What We Can Learn from the Latest Outrages Over Gender Identity

 

Mario Lopez and Carissa Pinkston.

Perhaps this pair of stories could be overlooked as forgettable examples of George Orwell’s “Two Minutes Hate”—the daily, formal pause during which citizens of a fictional utopia spewed outrage at their enemy—but to ignore them would be at our own peril.

Taken alone or together, they’re a frightening 1-2 punch of intolerance, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. One might say that America seems only moments away from having its own “Two Minutes Hate.”

In the more recent story, Access Hollywood host Mario Lopez was smothered in tweeted outrage over comments he made a month earlier on podcaster Candace Owens’ show, where he suggested that it was “dangerous” to allow a three-year-old to choose his or her own gender.

It took a mere matter of hours for a Twitter mob to force an apology from Lopez. Speaking with People Magazine, Lopez repudiated his earlier comments as “ignorant and insensitive,” promising his audience—and employers at Access Hollywood—that “[m]oving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.”

Lopez’ story follows the now well-worn path of ginned-up outrage. An unremarkable statement of fact. Manufactured hysteria. Prostrate renunciation.

Given the overwhelming force gender ideologues were willing to apply to Lopez, his mea culpa is easy to understand. He didn’t ask for a fight. He just misjudged how far “progressives” had progressed on the issue of gender ideology.

But compare Lopez’s situation to that of Carissa Pinkston. A 20-year-old professional model, Pinkston was similarly put on blast for posting on her personal Facebook (where she’s known as “Rissa Danielle”) that “Being Transgender does NOT make you a Woman. It makes you simply Transgender.”

The next day—in May 2019—Pinkston tried clarifying her point with a follow-up post, where she conceded the idea that a man can become a woman “in a Transgender context” but not “[i]n a biological context” where there are only “Females and Males.”

As with Lopez, Pinkston would eventually discover that there’s no gray area for the gatekeepers of gender ideology. Even the slightest disagreement with the new gender orthodoxy is not tolerated. After all, as Pinkston pointed out in the same post, “This is the world in 2019.”

Once those comments were unearthed, Pinkston, like Lopez, faced such a furious backlash—one that she says included multiple death threats—that she took mandatory apologies to a whole new level. Rather than simply bowing to pressure and apologizing, she instead claimed to be transgender herself, a move that was immediately, ferociously, and decisively debunked by fellow models, including at least one prominent man who identifies as a woman.

Increasingly, this is the brand of intolerance Americans encounter when they offer even the slightest resistance to the notion that a man can become a woman based on his belief. The situation on college campuses, where tenured professors have been fired for raising basic questions about children and gender identity, has reached the point where a group of philosophers—including even the notably controversial Princeton ethicist Peter Singer—have felt the need to sign a statement calling on college administrations to allow for open conversation on gender identity.

It’s why a women’s shelter in Anchorage, AK, is being threatened in order to force it to house biological men three feet from vulnerable women in a shared, overnight sleeping facility.

Finally, it’s why the owner of a fifth-generation funeral home in Detroit is being forced to argue his case in the Supreme Court this fall. The owner, Tom Rost, was sued by the government—and now by the ACLU—after turning down a demand from a long-term male funeral director who insisted he would dress as a woman while serving grieving families.

When it comes to gender identity, tolerance is in short supply. But perhaps when a dozen philosophers—including Singer, whose arguments in favor of infanticide crown his life’s work—speak out in favor of renewed civility rather than silencing opponents through slander and name-calling, it means a turning point is at hand.

Whether it’s Singer, Lopez, or Pinkston speaking, no American has any obligation to pay them any mind whatsoever. What they deserve is the freedom to speak their mind without fearing either threats of violence or government censorship. After all, that freedom belongs to us all.

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  1. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Jay Hobbs: What they deserve is the freedom to speak their mind without fearing either threats of violence or government censorship.

    Any commenter who is attacked by an outraged Twitter mob should tell them to drop dead.

    Most of the mob is composed of Twitter bots anyway . . .

    • #1
  2. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Jay Hobbs: Increasingly, this is the brand of intolerance Americans encounter when they offer even the slightest resistance to the notion that a man can become a woman based on his belief. The situation on college campuses, where tenured professors have been fired for raising basic questions about children and gender identity, has reached the point where a group of philosophers—including even the notably controversial Princeton ethicist Peter Singer—have felt the need to sign a statement calling on college administrations to allow for open conversation on gender identity.

    Jay,

    This is getting extremely dangerous. Very young children are easily influenced by adult ideologues who have no interest in their long term health or happiness. The children must be protected from this and we are reaching a point at which a choice must be made between a psychotic gender ideology or the ordinary values that have served Western Civilization so well for so long.

