Ah yes, we used to giggle endlessly about this as young girls! Never had the nerve to strategically drop a pencil in order to have a look, as we dared each other to do when the opportunity arose.
Till about 5 years ago, I didn’t have any issue with people using “gender” as a euphemism for “sex,” e.g., on forms and such. Happily ticked the “F” box for myself.
Now: I hate it because I honestly don’t know what’s meant. If I ever find that question on a paper form again, I will cross out “gender” and write in “sex.” When it comes up in person, I try to make the correction orally. Online forms are frustrating, though. I find myself “declining to state” with increasing frequency (when that’s an option).
When you finally figure this out, you see it everywhere. It's intentionally-caused confusion because this is a language game. This goes back to John Money.
Just say sex if that's what you mean--there is female and male, nothing else.
There's always something more accurate in place of "gender"--personality, hobbies, clothes, stereotypes.
This fraud will end if everybody starts doing that.
I agree with you, but at the same time, the word "gender" is being used all the time; we have courses of study in it at universities, people are being sterilised in its name and it's written into laws. We should critique the word and the ideology behind it, but pretending it doesn't exist is not a viable strategy. "Gender A Wider Lens" is a great podcast and the hosts interview people from all walks of life from detransitioners to sexologists critiquing the concept of "gender".
"Gender" does exist--it's a linguistics term that applies to words. For example, in Spanish "la mesa" or "el gato." Feminine and masculine articles for nouns do not exist in English.
The word doesn't apply to humans, and there's always a more accurate word to use. Using "gender" is the origin of the problem itself because inaccurate speech causes confusion.
Whatever you want to say--stereotypes, feelings, personality--does exist. Use those words.
The strategy that is NOT viable is continuing to use "gender" to what you want it to mean in any way for whatever. That way, male rapists will end up in women's jails and children will be mutilated. There is no stopping it.
Who cares that everyone else is using it? If your argument is that everyone else is going along with it therefore you can't do anything about it, just step aside. TERFs like me are willing to change this. This is how the world changes.
Lobotomies used to be mainstream practice and everybody thought it was great. Then it stopped when truth came out. Doctors used to be in cigarette ads and they used to think it was healthy. Then the cigarette companies were sued and smoking is banned nearly everywhere.
Things change because people campaign for them. "Gender: A Wider Lens" is a waste of time if they can't answer a simple question--what is gender? They spent 200 hours and they couldn't because what I said is true. Gender has no application to humans and is a source of the confusion itself, starting with John Money.
Your strategy, unfortunately, is not viable. Mine is to argue for the truth, which is always viable because delusion will not work. Years from now when that becomes clear, it will be apparent and everyone will act like this was always the case. That's how social change happens.
When you criticize "gender" what are you criticizing? A load of bullshit. Good luck with that, LOL.
In my city, if my child claims to have "gender dysphoria", my doctor will refer them to the "Royal Childrens Hospital Gender Service". According to laws in my state, denying my child's "gender identity" could constitute child abuse. So "gender" as a concept applying to humans is a problem for me, whether I like it or not.
And when you ask a doctor, what is "gender"? Define it. If "gender dysphoria" exists, then they should be able to tell you what it means.
Can a boy "feel like" he's a girl? Tell a doctor to define boy, define girl, and then explain how a boy can feel like he's a girl.
Not a single doctor will be able to do it. Because what is being discussed here is SEX and no one can FEEL LIKE the opposite sex because no one is born in the wrong body.
Did you read what I wrote? All you have to do is refuse to use the language and ask doctors to explain themselves. They cannot. Nobody can. When these people are pushed to do this, that is when this whole thing begins to crumble because this is a language-based agenda.
That's how this is solved. Until you understand that, you will not be able to solve this.
So, no "gender" is not a problem for you. You don't understand what is going on when doctors talk about "gender identity. It doesn't exist. You're talking about an agenda fueled by culture and money.
Please reread what I wrote. How you're using "gender" here captures the problem exactly--you're talking about feelings and plastic surgery it appears. Say that. Ask doctors to explain themselves. Watch them fall apart.
