But how can you tell if someone is pretending it? I thought that leftist dogma stated someone's gender is sacred and can't be questioned, right?
Well, I think it is obvious when someone is not pretending. The basic rule of thumb I use is to trust the judgement of women/girls (other than immediate family members) who spend the most time with them.
The reverse is not true. Some people are really good at disguising their intention.
But according to everything I've read and been told, the only people who can be trusted to know and accurately tell someone's gender identity (for those that have one) is the individual themself.
The guidance on gender identity that's been issued by state education authorities to schools in my ultra-blue state says that because there's often no consistency between a student's inner gender identity and their outer gender expression, the only way to know a student's gender identity for sure is to ask the student.
What's more, the guidance says that some students might "identify as more than one gender" and their gender identity might change "even from one day to the next." Which means you can't rely on what they said yesterday. You have to ask again today. Even a student's closest friends might not know how the student identifies on any given day.
Also, I don't get why instead of of relying on what a trans-identified person says about their identity you'd choose instead to "trust the judgment of women/girls who spend the most time with them." I thought that was considered transphobic. Sounds awfully judgy too.
Indeed, if the women/girls you rely on to pass judgment about the genuineness of someone else's claimed gender identity happen to be female and not trans-identified themselves, that would seem to be super duper transphobic of you. After all, you're letting people who aren't trans decide - and worse, pass judgment on - what's in the heart and mind of the person who claims to be trans rather than taking the word of the person who claims to be trans at face value and trusting him/her/them/zim/zer.
Doesn't a person who claims to be trans know themself better than anyone else? Isn't a person who claims to be trans the best judge of how they see themself?
If the person whose claimed trans identity you're trying to verify is a male who claims to have a female gender identity, then you could be accused of engaging in "cis supremacy" too. Because you'd be giving far more weight and credence to what actual girls and women say about the so-called transgirl or transwoman in their circle than to what the trans-identified person themself says.
This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
Well, I think it is obvious when someone is not pretending. The basic rule of thumb I use is to trust the judgement of women/girls (other than immediate family members) who spend the most time with them.
The reverse is not true. Some people are really good at disguising their intention.
But according to everything I've read and been told, the only people who can be trusted to know and accurately tell someone's gender identity (for those that have one) is the individual themself.
The guidance on gender identity that's been issued by state education authorities to schools in my ultra-blue state says that because there's often no consistency between a student's inner gender identity and their outer gender expression, the only way to know a student's gender identity for sure is to ask the student.
What's more, the guidance says that some students might "identify as more than one gender" and their gender identity might change "even from one day to the next." Which means you can't rely on what they said yesterday. You have to ask again today. Even a student's closest friends might not know how the student identifies on any given day.
Also, I don't get why instead of of relying on what a trans-identified person says about their identity you'd choose instead to "trust the judgment of women/girls who spend the most time with them." I thought that was considered transphobic. Sounds awfully judgy too.
Indeed, if the women/girls you rely on to pass judgment about the genuineness of someone else's claimed gender identity happen to be female and not trans-identified themselves, that would seem to be super duper transphobic of you. After all, you're letting people who aren't trans decide - and worse, pass judgment on - what's in the heart and mind of the person who claims to be trans rather than taking the word of the person who claims to be trans at face value and trusting him/her/them/zim/zer.
Doesn't a person who claims to be trans know themself better than anyone else? Isn't a person who claims to be trans the best judge of how they see themself?
If the person whose claimed trans identity you're trying to verify is a male who claims to have a female gender identity, then you could be accused of engaging in "cis supremacy" too. Because you'd be giving far more weight and credence to what actual girls and women say about the so-called transgirl or transwoman in their circle than to what the trans-identified person themself says.
First of all, I am not interested in any ideological battle.
Second, the trans-identifying person may or may not know better than any one about their identity. But whether they are being genuine is a different question.
Third, I wrote "it is rather obvious when someone is not pretending." When a trans woman's identity is affirmed by cis women around them almost unanimously, it is very likely that her identity is authentic. (I exclude mothers and sisters because they are inherently biased.)
I also wrote the reverse was not true. When a trans woman's identity is not affirmed by women around her, that does not automatically discredit her identity. But I look at her claim with more suspicion. Ultimately, I think it has to be determined by qualified medical professionals. (Multiple medical professionals need to independently evaluate the person's claim to have more accurate assessment.) If this makes me a "transmedicalist" then so be it. I could not care less about labeling.
And I could not care less whether it is "cis supremacy" or not. I am not a cultural warrior. I think the question of "who is a woman" is fundamentally determined by women. And 99% of them are cis.
If you want to help men like the one in the video clip in the OP, have at it. All power to you. I wish more men would help one another out. I also wish more men would pipe up and object when men behave in anti-social ways like this guy is doing.
But I don't feel it's my duty - or the duty of other women and girls - to help men like this bloke.
Most women and girls have been dealing with creepy, aggressive, frankly scary men like this fella our whole lives. It's not our job to aid, assist or accommodate them.
Interacting with men like this usually ends up very badly for women and girls. Our safest bet and wisest tack is to try to steer clear of them altogether.
Which is why so many girls and women are upset that today a growing number of men like this creep feel it's their right to use women's restrooms and locker rooms. And we're further upset that the same supposedly enlightened people who bang on about the importance of creating a world where everyone feels safe and at home will call us bigoted, hateful, uptight, unreasonable worrywarts and prudes if/when we object.
Nobody cares about you helping her, just like the proverbial fox with the chickens. She’d indeed rather you steer clear than harass her.
“Most women and girls” are not transphobic like your posts. Most of them actually can’t care less about all the brouhaha over trans women using women’s restrooms.
Actually, most women and girls are not transphobic, but also would not want that creepy guy from the video in their bathroom. Most transwomen are probably just trying to fit in, get in and out, and not bother anyone. On the other hand, the person in that video is a large male trying to impose his will on women by barging into their spaces.
Nobody cares about you helping her, just like the proverbial fox with the chickens. She’d indeed rather you steer clear than harass her.
“Most women and girls” are not transphobic like your posts. Most of them actually can’t care less about all the brouhaha over trans women using women’s restrooms.
Actually, most women and girls are not transphobic, but also would not want that creepy guy from the video in their bathroom. Most transwomen are probably just trying to fit in, get in and out, and not bother anyone. On the other hand, the person in that video is a large male trying to impose his will on women by barging into their spaces.
I didn’t and won’t watch the video. The OP’s description said she wanted female pronouns and identifies as a woman. Assuming that is true, she is innocent until proven guilty of a crime or misdemeanor and should be able to use women’s restrooms to do her business.
Trans women are women. They are no less legitimate than a biological female assigned the gender female at birth. Assigned is the key there, gender isn't inherit, it is a construct.