9 Comments

Gary, once again you're right on the money. As much as this old dyke hates to believe that we're going backwards in terms of eliminating homophobia, there's no refuting your observation. I came out 50 years ago, when homophobia was the norm. The fear of being accused of pedophilia was ever present, especially for people who worked in fields like teaching, social work, and medicine. But the activism of the Gay and Women's Liberation movements transformed society, and I've led a relatively peaceful life as an out lesbian for many years.

Now I speak out against transgender ideology: its disastrous effects on scientific truth, the bodies and minds of minors, and the rights of women. On Substack there's been an uptick in awareness of the dangers of trans ideology, but now it’s mixed with anti-gay rhetoric. The old trope conflating gay with pedophilia, and the long-lasting stain of NAMBLA, never totally died. Many people, especially religious people, view homosexuality as a perversion, just another flavor of trans that needs to be eradicated. This is largely the result of fetishists — male transvestites — breaching the inviolable boundary of childhood by imposing Drag Queen Story Hour on toddlers and kindergarteners. The rebranding of pedophiles as “minor-attracted persons” has entered the queer lexicon. Pardon me, but WHAT THE HELL?

Your insight regarding the ignorance and sanctimony of talking heads like Jon Stewart and John Oliver is astute. Yes, they are deluded by another homophobic trope. Why would a parent want their child to suffer the awful pain of "gender non-conformity" (i.e. growing up to be gay or lesbian), when they can easily be transformed into a garden-variety, "gender conforming" heterosexual?

My favorite part of your article: "...Rather than having four pre-arranged accommodating guests who parrot approved talking points, I’d like to see Stewart face off against a panel of four butch lesbians who have no use for a man.” Sign me up!

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just stop talking already. like go sit with the straights and be a stupid token in piece

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A friend is dealing with her local school district over their support of her 16-year-old daughter pursuing a trans identity, including pronouns and name change. She's an excellent writer and also took issue with Jon Stewart's smugly righteous regressiveness. I think you'll find it a worthwhile read:

https://redfordg.substack.com/p/big-pharmas-new-mascot

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Oh, that was fantastic! Thank you for sharing, I'm following her now!

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Yay! Glad to hear it. She is always fantastic.

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I don't have much of a presence on Twitter (only just started it at campaign time), but I'll tweet this out if you @ my Twitter, @zeldalevine2022 , I think.

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I think John Stewart was sincere when he said that puberty blockers have no side effects. Meaning he believes that (at least at the time)

I think many well meaning liberals align themselves with LGBTQ+, and think that means whatever someone says will help trans kids must not be questioned.

Like with Tavistock, people assume someone is minding the store and that kids are only being transitioned with much discernment.

People are only becoming aware of the profit motive now.

I would never have believed in my wildest dreams that a parent would prefer to have their child transition than be gay, if you had told me that a year ago, I would have laughed.

All medical interventions have risks and if you have a child, any intervention would be less preferable to none.

You have an uphill battle, but I think people are becoming aware

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Oh, I'm quite certain that Jon Stewart is sincere in his uninformed, ideologically driven belief that puberty blockers have no side effects. Especially these days, when people are ensconced in a worldview, and I mean all people, regardless of political leaning, confirmation bias becomes very strong and we lose our curiosity about what we read and hear. If it came from my favorite TV news, podcast host or daily paper, I have no need to interrogate further what I've just read. It's so much easier to assume that my side always and only tells the truth, especially when it makes me a better, more ethical, more compassionate person than the people who disagree with me. Nowhere is this more insidious and ubiquitous than with respect to the transitioning of children.

Obviously, Stewart did not spent five minutes perusing the PITT Substack (Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans), or exploring the history of the Tavistock clinic and why it was shut down, or learning about the science from biologists like Colin Wright or from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden which banned transition services for people under 18 because of the deleterious effects of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones...etc. etc. etc.

Still, the times they are a-changing. I'm curious how Stewart will respond to the recent New York Times article about puberty blockers. He's a very open minded and intelligent person in many ways...for instance, as a Jew, I'm in agreement with the comments he made on Stephen Colbert's show about Dave Chappelle. Stewart doesn't believe in punishing or censoring people for anti-semitic remarks, and neither do I. Free speech must be free...we suppress ideas at our peril and we advance knowledge and humanism when we communicate without rancor and accept sincere apologies. So, I hold out hope that Stewart will at some point be willing to educate himself and admit that he was wrong about puberty blockers and the transitioning of children in general. I am looking forward to hearing him say, "I was wrong, and here's why." Then he will really have done some good.

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a disposable faggot looking for opression where there's none cuz you want to be as oppressive as straight men, pathetic fruit

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