Please read Jennifer Bilek's work. You will understand where this is coming from and why language is important. Just stop using "gender." Say mutilation. That's what doctors are doing. Ask them how a boy can FEEL LIKE he's a girl, define both.
You're demonstrating exactly what I mean. I didn't say there is no agenda. I said "gender" has no application to humans. That is the truth. You couldn't define it if you tried. No one can--not even after 200 hours of a podcast! The language is the origin of the issue.
The doctors and lawyers don't have a coherant explanation for "gender", but they don't need one, because the law is on their side. That's why Sall Grover's been in court this week. If she could've just said to Roxy Tickle, "I don't believe in gender" and got on with her life, she would have.
You appear to think that the law doesn't change or that things cannot be changed with truth or that this is the first medical scandal in history.
Laws used to allow people to smoke on airplanes and in movie theaters because doctors used to promote smoking in commercials.
Imagine someone in 1945 saying that cigarettes are not healthy and that they cause cancer, and somebody like you arguing "Well that's the law, and doctors don't need to explain why cigarettes are healthy because everybody believes it!"
This is why I write these things. To change what is going on and to try to teach people who are capable of understanding. You're not quite there, but that doesn't matter because women like me will be the ones who do this.
So much of the trans agenda (Agenda NOT Gender) language fk reminds me of twisting of women's/fetal biological terms and laws re abortion and reprod rights. The anti-abortionists (NOT Pro-life) have defined terms in ways that suit their women-hating agenda. Maybe I'll write abt it someday.
Another parallel I see is terms and phrases of The Plandemic. Twisting Medical Science to the point of absurdity. The lies piled up like a garbage heap. I hope as this transagenda crumbles, ppl SEE all the lies and propaganda we've been fed on many fronts.
"Not a single doctor will be able to do it. Because what is being discussed here is SEX and no one can FEEL LIKE the opposite sex because no one is born in the wrong body."
There are plenty of people who could tell you how a 'boy can feel like he's a girl' from their own life experience, if you would be willing to listen. I'm not sure that you can do that.
There is so much wrong and distorted about this post, but let's zoom in on this:
"It doesn’t matter what happens in isolated villages in Pakistan or how many genders some Native American tribes used to recognize.
Aztecs used to cut human hearts out and hold them up to sun so it would keep shining. Women in India used to self-immolate on the funeral pyres of their husbands (called sati) until the British banned it. Is anybody advocating a return to these practices? If not, why not?"
The recognition of a third gender or other variations of a non-binary gender continues to be part of Indigenous groups of people in North America. These people are not an historical artifact of the past, their presence and lifeways are still vital. To compare this way of seeing gender roles with human sacrifices and self-immolation is the pinnacle of ignorance, and let's call it what it is: racism. If you're going to pull those examples out of a hat we can find plenty of horrific acts perpetrated by European folks of the Middle Ages.
Yes, I don't care when the best response someone like you can throw out is "tHaT's RaCisT." This has no effect on me, and should have no effect on anyone by now, because the word has lost all meaning. It's like crying "transphobia." I get called a Nazi for saying women don't have penises. Nobody cares about these words anymore, thanks to people like you. So good job.
I don't care what some tribe in Peru does or if they allow men in dresses to parade around in public. It's irrelevant to medicine in 2024. That's the truth, and that's why you cannot argue the point.
Strange how you didn't actually address any of the points I made.
Now if you care, go ahead and answer this--what is "gender" and how does it differ from biological sex?
Sex is a biological mechanism. Gender is a cultural construct. One does not negate the other, they co-exist, as biology and socio-cultural elements of our humanity exist. It's not that hard.
Now, explain to me why males need to take estrogen, get their testicles removed, and get their penises inverted in “gender affirming” care if it’s a “cultural construct”?
How does biological manipulation and invasive surgery “affirm” a cultural construct? Hormones and genitalia are not cultural. It's biological.
Maia, sound like you are just regurgitating talking points that you have heard from the WPATH playbook embellished with other fatuous nonsense like us being raaaaaycisss if we dont embrace the 3rd gender narrative propagated by some indigineous traditions as being shining examples of the best that "transgenderism" has to offer.
