Thank you for this very interesting and informative article. As we try to understand the history and 'meaning' of 'transsexualism', this fascinating discussion about the work of Janice G. Raymond, deepens our awareness of the many complexities involved. I believe that for many people, a wish to be 'open-minded' and not to hurt vulnerable people, has caused them to turn away from serious, good faith discussion of issues that must be explored. The affect of 'sex roles' as they perpetuate the pervasive abuse and harm done all over the world to women and girls (..and boys) must be part of these discussions. I particularly loved your discussion of 'dress reform': how women have fought being forced to wear unhealthy, restrictive clothing that makes them vulnerable, weak and even sick...while some men have adopted these same fashions in order to be/feel 'female'. Being female means to be weak?...vulnerable?...unable to move naturally? Hell no!! It is not easy or comfortable to think and to challenge the status quo, but if we are ever to get closer to the truth of our natures, we must do it. THANK YOU AGAIN for your powerful research and clear writing.
Thank you so much for your comment, Roberta! I agree that many people go along with transgenderism, specifically the medicalization, because they want to look “tolerant” and “open-minded.” As “sex roles” became “gender,” and “gender” became “gender identity,” there has been a strategic erasure of the original feminist analysis of how sex roles have engendered gender hierarchy, which has been so intertwined with sexuality. Increasingly, we have seen a “liberal” point of view that has worked to repress all radical critique and reinforce the associations of female-as-submissive and male-as-dominant—“sexual liberation” against women’s dignity. Liberalism comes easy when it comes to pornography and transgenderism. The problem, however, is that there are real ethical issues that we cannot discuss under what has become a “repressive tolerance.” I try my best with works, such as ones from Andrea Dworkin and Janice G. Raymond, that underscore how these issues specifically affect women and girls. Part of the ongoing difficulty, it seems, is the refusal to think, a stance against really thinking about the issues. In your documentary, Dworkin noted “a fierce reaction” in retaliation against those who challenge the status quo, that people do prefer lives without disturbance or bother. Tolerance is easier but deadlier as it alienates us from telling the truth. As she said, “What they had a stake in was not being disturbed and bothered by the conflict, by the challenge, by the language, by the happenings of what it takes when you start to tell the truth.” I so greatly appreciate friends like you who engage so deeply!
This 'refusal to think' has infected all aspects of our public discourse it seems. Engaging in respectful discussion/debate about ANYTHING has been mostly replaced with incoherent spectacles: people yelling over one another - attacking one another in the most demeaning ways. Exhausting!!...and gets us nowhere closer to understanding anything. And all of this serves very well to keep all the current power structures firmly in place. We can't seriously challenge the status quo if we don't study issues deeply from many different points of view, as we develop our opinions. Your careful research and documentation is such a joy precisely because it informs and awakens new ways to understand very complicated issues so that we CAN think and engage in a meaningful way with these subjects. And what a pleasure that is!!
Thank you for this very interesting and informative article. As we try to understand the history and 'meaning' of 'transsexualism', this fascinating discussion about the work of Janice G. Raymond, deepens our awareness of the many complexities involved. I believe that for many people, a wish to be 'open-minded' and not to hurt vulnerable people, has caused them to turn away from serious, good faith discussion of issues that must be explored. The affect of 'sex roles' as they perpetuate the pervasive abuse and harm done all over the world to women and girls (..and boys) must be part of these discussions. I particularly loved your discussion of 'dress reform': how women have fought being forced to wear unhealthy, restrictive clothing that makes them vulnerable, weak and even sick...while some men have adopted these same fashions in order to be/feel 'female'. Being female means to be weak?...vulnerable?...unable to move naturally? Hell no!! It is not easy or comfortable to think and to challenge the status quo, but if we are ever to get closer to the truth of our natures, we must do it. THANK YOU AGAIN for your powerful research and clear writing.
Thank you so much for your comment, Roberta! I agree that many people go along with transgenderism, specifically the medicalization, because they want to look “tolerant” and “open-minded.” As “sex roles” became “gender,” and “gender” became “gender identity,” there has been a strategic erasure of the original feminist analysis of how sex roles have engendered gender hierarchy, which has been so intertwined with sexuality. Increasingly, we have seen a “liberal” point of view that has worked to repress all radical critique and reinforce the associations of female-as-submissive and male-as-dominant—“sexual liberation” against women’s dignity. Liberalism comes easy when it comes to pornography and transgenderism. The problem, however, is that there are real ethical issues that we cannot discuss under what has become a “repressive tolerance.” I try my best with works, such as ones from Andrea Dworkin and Janice G. Raymond, that underscore how these issues specifically affect women and girls. Part of the ongoing difficulty, it seems, is the refusal to think, a stance against really thinking about the issues. In your documentary, Dworkin noted “a fierce reaction” in retaliation against those who challenge the status quo, that people do prefer lives without disturbance or bother. Tolerance is easier but deadlier as it alienates us from telling the truth. As she said, “What they had a stake in was not being disturbed and bothered by the conflict, by the challenge, by the language, by the happenings of what it takes when you start to tell the truth.” I so greatly appreciate friends like you who engage so deeply!
This 'refusal to think' has infected all aspects of our public discourse it seems. Engaging in respectful discussion/debate about ANYTHING has been mostly replaced with incoherent spectacles: people yelling over one another - attacking one another in the most demeaning ways. Exhausting!!...and gets us nowhere closer to understanding anything. And all of this serves very well to keep all the current power structures firmly in place. We can't seriously challenge the status quo if we don't study issues deeply from many different points of view, as we develop our opinions. Your careful research and documentation is such a joy precisely because it informs and awakens new ways to understand very complicated issues so that we CAN think and engage in a meaningful way with these subjects. And what a pleasure that is!!