. You write with tremendous passion and insight on this subject.
There are many things that you said that I want to comment on, but only in agreement, not disagreement. I continue to be astonished by the nerve of the tiny trans community to try to redefine what gender is for the whole human race. And I continue to be angry at gullible non-trans people for going along with it.
You'll notice that men aren't being erased, only women. Trans people have no problem using the word "man".
I'm in my seventies, and I am gay. I used to think that gay people were at the bottom of the social totem pole, but I eventually realized that it is women who occupy that position -- and for no other reason than that they are physically weaker than men (ultimately, women's second-class status comes down to that). Because they constitute more than half the human population, no one describes them as a "minority group", but they are certainly oppressed. Look at all the things that are happening to women in the world, or HAVE happened:
* They have rarely held any kind of power in this world.
* During the middle ages (and after) they were hunted and murdered as witches.
* Today and in the past, they are and have been frequent victims of rape.
* Today and in the past, they are and have been the primary victims of honor killings.
* Serial killers almost always target women.
* FGM is a horrendous mutilation of women (although male circumcision isn't much better).
That's only a short list, the only ones that come to mind at this point.
Anyway, keep up the good work. I'm trying to get my own Substack set up on which I will post similar articles, but I am having technical problems.
There is some clear underlying misogyny in the trans movement, no doubt about that. It's just absolutely surreal when men with make-up try to tell women that they also have "valid" periods (https://twitter.com/buttonslives/status/1624647778021285888) or when women who have literally suffered from FGM are told they are "people with a vulva". It's erasure of women. You won't read "people with a penis" as often as "birthing person".
And of course the invasion of female-only spaces is a much bigger issue than of male-only spaces, even though there's no doubt that it would make men uncomfortable as well to suddenly see a naked woman in the locker room. But as you say: Physically, woman are and always have been the more vulnerable sex. It's different for a woman to be faced with a 6'2'' man than for a man to be faced with a 6'2'' woman.
People who identify as transgender may do and live as they wish as long as it doesn't affect other people's rights and safety - just as it is the case for every other human being. And yes, some of these rights are sex-based for a reason. It would make much more sense to create trans-only spaces instead of tearing down women's (and men's) spaces, thereby opening them to potential predators.
Insofar as trans spaces are concerned, I think there are too few trans people for that. Right now it appears that they are large in numbers, but that is only because it has become a fad (mostly among children) and because they are making a lot of noise. Once the children come to their senses (if they ever completely do), trans people will become the tiny minority that they are.
Trans women need to remain in male spaces, including male sports. One fact that is being lost in this debate is that if trans people are choosing to "transition" to the opposite sex, they are the ones who must bear the inconveniences that are created by that, not women. Just imagine if we were asking black people to accept white people into their groups because those white people had concluded that they were actually black. NO ONE would support them in their efforts to invade the spaces of blacks.
I absolutely agree, Perry. Though I would consider "trans spaces" as a way to compromise and protect those poor souls who genuinely suffer from gender dysphoria and cannot find a way out.
I am becoming quite furious about the destruction of women's sports by all this. As someone who practiced team sports for years as a teenage girl (I would, of course, have had no chance against a male competitor), and still loves and does sports, I find it appalling and degrading to women how they have to compete against biological males and are even told to shut up about their discomfort (as in the Lia Thomas case). Another erasure of women.
I agree with you completely, especially the word "degrading".
In case you are curious why I'm so focussed on this as a man, there are a few reasons: My father was an obvious misogynist, and my mother supported the family for much of my childhood. Decades of experience has taught me that women are the ultimate losers in this world, although I am happy that women ALMOST have parity with men in many modern societies around the world. Women are rarely in positions of power, but at least they can enter the higher professions in most societies. The best doctors I have had were women. Also, I feel that our society is threatened by stupid, illogical ideas, both on the left and the right. Trumpism is a huge threat because it encourages totalitarianism. Transgenderism is a huge threat because the ideas are so divorced from reality. As for Lia Thomas, he is the one trans woman in the world I won't refer to as "she" (to be polite), given how obviously male he is. He is no trans woman. He is just an opportunist.
I believe it's especially men who need to support women in fighting this illogical destruction of sex as a binary category. The more voices, the better. So thank you!
Re: Lia Thomas: I just don't understand how any sane person can savor an athletic "success" where your opponents are just categorically weaker than you. I would be embarrassed.
Yes it’s all so painfully illogical and would be funny except for the, you know, demonic denial of the very fabric of reality and ground of our being. For instance, I suppose that we should be referring to victims of FGM as “people of the semi-vulva” or “former haters-of-clitorises.”
Another excellent article. You write with tremendous passion and insight on this subject.
