some people here deliberately conflate the two in order to hammer their point home
I'm not interested in semantics, especially when it is being used in an ideological way to go against what is self-evident.As with many sociological, cultural, and psychological concepts, our understanding of existential concepts such as 'the self' and 'identity' evolved enormously through the 20th century. Freud to Jung to Rogers to Erikson to Skinner to Satre etc. etc. Gender is subjective while Sex is subjective - sort of like how in romance languages words have genders (not sexes). .... Biologically assigned gender is called 'sex" - Gender comes from the word 'genus' - a broad grouping of organisms, with species being a specific organism.
You're a thoughtful guy - I'm curious why these things seem to be less problematic to you than kids reading a book that mentions gay people sometimes. Even Shakespeare explored gender roles, gender defiance etc. in his plays. I believe in a difference between educating children about the world they live in, and liberal activism.
Why does this bother you so much? What is it that you worry might happen? What is the logical conclusion of the phenomena you are so concerned may come to fruition? All kids become trans and gay?
To continue from my previous sentence in relation to these snippets. Time after time in the 20th century we have interfered with nature, thinking we are even in a position to bend it to our will, and every single time it has come back and kicked our ass. This will be no different, and I'm slightly amazed at the hubris of everybody overlooking this simple point. We're not talking about other species or aspects of the natural world that we can just fuck up, forget about, and then tell as educational talking points at school in a semi-comedic fashion. We're talking about potentially polluting the psychology of the next generations of the human species, which in turn may further negatively impact the rest of the natural world as our psychology continues to degrade and we make more and more foolish decisions as a consequence.My fear is that you have a generation of children growing up who are ignorant to the realities of the world they grow up in, who are ignorant to the complex things that could possibly happen (and which have been occurring since ancient times - there are gay animals for crying out loud, and there are animals who change sex when it's biologically favorable), and whose education is a political weapon being used to stoke fear of queerness for political gain.
But you're arguing semantics, and using it in an ideological wayI'm not interested in semantics, especially when it is being used in an ideological way to go against what is self-evident.
Nope. There is nothing ideological about their being two biological sexes, and consequently two sexual genders. Constructing imaginary genders and then attempting to project that backwards on to the word gender, in a deliberate attempt to redefine a psychological facet (sexuality) which has its ultimate roots in biology.. that is ideological.But you're arguing semantics, and using it in an ideological way
The expression of genders is rooted in biology, and like everything else in neuropsychology the behaviors of gender expression exists on a spectrum. There are plenty of papers that show that which you have written off as sophistryNope. There is nothing ideological about their being two biological sexes, and consequently two sexual genders. Constructing imaginary genders and then attempting to project that backwards on to the word gender, in a deliberate attempt to redefine a psychological facet (sexuality) which has its ultimate roots in biology.. that is ideological.
The notion of gender being a malleable social construct is ideological. It has no basis. There is no hard science, only whimsical 'social science' and loose psychological analysis, nothing that can stand up to the indisputable reality of there being only two biological sexes throughout the entire biological kingdom. It is purely a mental construct, and given that is true, without any rigorous psychological understanding it is about as valid as an imaginary reverie. It is human projection, and while one is quite entitled to enjoy the fruits of their own projections that is where they should stay.
I'm British, we have this thing called 'nuance'. You know, where one doesn't need to automatically flip-flop from one extreme to the other. No where have I insinuated anything about 're-education camps' or anything along those lines, that's not my angle at all. I don't hate these people - though I will exclude adults from that statement who are bothering the children - and I have great sympathy for the children who are confused and/or being confused. Nor have I said we need to suppress feelings or thoughts either.
The whole foundation of my position is that we do not have a clear understanding of the psychology itself and that it requires thorough and proper investigation first, as opposed to irreversibly physically damaging or even killing (suicide) many children in a live experiment. If it turns out down the line that I am correct, that this condition is a mental aberration, what of all those children who are now irrevocably altered or dead? They will have been sacrificed on the altar of an ideology that should have been more thoroughly examined in the first place, which would be an absolute betrayal and morally reprehensible.
I'm not going to indulge this at all. This is pure nonsense. The 'definition' has been re-written without any scientific study, not that you actually need any new studies to determine that there are in fact just two biological genders found throughout the entire biological realm. As I mentioned with the homosexuality example, a parallel example, the language has been changed to fit a politically driven ideology.
There are two sexual genders. It is not an identity. It is a biological reality. End of argument.
Again. What are you calling "being immersed in a culture that is exposing them to a pernicious idea"?The incidence rate of children identifying as trans is not some natural occurrence, it is clearly the result of being immersed in a culture/education that is exposing them to a pernicious idea that then takes root in their confusion.
