I think we get wrapped up in disagreements about how best to deal with a symptom and we fail to address the underlying problem. The problem with illegal immigration is not amnesty vs. building a wall, but helping Mexico be a safe and productive country. If Mexico was safe and productive, Mexicans would naturally prefer to stay in Mexico. Instead of spending 70 billion on a wall, why not invest 70 billion in the Mexican economy.
My wife Ruth points out that the issue of transgenderism is similar. We disagree on how to deal with the symptoms and fail to address the underlying problem. The problem is not pronouns and surgery, but dealing with arbitrary gender stereotypes. Many things that we associate with gender ARE arbitrary social contructions. However, other things are not. We need to equally respect some men who biologically may be a bit on the disagreeable side, as well as those who might be more naturally agreeable.
My wife has some empathy for women who like “guy-stuff”, are more assertive, and don’t like to be “girly”. She also has empathy for men who may not be naturally athletic, or brutish, but tend to be more sensitive, desire to be beautiful, enjoy domestic duties, raising children, and enjoy close interpersonal relationships.
That said, being a female and woman means much more than great hair, nails, and fashion. Womanhood is about the bravery of risking death and health by baring children, if able; dealing with the associated health complexities and hormones. And being a woman is about loving, nurturing, teaching and raising children; whether they be your own or others. Making gender just about fashion is absolutely arbitrary, superficial and cheapens what it means to be female.
1. All people deserve respect, love and kindness, even those we disagree with.
Yes, absolutely!
2. Gender is not genetic or physiologic but an arbitrary social construct.
Objectively speaking. Males are born with a X and Y chromosomes, and females are born with double X chromosomes. It is true that a small monority some people are born with XXY, XYY, XXX, and XO (aneuploidy). Others are born with hermaphrodism (intersex) or pseudohermaphrodism cased by mosiasism or androgen insensitivity. But these rare cases is not what the transgender movement is referring. Apart from rare exceptions, if you genetically carry XY chromosomes and you phenotypically carry male reproductive organs, you are male. If you genetically possess XX chromosomes and phenotypically posses female reproductive organs, you are female.
It is also true that in addition to differences in sexual organs, there are other physical and psychological sex differences. While human males and females share many similarities overall, the differences are more pronounced at the extremes. Human males, generally speaking, are taller, have higher muscle mass, and broader shoulders. Human females, have higher body fat, and wider hips (during years of fertility).
It is true that many things associated with gender that ARE social conventions. Style, like hair, clothing etc. are social conventions. But just because style elements are social conventions doesn't mean gender itself is just a comvention.
3. Transgenderism is not a psychiatric disorder.
DSM IV and DSM V consider transgenderism to be a psychiatric disorder designated as gender identity disorder, and gender dysphoria.
The average suicide attempt rate in the general population is 4.6 % Among those with gender dysphoris, that suicide attempt rate is 41%.
4. Elevated suicide rate is caused by social persecution, ostracizing, shunning, and bullying.
Other persecuted groups like ethnic minorities and religious groups do not exhibit similar suicide rates even under greater social pressures and abuse. (African Americans, US Japanese during WW2, etc).
5. Laws should be passed to force individuals to adopt the gender preference of transgenders.
All people deserve respect, love and kindness; especially those with a clinical paychiatric disorder. I personally have no and have had no issue with using the gender pronoun of choice of a person. I think I would have difficulty using made-up gender neutral pronouns “Zhe” and “Zhr”. I would consider this a violation of religious belief were gender is an inherent aspect of our eternal identity .
Also, being foced to adopt the dillusions of someone with a paychiatric firoder does note harm then adopting and validating their gender identify disorder and dysphoria. The law doesn’t require that I
6. The law should not only mandate speech but also punitively fine and incarcerate individuals who refuse to use certain desired pronouns or gender neutral pronuns classifying this refusal (non-speech) as hate speech and micro-agression.
The law can prohibit certain speech that incites violence, but must never coerce that individuals speak a certain way.
7. Those who perpetrate micro-agressions deserve maximum and unrestrained repensatory macro-aggression and violence in return.
Violence is never warranted, especially if considered retribution. Also, taking vengeance and revenge is not Christian, nor is it legal. Christians are to overcome evil with good.
8. Whatever is good feels good.
In our post-modern, desconstructionist world, some claim there is no ultimate truth, there is only what is good and what feels good. Therefore, if you have an opinion, and your opinion hurts my feelings, then it must be false and must be bad.
The truth is, that truth is true regardless of how you or I feel about it. Vegetables are scientifically proven to be good for you, but to a first-time consumer, most veggies taste bad. You have to aquire a taste for some inconvenient truth just like some vegetables.
9. There is no truth.
In our post-modern, desconstructionist world, some claim there is no ultimate truth, There are only the privileged oppressors and the disadvantaged oppressed. All arguments are not about truth but just equally valid arguments that are meant to maintain one’s power and position. Whatever argument attracts people to your side wins and is just as valid as any other reasoning.