How much time have you actually spent living in other cultures anyway? Something other than the academic white liberal one in which you appear to have been marinated in??
You need to go spend some time in "3rd gender" communities like
the deeply degenerate ones in
India that are currently engaged in some extremely nefarious pedophilic exploitation,
Pretty clear that your knowledge is very limited and is not firsthand here.
I have a question. I heard a sound bite this morning of a bunch of lefties discussing the topic of men in women’s sports. One of them said “God doesn’t make mistakes”. It’s not the first time. This phrase gets thrown around on the regular. I just don’t understand why the pro-trans side would use this. I mean, if God doesn’t make mistakes, He wouldn’t have put you in “the wrong body” in the first place 🤷🏻♀️
I want to know what the binary is that such a person is not.
As the 'gender' advocates have more than 2 and the others don't accept that sex is binary, are the 'non-binary' people actually undercover TERFs trying to wreck the whole enterprise from within?
Wait, are they so dumb that they're actually proving our point for us?
LOL maybe
"Nonbinary" doesn't exist. It's usually a narcissist desperate for extra attention, especially a female with a stupid haircut who doesn't want to wear makeup, or a male with a stupid haircut who wants to wear makeup.
this take isn’t worth engaging with but i can’t resist pointing out that you repeatedly insist there is male and there is female and there is nothing else, without once mentioning the existence of intersex people. sex is just simply not as black and white as you believe it to be and you lose credibility by pretending it is.
ya we are all sooo stoopid and you are the smartest person ever!! and you def aren’t mentioning it allll the timeeee bc you’re insecure about it or anything.
I am not sure why this bothers the author so much. Is there nothing better to do than judge other people and rob them of self expression? The author here doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about. There is a level of privilege he has, to feel so secure that he was born into the correct body. I hope he finds his peace. I am sorry for whoever hurt him, and made his heart so cold.
1. "OMG, why do you even care?" I care because these men care, and they fight to enter women's sports. Why do you care? Is this important enough for activists to spend billions to force it on people?
2. Mentally ill people mutilating their bodies and male rapists in women's prisons isn't self-expression.
3. Everything I said is true, which is why you cannot address it. I know what I'm talking about.
4. Everyone's body is the correct body. Nobody is born in the wrong body. Your body is you. It by definition cannot be wrong.
5. I have peace. I'm not the one letting men into women's Olympic boxing.
Nobody "hurt" me. I notice that there is a major problem in society, and I am working to fix it. That's how life works.
Why can't any of you argue based on the points? Do you think this is going to work? Why did anybody fight to stop lobotomies? Or opioid abuse? Those people were hurt and had "cold hearts"?
Apropos of nothing, #10 reminds me of a joke that I thought was an absolute gas when I was a little kid:
Male comedian: I used to be a real womanizer. I would chase anything in a skirt… until that Scotsman beat the hell out of me.
LOL
He should have looked under the kilt first😉
Ah yes, we used to giggle endlessly about this as young girls! Never had the nerve to strategically drop a pencil in order to have a look, as we dared each other to do when the opportunity arose.
I am so on board with this.
Till about 5 years ago, I didn’t have any issue with people using “gender” as a euphemism for “sex,” e.g., on forms and such. Happily ticked the “F” box for myself.
Now: I hate it because I honestly don’t know what’s meant. If I ever find that question on a paper form again, I will cross out “gender” and write in “sex.” When it comes up in person, I try to make the correction orally. Online forms are frustrating, though. I find myself “declining to state” with increasing frequency (when that’s an option).
Yes!
When you finally figure this out, you see it everywhere. It's intentionally-caused confusion because this is a language game. This goes back to John Money.
Just say sex if that's what you mean--there is female and male, nothing else.
There's always something more accurate in place of "gender"--personality, hobbies, clothes, stereotypes.
This fraud will end if everybody starts doing that.
I do the same. On the E Kiosk at the health clinic, they were forced to remove the gender question because it only caused confusion. Duh!!