There are many things that you said that I want to comment on, but only in agreement, not disagreement. I continue to be astonished by the nerve of the tiny trans community to try to redefine what gender is for the whole human race. And I continue to be angry at gullible non-trans people for going along with it.
You'll notice that men aren't being erased, only women. Trans people have no problem using the word "man".
I'm in my seventies, and I am gay. I used to think that gay people were at the bottom of the social totem pole, but I eventually realized that it is women who occupy that position -- and for no other reason than that they are physically weaker than men (ultimately, women's second-class status comes down to that). Because they constitute more than half the human population, no one describes them as a "minority group", but they are certainly oppressed. Look at all the things that are happening to women in the world, or HAVE happened:
* They have rarely held any kind of power in this world.
* During the middle ages (and after) they were hunted and murdered as witches.
* Today and in the past, they are and have been frequent victims of rape.
* Today and in the past, they are and have been the primary victims of honor killings.
* Serial killers almost always target women.
* FGM is a horrendous mutilation of women (although male circumcision isn't much better).
That's only a short list, the only ones that come to mind at this point.
Anyway, keep up the good work. I'm trying to get my own Substack set up on which I will post similar articles, but I am having technical problems.
Thank you, Perry!
There is some clear underlying misogyny in the trans movement, no doubt about that. It's just absolutely surreal when men with make-up try to tell women that they also have "valid" periods (https://twitter.com/buttonslives/status/1624647778021285888) or when women who have literally suffered from FGM are told they are "people with a vulva". It's erasure of women. You won't read "people with a penis" as often as "birthing person".
And of course the invasion of female-only spaces is a much bigger issue than of male-only spaces, even though there's no doubt that it would make men uncomfortable as well to suddenly see a naked woman in the locker room. But as you say: Physically, woman are and always have been the more vulnerable sex. It's different for a woman to be faced with a 6'2'' man than for a man to be faced with a 6'2'' woman.
People who identify as transgender may do and live as they wish as long as it doesn't affect other people's rights and safety - just as it is the case for every other human being. And yes, some of these rights are sex-based for a reason. It would make much more sense to create trans-only spaces instead of tearing down women's (and men's) spaces, thereby opening them to potential predators.
Good luck with your Substack!
Insofar as trans spaces are concerned, I think there are too few trans people for that. Right now it appears that they are large in numbers, but that is only because it has become a fad (mostly among children) and because they are making a lot of noise. Once the children come to their senses (if they ever completely do), trans people will become the tiny minority that they are.
Trans women need to remain in male spaces, including male sports. One fact that is being lost in this debate is that if trans people are choosing to "transition" to the opposite sex, they are the ones who must bear the inconveniences that are created by that, not women. Just imagine if we were asking black people to accept white people into their groups because those white people had concluded that they were actually black. NO ONE would support them in their efforts to invade the spaces of blacks.
I absolutely agree, Perry. Though I would consider "trans spaces" as a way to compromise and protect those poor souls who genuinely suffer from gender dysphoria and cannot find a way out.
I am becoming quite furious about the destruction of women's sports by all this. As someone who practiced team sports for years as a teenage girl (I would, of course, have had no chance against a male competitor), and still loves and does sports, I find it appalling and degrading to women how they have to compete against biological males and are even told to shut up about their discomfort (as in the Lia Thomas case). Another erasure of women.
I agree with you completely, especially the word "degrading".
In case you are curious why I'm so focussed on this as a man, there are a few reasons: My father was an obvious misogynist, and my mother supported the family for much of my childhood. Decades of experience has taught me that women are the ultimate losers in this world, although I am happy that women ALMOST have parity with men in many modern societies around the world. Women are rarely in positions of power, but at least they can enter the higher professions in most societies. The best doctors I have had were women. Also, I feel that our society is threatened by stupid, illogical ideas, both on the left and the right. Trumpism is a huge threat because it encourages totalitarianism. Transgenderism is a huge threat because the ideas are so divorced from reality. As for Lia Thomas, he is the one trans woman in the world I won't refer to as "she" (to be polite), given how obviously male he is. He is no trans woman. He is just an opportunist.
I believe it's especially men who need to support women in fighting this illogical destruction of sex as a binary category. The more voices, the better. So thank you!
Re: Lia Thomas: I just don't understand how any sane person can savor an athletic "success" where your opponents are just categorically weaker than you. I would be embarrassed.
Yes it’s all so painfully illogical and would be funny except for the, you know, demonic denial of the very fabric of reality and ground of our being. For instance, I suppose that we should be referring to victims of FGM as “people of the semi-vulva” or “former haters-of-clitorises.”
Yes, it's infuriatingly ludicrous!