06-06-2023, 02:04 PM
My sincere thanks for the synopsis, and you'll forgive me for not quoting the whole post as it is rather large. As described I'm certainly not missing out on anything of substance. I'm also going to assume you read the exchange between Bel and myself on this issue so I won't rehash the topics raised there. What I will add is where I think the transgender rights movement really shoots itself in the foot. There's this demand that you agree with every aspect of the movement or be lumped in with the very worst bigots.
For example, a heterosexual man goes on a date with what he believes to be a biological female. He enjoys her company but when he finds out she is transgender and has a penis he is no longer interested. For a not insignificant number of people that man is now a bigoted transphobe. They'll say things like the transgender person has a "woman's penis." Or a lesbian woman goes on a date and discovers the date is a transgender woman with a penis, the same exact accusation will be hurled. Lesbian women are not attracted to penis, straight men are not attracted to penis. When you make that point you'll inevitably hear the counter argument of "people are not their genitals." Which is true, but an absurd response given the context.
Then you have the issue self identifying. Which interestingly enough goes straight out the window in examples such as the gay night club shooter who states they identify as non-binary. I've already addressed my issues with transgender women in sport and in women's only spaces. But I'll reiterate that it's not an automatic expression of transphobia for a woman to be uncomfortable with a person with a penis getting nude in front of her.
I get that it's a complicated issue, and one that society is really only now grappling with. But this all or nothing approach by many in the movement really turns people off. Add in that people are genetically disposed towards protecting children (again, I cannot for the life of me comprehend why an adult would take their child to a hyper-sexualized show of any kind, straight, gay, trans or whatever) and you turn off even more people. It literally went from the idea of tolerance to forced acceptance in all aspects or be labeled a bigot. It's a bad look and tactic and I think it's going to have to change or the backlash will be large and unpleasant.
For example, a heterosexual man goes on a date with what he believes to be a biological female. He enjoys her company but when he finds out she is transgender and has a penis he is no longer interested. For a not insignificant number of people that man is now a bigoted transphobe. They'll say things like the transgender person has a "woman's penis." Or a lesbian woman goes on a date and discovers the date is a transgender woman with a penis, the same exact accusation will be hurled. Lesbian women are not attracted to penis, straight men are not attracted to penis. When you make that point you'll inevitably hear the counter argument of "people are not their genitals." Which is true, but an absurd response given the context.
Then you have the issue self identifying. Which interestingly enough goes straight out the window in examples such as the gay night club shooter who states they identify as non-binary. I've already addressed my issues with transgender women in sport and in women's only spaces. But I'll reiterate that it's not an automatic expression of transphobia for a woman to be uncomfortable with a person with a penis getting nude in front of her.
I get that it's a complicated issue, and one that society is really only now grappling with. But this all or nothing approach by many in the movement really turns people off. Add in that people are genetically disposed towards protecting children (again, I cannot for the life of me comprehend why an adult would take their child to a hyper-sexualized show of any kind, straight, gay, trans or whatever) and you turn off even more people. It literally went from the idea of tolerance to forced acceptance in all aspects or be labeled a bigot. It's a bad look and tactic and I think it's going to have to change or the backlash will be large and unpleasant.