I agree with you, but at the same time, the word "gender" is being used all the time; we have courses of study in it at universities, people are being sterilised in its name and it's written into laws. We should critique the word and the ideology behind it, but pretending it doesn't exist is not a viable strategy. "Gender A Wider Lens" is a great podcast and the hosts interview people from all walks of life from detransitioners to sexologists critiquing the concept of "gender".
"Gender" does exist--it's a linguistics term that applies to words. For example, in Spanish "la mesa" or "el gato." Feminine and masculine articles for nouns do not exist in English.
The word doesn't apply to humans, and there's always a more accurate word to use. Using "gender" is the origin of the problem itself because inaccurate speech causes confusion.
Whatever you want to say--stereotypes, feelings, personality--does exist. Use those words.
The strategy that is NOT viable is continuing to use "gender" to what you want it to mean in any way for whatever. That way, male rapists will end up in women's jails and children will be mutilated. There is no stopping it.
Who cares that everyone else is using it? If your argument is that everyone else is going along with it therefore you can't do anything about it, just step aside. TERFs like me are willing to change this. This is how the world changes.
Lobotomies used to be mainstream practice and everybody thought it was great. Then it stopped when truth came out. Doctors used to be in cigarette ads and they used to think it was healthy. Then the cigarette companies were sued and smoking is banned nearly everywhere.
Things change because people campaign for them. "Gender: A Wider Lens" is a waste of time if they can't answer a simple question--what is gender? They spent 200 hours and they couldn't because what I said is true. Gender has no application to humans and is a source of the confusion itself, starting with John Money.
Your strategy, unfortunately, is not viable. Mine is to argue for the truth, which is always viable because delusion will not work. Years from now when that becomes clear, it will be apparent and everyone will act like this was always the case. That's how social change happens.
When you criticize "gender" what are you criticizing? A load of bullshit. Good luck with that, LOL.
In my city, if my child claims to have "gender dysphoria", my doctor will refer them to the "Royal Childrens Hospital Gender Service". According to laws in my state, denying my child's "gender identity" could constitute child abuse. So "gender" as a concept applying to humans is a problem for me, whether I like it or not.
Exactly.
And when you ask a doctor, what is "gender"? Define it. If "gender dysphoria" exists, then they should be able to tell you what it means.
Can a boy "feel like" he's a girl? Tell a doctor to define boy, define girl, and then explain how a boy can feel like he's a girl.
Not a single doctor will be able to do it. Because what is being discussed here is SEX and no one can FEEL LIKE the opposite sex because no one is born in the wrong body.
Did you read what I wrote? All you have to do is refuse to use the language and ask doctors to explain themselves. They cannot. Nobody can. When these people are pushed to do this, that is when this whole thing begins to crumble because this is a language-based agenda.
That's how this is solved. Until you understand that, you will not be able to solve this.
So, no "gender" is not a problem for you. You don't understand what is going on when doctors talk about "gender identity. It doesn't exist. You're talking about an agenda fueled by culture and money.
Please reread what I wrote. How you're using "gender" here captures the problem exactly--you're talking about feelings and plastic surgery it appears. Say that. Ask doctors to explain themselves. Watch them fall apart.
Please read Jennifer Bilek's work. You will understand where this is coming from and why language is important. Just stop using "gender." Say mutilation. That's what doctors are doing. Ask them how a boy can FEEL LIKE he's a girl, define both.
You're demonstrating exactly what I mean. I didn't say there is no agenda. I said "gender" has no application to humans. That is the truth. You couldn't define it if you tried. No one can--not even after 200 hours of a podcast! The language is the origin of the issue.
https://kathighsmith.substack.com/p/gender-has-no-application-to-humans
The doctors and lawyers don't have a coherant explanation for "gender", but they don't need one, because the law is on their side. That's why Sall Grover's been in court this week. If she could've just said to Roxy Tickle, "I don't believe in gender" and got on with her life, she would have.
This is how laws change.
You appear to think that the law doesn't change or that things cannot be changed with truth or that this is the first medical scandal in history.
Laws used to allow people to smoke on airplanes and in movie theaters because doctors used to promote smoking in commercials.
Imagine someone in 1945 saying that cigarettes are not healthy and that they cause cancer, and somebody like you arguing "Well that's the law, and doctors don't need to explain why cigarettes are healthy because everybody believes it!"