This isn't anything concrete, it's a cursory surface level interpretation of what can be seen. The exterior, not the interior (mind). It doesn't (and can't) say/provide us with anything that is occurring at the mental level, and for that reason while it is useful anthropological data to fit into the complete picture of understanding we can't jump the gun and make deductive conclusions based on that surface level interpretation. It's a starting point, not the end point.Depends on which culture you come from. Native Americans always had multiple genders as one example. They wherent really hung up on it like Europeans
Why do you immediately jump to this dark conclusion? Is this just American sensationalism breathing through you or what? I have said absolutely nothing about people not having the right to their life, and multiple times I've mentioned the freedom of an adult making their own choices. There is no need for witch hunting or any such nonsense. My whole position is about getting to a greater understanding first, not oppression or violence; included in that though is the notion that exposing children to potentially damaging mental ideas is a form of violence.Again. What are you calling "being immersed in a culture that is exposing them to a pernicious idea"?
Do you believe that Trans folk don't have a right to live their life openly? Are you saying that they need to hide the very idea of men living as women and vise versa from "the children" since simply being exposed to that would cause them to have, "gender confusion".
This is predicated on the assumption that hormones are the cause of it, that the hormonal system is superior to the mind, as assumed by the prevailing materialist scientific paradigm that places materiality above any notion of non-material (mind, psychology, a soul, etc). There is a relationship between mind and hormonal system, and between the heart-brain-mind-hormonal system, and I reject the assumption it is a one-way street of hormonal system governing mind.The treatment for the causes of transgenderism is hormone replacement therapy. I've explained that previously yet you continue to talk about it being a mental health issue while ignoring the current standard of treatment
Superior to the mind? That makes no sense at all. These hormonal processes are a large part of what drives neuronal development. The wiring of the brain and the regulation of proteins and signaling molecules is what creates the mind. Its absurd to think that somehow the "mind" would have power over the things that make it up. Based on literally 0 evidence. If you can provide studies I'm happy to read them.This is predicated on the assumption that hormones are the cause of it, that the hormonal system is superior to the mind, as assumed by the prevailing materialist scientific paradigm that places materiality above any notion of non-material (mind, psychology, a soul, etc). There is a relationship between mind and hormonal system, and between the heart-brain-mind-hormonal system, and I reject the assumption it is a one-way street of hormonal system governing mind.
Hormonal treatment is thus treating symptoms, and not cause. Typical of the current scientific medical paradigm, especially the branches of psychology and psychiatry, which look to mask symptoms with chemicals rather than digging for root causes.
As I said, I dispute this. The mind is not the sum product of the hormonal system, there is a dynamic relationship between the two and the mind sits superior to the hormonal system, not the other way round as you (science) currently assumes it is.Superior to the mind? That makes no sense at all. These hormonal processes are a large part of what drives neuronal development. The wiring of the brain and the regulation of proteins and signaling molecules is what creates the mind. Its absurd to think that somehow the "mind" would have power over the things that make it up.
Mmm. Well, I'm just trying to determine just how you see "protecting the children" from the "potentially damaging mental idea" that people can be transgender would work.Why do you immediately jump to this dark conclusion? My whole position is about getting to a greater understanding first, not oppression or violence; included in that though is the notion that exposing children to potentially damaging mental ideas is a form of violence.
Because, it's being used to "other" the person. There are a lot of things that are a "mental illness", they aren't 100% perfect coping mechanisms... and they're no big thing, definitely not our business. If a person overeats when stressed, that's a "mental illness" of sorts. It's not perfect coping. If the person is not overweight it's not a big thing and even if they are, it's none of our business. We have no right to force them to seek help and definitely no right to tell them to hide their issue.but why are you (everyone) so afraid of examining the possibility that it might actually be a mental illness?
there are two biological sexes. that is biological reality. gender is a social construct and there are more than two.
By not exposing them to the idea in the first place. If it is a mental illness and/or a mental contagion, then there is no sense in confusing and terrifying otherwise healthy children about it. Like with 'demons' and other medieval hysterias, the solution is not to speak these things into existence in the first place but to come to a true understanding of the underlying malady and then apply solutions to those who are afflicted when encountered.Mmm. Well, I'm just trying to determine just how you see "protecting the children" from the "potentially damaging mental idea" that people can be transgender would work.
How, exactly, are we to protect the children from this?
But this is a separate issue, the issue of stigma, which is not the fault of the afflicted at all but actually an issue of those projecting their judgement.. and that is something to be tackled separately, through better understanding and awareness (in the judging party). We should not seek to treat the symptom, protecting the judged, but treat the cause (the judging party).Because, it's being used to "other" the person. There are a lot of things that are a "mental illness", they aren't 100% perfect coping mechanisms... and they're no big thing, definitely not our business. If a person overeats when stressed, that's a "mental illness" of sorts. It's not perfect coping. If the person is not overweight it's not a big thing and even if they are, it's none of our business. We have no right to force them to seek help and definitely no right to tell them to hide their issue.