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> Yup. The right is fuelling the moral panic about trans people I wouldn't call opposition to performing irreversible gender transition procedures on children

by tharne 4y ago

> Yup. The right is fuelling the moral panic about trans people I wouldn't call opposition to performing irreversible gender transition procedures on children "moral panic".

xg15 4y ago
Maybe true. But then that concern about irreversible medical procedures somehow results in a complete ban on educating children on gender identity or sexuality at all: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/national-dont-say-gay-law-republicans-introduce-bill-restrict-lgbtq-re-rcna53064 https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/nati...
panarky 4y ago
When you conjure a national crisis out of a few very rare examples, that puts members of a vulnerable minority group at risk, with the express purpose to frighten your supporters while dividing your adversaries, so that your side can seize power, that's more than just a "moral panic", it's textbook fascist politics.
- red-iron-pine 4y ago
  In the W Bush era it was gays getting married. Terrorists are taking over and gays are gonna shack up and destroy America. Gotta have a foreign and domestic set of enemies to get people riled up about. But the Overton Window shifted and no one really cares if the gays marry. Trans people are even fewer than gay people and there may be a number of real, or kinda real, arguments to be had there, such as the wisdom of giving younger kids hormones, or if trans athletes should be allowed to participate in gendered sports leagues. They make a fantastic wedge issue, with the benefit that they're 0.3% of the population -- political footballs, with no chance of actually burning a voting block.
  - jrm4 4y ago
    As a (Black) leftie, I really wish the political-internet-left understood this better. "They want to destroy us!" No, fam, that's not quite what's happening here. None of them (with power) wake up thinking "trans people are a menace that must be stopped." Now, it may be just as bad - but to them you're just a useful pawn, which requires different tactics from "this is exactly like Nazi Germany."
jrm4 4y ago
This is one of those unfortunately effective wedge points that the right exploits. I personally do think that MEDICALLY altering children's growth is an extremely dangerous idea that has to be handled very carefully, and perhaps more carefully than it is now.. ..but again, the Right will happily use this tiny point to drive the wedge to say "TRANS IS BAD ALL THE TIME."
- tharne 4y ago
  > ..but again, the Right will happily use this tiny point to drive the wedge to say "TRANS IS BAD ALL THE TIME." I have no doubt that folks on the right will exploit that, but I'd also argue that supporting irreversible transition procedures on children, often against the wishes of the parents, is not a tiny point as you callously put it. It's THE point.
  - jrm4 4y ago
    Against the wishes of the parents? While I'm not deep into it like that, I'm pretty darn certain that's very much NOT a thing. (However, I do have therapists in my family, and they do have serious concerns that too many parents are encouraging their kids in this direction)

by tharne 4y ago

> Yup. The right is fuelling the moral panic about trans people I wouldn't call opposition to performing irreversible gender transition procedures on children "moral panic".

xg15 4y ago

Maybe true. But then that concern about irreversible medical procedures somehow results in a complete ban on educating children on gender identity or sexuality at all: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/national-dont-say-gay-law-republicans-introduce-bill-restrict-lgbtq-re-rcna53064 https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/nati...

panarky 4y ago

When you conjure a national crisis out of a few very rare examples, that puts members of a vulnerable minority group at risk, with the express purpose to frighten your supporters while dividing your adversaries, so that your side can seize power, that's more than just a "moral panic", it's textbook fascist politics.

red-iron-pine 4y ago
In the W Bush era it was gays getting married. Terrorists are taking over and gays are gonna shack up and destroy America. Gotta have a foreign and domestic set of enemies to get people riled up about. But the Overton Window shifted and no one really cares if the gays marry. Trans people are even fewer than gay people and there may be a number of real, or kinda real, arguments to be had there, such as the wisdom of giving younger kids hormones, or if trans athletes should be allowed to participate in gendered sports leagues. They make a fantastic wedge issue, with the benefit that they're 0.3% of the population -- political footballs, with no chance of actually burning a voting block.
- jrm4 4y ago
  As a (Black) leftie, I really wish the political-internet-left understood this better. "They want to destroy us!" No, fam, that's not quite what's happening here. None of them (with power) wake up thinking "trans people are a menace that must be stopped." Now, it may be just as bad - but to them you're just a useful pawn, which requires different tactics from "this is exactly like Nazi Germany."

jrm4 4y ago

This is one of those unfortunately effective wedge points that the right exploits. I personally do think that MEDICALLY altering children's growth is an extremely dangerous idea that has to be handled very carefully, and perhaps more carefully than it is now.. ..but again, the Right will happily use this tiny point to drive the wedge to say "TRANS IS BAD ALL THE TIME."

tharne 4y ago
> ..but again, the Right will happily use this tiny point to drive the wedge to say "TRANS IS BAD ALL THE TIME." I have no doubt that folks on the right will exploit that, but I'd also argue that supporting irreversible transition procedures on children, often against the wishes of the parents, is not a tiny point as you callously put it. It's THE point.
- jrm4 4y ago
  Against the wishes of the parents? While I'm not deep into it like that, I'm pretty darn certain that's very much NOT a thing. (However, I do have therapists in my family, and they do have serious concerns that too many parents are encouraging their kids in this direction)