This is why I write these things. To change what is going on and to try to teach people who are capable of understanding. You're not quite there, but that doesn't matter because women like me will be the ones who do this.
Thanks for spelling this crap out.
So much of the trans agenda (Agenda NOT Gender) language fk reminds me of twisting of women's/fetal biological terms and laws re abortion and reprod rights. The anti-abortionists (NOT Pro-life) have defined terms in ways that suit their women-hating agenda. Maybe I'll write abt it someday.
Another parallel I see is terms and phrases of The Plandemic. Twisting Medical Science to the point of absurdity. The lies piled up like a garbage heap. I hope as this transagenda crumbles, ppl SEE all the lies and propaganda we've been fed on many fronts.
I'm TERF and we know the definition of that.
"Not a single doctor will be able to do it. Because what is being discussed here is SEX and no one can FEEL LIKE the opposite sex because no one is born in the wrong body."
And you know this.... how?
Simple. Because it's true.
If you're so hell-bent on defending trannies, then you should be able to do it.
Define what a boy is, define what a girl is, and then tell me how a boy can "feel like" he's a girl.
Go ahead.
There are plenty of people who could tell you how a 'boy can feel like he's a girl' from their own life experience, if you would be willing to listen. I'm not sure that you can do that.
There is so much wrong and distorted about this post, but let's zoom in on this:
"It doesn’t matter what happens in isolated villages in Pakistan or how many genders some Native American tribes used to recognize.
Aztecs used to cut human hearts out and hold them up to sun so it would keep shining. Women in India used to self-immolate on the funeral pyres of their husbands (called sati) until the British banned it. Is anybody advocating a return to these practices? If not, why not?"
The recognition of a third gender or other variations of a non-binary gender continues to be part of Indigenous groups of people in North America. These people are not an historical artifact of the past, their presence and lifeways are still vital. To compare this way of seeing gender roles with human sacrifices and self-immolation is the pinnacle of ignorance, and let's call it what it is: racism. If you're going to pull those examples out of a hat we can find plenty of horrific acts perpetrated by European folks of the Middle Ages.
I don't care.
Doctors aren't citing these tribes when they mutilate children's bodies and put male rapists in women's prisons.
This is meaningless, so it's irrelevant. Go reread what I wrote because you clearly didn't understand it.
Yep, it’s obvious that you don’t care.
Yes, I don't care when the best response someone like you can throw out is "tHaT's RaCisT." This has no effect on me, and should have no effect on anyone by now, because the word has lost all meaning. It's like crying "transphobia." I get called a Nazi for saying women don't have penises. Nobody cares about these words anymore, thanks to people like you. So good job.
I don't care what some tribe in Peru does or if they allow men in dresses to parade around in public. It's irrelevant to medicine in 2024. That's the truth, and that's why you cannot argue the point.
Strange how you didn't actually address any of the points I made.
Now if you care, go ahead and answer this--what is "gender" and how does it differ from biological sex?
Go ahead. I'm waiting.
Sex is a biological mechanism. Gender is a cultural construct. One does not negate the other, they co-exist, as biology and socio-cultural elements of our humanity exist. It's not that hard.
I see!
Gender is a “cultural construct”!
Now, explain to me why males need to take estrogen, get their testicles removed, and get their penises inverted in “gender affirming” care if it’s a “cultural construct”?
How does biological manipulation and invasive surgery “affirm” a cultural construct? Hormones and genitalia are not cultural. It's biological.
Go ahead and explain.
You have your own agenda and ideology that is as impermeable as Fort Knox. Good day.
Maia, sound like you are just regurgitating talking points that you have heard from the WPATH playbook embellished with other fatuous nonsense like us being raaaaaycisss if we dont embrace the 3rd gender narrative propagated by some indigineous traditions as being shining examples of the best that "transgenderism" has to offer.
How much time have you actually spent living in other cultures anyway? Something other than the academic white liberal one in which you appear to have been marinated in??
