Fun With Words
Kind Language
The kindest words are often the most truthful. What, in general, have we learned about truth in the past decade? I believe we have learned to fear the truth. So, we are fearful when using kind words like please, sorry, excuse me, thank you. Instead, we use euphemistic words that are often disingenuous. Micro-aggression, trans kids, gender affirming care, equity. The latter have quietly slipped into our vernacular over the past ten years.
Let’s have some clean fun, shall we?
Please: Indicates asking instead of telling; used in earnest.
Micro aggression: Small, somewhat violent action; per the commonly accepted definition the INTENT of the perpetrator is irrelevant.
I’m sorry: Connotes humility; recognition of wrongdoing; expressed with sincerity
Trans kids: Manufactured phrase to categorize hurting, lonely, tattered youth within the guise of sex confusion.
Gender affirming care: What is gender precisely? Is there a consensus? I believe there is a debate as to whether or not it exists. If anyone would like to take the reins on this one, the invite is open.
Thank you: Sentiment of gratitude/appreciation
Equity: Equal outcome regardless of pursuit, merit, ability.
We do not need to fear the truth. We need to recognize it where it’s hiding. It’s time to speak the truth, for ultimately, that’s one of the kindest actions we can take.
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First, let's be clear. Nothing about this movement to "protect" "trans kids" is kind. It is one of the cruelest things I have personally witnessed in my life. Of course, it is not nearly as cruel as the Holocaust, but I was not there, and it is, arguably less cruel than slavery or its aftermath, but I was not there for those things either. In my lifetime, thankfully not having been witness to murder or rape - which certainly happens, but isn't endorsed by all of the major institutions of society or our "friends" and neighbors - the most unkind thing that I have witnessed [in my own home as my 18-year-old daughter embarks on a course of chemical assaults on her body and pretends she is male, binding her breasts and lying every day] is the encouragement of vulnerable young people by all of society to chemically and surgically alter their perfectly healthy bodies under the gaslighting guise of allowing these confused young people to be their "true, authentic selves" (because, apparently, pretending you are not the sex you are and harming your body to appear the opposite sex is somehow authentic and true), the tearing apart of families, the demonization of everyone who questions any of this, and the placement of male-bodied individuals in female-only spaces and sports.
That having been said, let's discuss "gender affirming care." "Gender" has many different meanings. It could simply mean one's biological sex and has often been used that way. However, lately, it has more often been used to refer to the psycho-social aspects of one's behaviors and preferences as they relate to "femininity" and "masculinity," which are terms that also vary - over time and across societies, but are the stereotypical sex-related preferences and behaviors, as far as we understand them at a given time and place. Thus, the preference for the color pink, dresses, make-up, and gently playing with Barbie dolls are currently examples of what is considered feminine. Crew-cuts, playing football, and rough-housing, are currently examples of what is considered masculine. We all know that males can wear pink and make-up and play with dolls, and females can have crew-cuts, play football and roughhouse, but "gender" can relate to those qualities.
When we speak of "gender-affirming care," however, we are using "gender" as an odd mix of biological sex (male or female) and the psycho-social aspects of femininity and masculinity. "Gender-affirming care" means:
(1) - the social choices - name changes toward typically male or female names, references to someone as a boy or girl, man or woman, placing a person with biological males or females, appearance changes toward typically male or female clothing and haircuts (above-noted stereotypes) - all of which are meant to make someone feel like they belong in a given sex category regardless of their biological reality;
and
(2) - the medical interventions that cause someone to appear as if they are the opposite sex (synthetic hormones, and surgeries such as double mastectomies, castration, vaginoplasties and phalloplasties, etc.).
The assumption is that someone who "feels like a female" or "feels like a male" needs the world to "affirm" those feelings by facilitating changes to the person's appearance and referring to and treating the person as if they are actually the sex that they "feel like."
Of course, the big question is: how can one "feel like a female" or "feel like a male" when every single female and male in the world, now or ever, has experienced or is experiencing being female or male differently? What does it possibly mean to think you are something you are not, other than either delusional thinking, or having false beliefs about it being better or worse to experience life as one or the other sex (or a combination of the two)? Why are we "affirming" these thoughts and beliefs? Is that caring or doing harm?
Yeah, sorry, that was too much, but I couldn't help myself!
It is not kind to lie to kids that they can be a different sex than they were born. How did lying to kids become so acceptable and encouraged?