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OP, that's the first I heard about conservatives freaking out. There was some coverage but in a reporting way. No negativity, no attacks, nothing. They are reporting on jobs, ISIS, the upcoming election. Are you sure the article wasn't written as a propaganda story for liberal consumption?
Race and gender: social constructs and the science of fear and arrogance.
Given the recent revelation of Caitlyn Jenner and the exposing of Rachel Dolezal (the woman who was born white, but now identifies as black), I felt compelled to create this thread.
We are told by those of leftist persuasions that race and gender are social constructs, created by man and are, thus, changeable. Hence, via new understandings of race and gender, someone like Bruce Jenner (who was born a male), can identify as female, gender-wise. Additionally, although this seems to be more controversial (why, I don't know, as the same reasoning applies), someone who is born white can identify as black, etc.
The hypocritical arguments that the racial narrative doesn't fit in the same way that the gender narrative does aside, I've always found that efforts to push new definitions/understandings down people's throats on these subjects to be elitist and a sign of downright bullying and arrogance. Yes, race and gender are social constructs, but they are social constructs that have long had certain definitions/understood meanings. What gives someone the right to come in today and tell me (or anyone else for that matter . . . I actually don't care one way or the other) that my definition is wrong? This, when the overwhelming majority of the public seems to still subscribes to the traditional definition/understanding of the social constructs of race and gender. Shouldn't there be more of a consensus behind changing the understanding of the social constructs of race and gender before these new definitions are accepted as the gospel truth? Still, its not being told "I'm wrong" (as arrogant as that is) that is the problem. It's the bullying that comes along with it. The "you're ignorant" for not seeing eye to eye with the "new ways" and other labeling tactics.
Am I completely out of left field here? I don't think so, but would love to hear other opinions on the subject.
Note, I originally posted in the Great Debates forum, but feel that this is a discussion that is more appropriate for the Politics and Other Controversies forum.
Given the recent revelation of Caitlyn Jenner and the exposing of Rachel Dolezal (the woman who was born white, but now identifies as black), I felt compelled to create this thread.
We are told by those of leftist persuasions that race and gender are social constructs, created by man and are, thus, changeable. Hence, via new understandings of race and gender, someone like Bruce Jenner (who was born a male), can identify as female, gender-wise. Additionally, although this seems to be more controversial (why, I don't know, as the same reasoning applies), someone who is born white can identify as black, etc.
The hypocritical arguments that the racial narrative doesn't fit in the same way that the gender narrative does aside, I've always found that efforts to push new definitions/understandings down people's throats on these subjects to be elitist and a sign of downright bullying and arrogance. Yes, race and gender are social constructs, but they are social constructs that have long had certain definitions/understood meanings. What gives someone the right to come in today and tell me (or anyone else for that matter . . . I actually don't care one way or the other) that my definition is wrong? This, when the overwhelming majority of the public seems to still subscribes to the traditional definition/understanding of the social constructs of race and gender. Shouldn't there be more of a consensus behind changing the understanding of the social constructs of race and gender before these new definitions are accepted as the gospel truth? Still, its not being told "I'm wrong" (as arrogant as that is) that is the problem. It's the bullying that comes along with it. The "you're ignorant" for not seeing eye to eye with the "new ways" and other labeling tactics.
Am I completely out of left field here? I don't think so, but would love to hear other opinions on the subject.
Note, I originally posted in the Great Debates forum, but feel that this is a discussion that is more appropriate for the Politics and Other Controversies forum.
No one is pushing anything down your throat. You don't have to accept it. But I think it would do EVERYONE good to just accept the right for someone else to have an alternative viewpoint. Both sides. Left. Right. Dem. Repub. Both.
For example - I'm not entirely on the bandwagon that there are a multitude of genders. I tend to believe that there are two: male and female. (Let's just forget for a minute that intersex IS a real thing.) Anyway, I think there are two - but many shades of gray. You can be a very feminine male. And you can be a very masculine female. But you are still one or the other.
But who am I to tangle with some in the medical community who are MUCH more experienced and educated than I am? Or who am I to say to someone that, "sorry, gender fluid is a big fat lie."
I respect their right to have their opinion. I don't know what it's like to be in their skin.
I also think transgender IS a real thing. Basically, having a male brain in a female body is a thing. As well as the reverse. And there is really only one prominent person at Johns Hopkins who says it's not. One. The majority of the medical community does believe that trans is a real condition.
I really don't see how an adult, who isn't harming a soul, chooses to live their life is affecting anyone.