You need to go spend some time in "3rd gender" communities like
the deeply degenerate ones in
India that are currently engaged in some extremely nefarious pedophilic exploitation,
Pretty clear that your knowledge is very limited and is not firsthand here.
if your knowledge is firsthand, should assume that means you are transgendered?
There is no such thing as "transgender."
You proved it with your inability to answer simple questions.
Sex is binary and immutable. "Gender" applies to words only, not humans. John Money knew this.
A male who "feels like" he's female is mentally ill and needs to be told NO.
Nothing more.
I have a question. I heard a sound bite this morning of a bunch of lefties discussing the topic of men in women’s sports. One of them said “God doesn’t make mistakes”. It’s not the first time. This phrase gets thrown around on the regular. I just don’t understand why the pro-trans side would use this. I mean, if God doesn’t make mistakes, He wouldn’t have put you in “the wrong body” in the first place 🤷🏻♀️
I think that Hooters guy is just trying to make his friends laugh.
Has anyone defined 'non-binary' ?
I want to know what the binary is that such a person is not.
As the 'gender' advocates have more than 2 and the others don't accept that sex is binary, are the 'non-binary' people actually undercover TERFs trying to wreck the whole enterprise from within?
Wait, are they so dumb that they're actually proving our point for us?
LOL maybe
"Nonbinary" doesn't exist. It's usually a narcissist desperate for extra attention, especially a female with a stupid haircut who doesn't want to wear makeup, or a male with a stupid haircut who wants to wear makeup.
this take isn’t worth engaging with but i can’t resist pointing out that you repeatedly insist there is male and there is female and there is nothing else, without once mentioning the existence of intersex people. sex is just simply not as black and white as you believe it to be and you lose credibility by pretending it is.
Sex is binary and immutable.
Developmental sexual disorders do not establish a spectrum, just like Down Syndrome does not negate the fact that humans have 46 chromosomes.
Albinos do not legitimize white people pretending to be black.
This is tired. Biologists have already addressed this, and your low IQ take doesn't change this.
You want to talk about credibility?
Learn how to argue.
And educate yourself. I wrote an entire article to teach people like you. Learn something.
https://kathighsmith.substack.com/p/intersex-idiots-five-reasons-this
you can insult me all you want kitty kat, but i don’t have a low iq and i do not care to read your inane article. goodbye.
If you had a high enough IQ, you would understand that DSDs do not invalidate the sex binary. Genetic disorders do not change basic reality.
Homo sapiens have 46 chromosomes. Citing Down Syndrome would not change that, even though they have 47.
Albinism does not mean that white people can pretend to be black.
This is how children think and argue.
Stop it.
piss off kat
Wow, troon defenders never cease to amaze me with their intelligence and eloquence.
ya we are all sooo stoopid and you are the smartest person ever!! and you def aren’t mentioning it allll the timeeee bc you’re insecure about it or anything.
I am not sure why this bothers the author so much. Is there nothing better to do than judge other people and rob them of self expression? The author here doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about. There is a level of privilege he has, to feel so secure that he was born into the correct body. I hope he finds his peace. I am sorry for whoever hurt him, and made his heart so cold.
Classic idiotic responses:
1. "OMG, why do you even care?" I care because these men care, and they fight to enter women's sports. Why do you care? Is this important enough for activists to spend billions to force it on people?
2. Mentally ill people mutilating their bodies and male rapists in women's prisons isn't self-expression.
3. Everything I said is true, which is why you cannot address it. I know what I'm talking about.
4. Everyone's body is the correct body. Nobody is born in the wrong body. Your body is you. It by definition cannot be wrong.
5. I have peace. I'm not the one letting men into women's Olympic boxing.
Nobody "hurt" me. I notice that there is a major problem in society, and I am working to fix it. That's how life works.
Why can't any of you argue based on the points? Do you think this is going to work? Why did anybody fight to stop lobotomies? Or opioid abuse? Those people were hurt and had "cold hearts"?
Learn how to argue or be quiet. I'm sick of this.
Tranny defenders are the lowest of the low.
"Trans" is literally meant to legalize pedophilia. That is the purpose of the agenda. Stop acting like you're not a pedophilia defender.
You shouldn't even be allowed online.