Intellectual Dignity vs Trans Doctrine
Why taking a stand matters to people of all political persuasions
Gender ideology is a highly charged issue, and a source of massive division and anger. Recently, “The Handmaid’s Tale” author Margaret Atwood was attacked across the media and Twitter for sharing an article that went against trans doctrine. J.K. Rowling has famously been the object of trans-activist ire due to her views on gender and free speech. And of course, there’s the outrage over Dave Chappelle’s Netflix special due to his jokes about trans people.
Atwood, Rowling, and Chappelle are not right wingers or religious zealots. They aren’t "slaves to the patriarchy." They are liberal-minded people and their concerns with gender ideology are shared by millions of others who represent a kaleidoscope of political persuasions and worldviews.
These millions of people have something in common. Something that stops them from jumping on board with every demand made by trans rights activists. Something that puts a target on their backs for mobs of angry activists to hurl their hate and rage.
They share the desire to maintain their intellectual dignity.
What is intellectual dignity?
Intellectual dignity is the idea that people be afforded the basic decency of maintaining their relationship with truth as it corresponds to reality without being threatened or manipulated through abusive coercion tactics.
How is our intellectual dignity under attack by gender ideologues?
When we are accused of bigotry because we do not agree that men can become literal women or vice versa.
When we are told that rigid gender norms and subjective feelings are actually what define male and female, and that to deny this is wrong.
When we are told—through psychological abuse that preys upon our senses of empathy and compassion—that if we do not go along with the precepts of transgender ideology that we will cause trans people great harm, and potentially contribute to their suicidal ideations.
When we are told that it is wrong to question the ethics of children undergoing experimental medical procedures and treatments that can cause permanent infertility and permanent loss of sexual pleasure.
When women are expected to applaud when trans women receive awards and honors that are designated for biological females—because to deny them that "right" is transphobia.
When women aren’t allowed to question when biological men want to be part of women’s only spaces, because questioning is bigotry and transphobia.
When the term "cis" is forced upon us in an effort to create an "oppressor" group that must capitulate to the "oppressed" in order to be seen as “good and just people.”
Grown adults are free to make whatever decisions they want regarding how they present themselves outwardly to the world, and liberal-minded people respect their freedom to do so.
What we cannot respect is the violation of our intellectual dignity by demanding we abide by a set of rules created so others can achieve their preferred level of social comfort.
Our intellectual dignity is not up for debate and we will not sacrifice it at the altar of gender ideology.
Bravo! Beautifully written and succinct!
"Grown adults" raises an interesting question: given what we know about the psychology and mental & emotional stability of the younger crowd, will we need to reconsider what constitutes a grown adult? Is it more than physical maturity? If mental maturity is deficient, what then?