But, if you don't accept it, you're often labeled as "ignorant" and "unenlightened." It is pushed down people's throats like it is undisputed fact, both by the media and by private individuals. If you disagree, if you decide to stick with the long-held understandings of gender identify, you're called "transphobic," "ignorant," etc. That's the problem. There's no debate in the media behind what I brought up; it's "Caitlyn Jenner" is a female/woman, no questions asked. Note, for the record, I call Caitlyn Jenner a woman because that's what Caitlyn Jenner wants to be called. But that's me.
But, when did gender become medical? Its a social construct, so says the "social scientists." Sex is medical/biological, but that's not what I'm referring to. Changing your sex doesn't change your gender.
Also, I think that transgender is real, too, but that is a slightly different conversation.
Note, none of this gets into the hypocrisy about how many of the people who believe that transgender is real feel about transracial identify. Many of the same people who are supportive of Caitlyn Jenner condemn Rachel Dolezal, and not just for her outright lies (i.e. getting a black man to parade around as her "father"), but for discussing the very topic of transracial identity.
But, if you don't accept it, you're often labeled as "ignorant" and "unenlightened." It is pushed down people's throats like it is undisputed fact, both by the media and by private individuals. If you disagree, if you decide to stick with the long-held understandings of gender identify, you're called "transphobic," "ignorant," etc. That's the problem. There's no debate in the media behind what I brought up; it's "Caitlyn Jenner" is a female/woman, no questions asked. Note, for the record, I call Caitlyn Jenner a woman because that's what Caitlyn Jenner wants to be called. But that's me.
But, when did gender become medical? Its a social construct, so says the "social scientists." Sex is medical/biological, but that's not what I'm referring to. Changing your sex doesn't change your gender.
Also, I think that transgender is real, too, but that is a slightly different conversation.
Note, none of this gets into the hypocrisy about how many of the people who believe that transgender is real feel about transracial identify. Many of the same people who are supportive of Caitlyn Jenner condemn Rachel Dolezal, and not just for her outright lies (i.e. getting a black man to parade around as her "father"), but for discussing the very topic of transracial identity.
Well, perhaps it's in the way people are unaccepting.
Someone saying "you're going to burn in hell you sinner!" is a lot different than, "I respect your right to your beliefs, I hope you will respect mine."
And actually, I think transracial is not a thing. I also think Rachel is a liar and a con artist, but that's beside the point. I think she totally co-opted all the trans talking points and is really hurting people who are really transgender.
Well, perhaps it's in the way people are unaccepting.
Someone saying "you're going to burn in hell you sinner!" is a lot different than, "I respect your right to your beliefs, I hope you will respect mine."
And actually, I think transracial is not a thing. I also think Rachel is a liar and a con artist, but that's beside the point. I think she totally co-opted all the trans talking points and is really hurting people who are really transgender.
Perhaps, but I just wish that more people/the media went about things that way.
As to your other point: why isn't transracial a thing to you? If both gender and race are social constructs, why are efforts to change the understanding of construct not as legitimate as efforts to change the understanding of the other construct? Why can't someone who is born white not legitimately identify as being of another race? But this is ultimately bigger than Rachel Dolezal; she's just a poster child for the transracial movement (albeit a somewhat unwanted poster child). Even to the extent that Dolezal lied, that doesn't take away from the fact that she views herself as being a black woman (her lies were the black father and not being straight forward about the whole transracial thing, not that she identifies as a black woman itself).
Perhaps, but I just wish that more people/the media went about things that way.
As to your other point: why isn't transracial a thing to you? If both gender and race are social constructs, why are efforts to change the understanding of construct not as legitimate as efforts to change the understanding of the other construct? Why can't someone who is born white not legitimately identify as being of another race? But this is ultimately bigger than Rachel Dolezal; she's just a poster child for the transracial movement (albeit a somewhat unwanted poster child). Even to the extent that Dolezal lied, that doesn't take away from the fact that she views herself as being a black woman (her lies were the black father and not being straight forward about the whole transracial thing, not that she identifies as a black woman itself).
If transracial was a thing, every black child who is adopted by a white family would consider themselves white.
If transracial was a thing, every black child who is adopted by a white family would consider themselves white.
I don't think it works that way. Transgender and transracial seem to both apply to a specific subset of the population. Not everyone is transgender. By the same token, not everyone is transracial; I doubt many people would try to be a different race than they are (and go through similar lengths as Dolezal did), which tells me that there is more than calling yourself a different race than you were born as to the thing.
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Race and gender: social constructs and the science of fear and arrogance.