    The ideologues are forcing the issue. They must be legally faced down directly or this society will become unlivable.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #2
  3. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Jay Hobbs: When it comes to gender identity, tolerance is in short supply.

    I find it endlessly fascinating that the left calls conservatives “intolerant.”

    • #3
  4. Jay Hobbs Member
    Jay Hobbs
    @Jay Hobbs

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Jay Hobbs: Increasingly, this is the brand of intolerance Americans encounter when they offer even the slightest resistance to the notion that a man can become a woman based on his belief. The situation on college campuses, where tenured professors have been fired for raising basic questions about children and gender identity, has reached the point where a group of philosophers—including even the notably controversial Princeton ethicist Peter Singer—have felt the need to sign a statement calling on college administrations to allow for open conversation on gender identity.

    Jay,

    This is getting extremely dangerous. Very young children are easily influenced by adult ideologues who have no interest in their long term health or happiness. The children must be protected from this and we are reaching a point at which a choice must be made between a psychotic gender ideology or the ordinary values that have served Western Civilization so well for so long.

    The ideologues are forcing the issue. They must be legally faced down directly or this society will become unlivable.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Agreed. When Peter Singer is the voice of reason, you know things have gotten pretty bad.

    • #4
  5. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Jay Hobbs (View Comment):

    James Gawron (View Comment):

    Jay Hobbs: Increasingly, this is the brand of intolerance Americans encounter when they offer even the slightest resistance to the notion that a man can become a woman based on his belief. The situation on college campuses, where tenured professors have been fired for raising basic questions about children and gender identity, has reached the point where a group of philosophers—including even the notably controversial Princeton ethicist Peter Singer—have felt the need to sign a statement calling on college administrations to allow for open conversation on gender identity.

    Jay,

    This is getting extremely dangerous. Very young children are easily influenced by adult ideologues who have no interest in their long term health or happiness. The children must be protected from this and we are reaching a point at which a choice must be made between a psychotic gender ideology or the ordinary values that have served Western Civilization so well for so long.

    The ideologues are forcing the issue. They must be legally faced down directly or this society will become unlivable.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Agreed. When Peter Singer is the voice of reason, you know things have gotten pretty bad.

    Jay,

    Agreed.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #5
  6. Ray Kujawa Coolidge
    Ray Kujawa
    @RayKujawa

    Even without allowing the possibility of medical or physical alterations, active discouragement of any child from engaging their natural sexuality is at the very least misguided and irresponsible. It does become dangerous when taking any action that could have long term adverse consequences, physically or psychologically. For me it appears the protesters are unable to disassociate their personal situations from that of a small child. It really shows their lack of maturity and social disconnectedness with the rest of the world.

    • #6
  7. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Do not employ them, do not cater to them, do not call obvious he’s and she’s she’s and he’s.

    Tolerating this for the purpose of civility is putting innocents at serious risk. If you care more about the anger of the outrage mob than the safety of children, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

    • #7
  8. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    Jay Hobbs: What We Can Learn from the Latest Outrages Over Gender Identity

    Bullying works!

    • #8
  9. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Can’t we do the Ben Shapiro thing where we disagree with transgender ideology and mutilating your junk while being nice to trans people? Obviously we need to stick with the Truth no matter what but can’t we be nice without lying? 

    • #9
  10. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Ray Kujawa (View Comment):
    Even without allowing the possibility of medical or physical alterations, active discouragement of any child from engaging their natural sexuality is at the very least misguided and irresponsible.

    Aren’t humans terrible and shouldn’t they be discouraged from most of their natural impulses?

    • #10
  11. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    Stina (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Do not employ them, do not cater to them, do not call obvious he’s and she’s she’s and he’s.

    Tolerating this for the purpose of civility is putting innocents at serious risk. If you care more about the anger of the outrage mob than the safety of children, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

    This is the only way to stop it. The current situation exists because school administrators, HR directors, local politicians and the like fear the left more than conservatives. They know that crossing the left will make their lives miserable, unlike running afoul of conservatives. Therefore they take the path of least resistance. They are not ideologically driven, they’re just lazy. When the path of least resistance changes, the tide will turn. It’s just really hard to imagine how that could happen. 

    • #11
  12. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Do not employ them, do not cater to them, do not call obvious he’s and she’s she’s and he’s.

    Tolerating this for the purpose of civility is putting innocents at serious risk. If you care more about the anger of the outrage mob than the safety of children, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

    This is the only way to stop it. The current situation exists because school administrators, HR directors, local politicians and the like fear the left more than conservatives. They know that crossing the left will make their lives miserable, unlike running afoul of conservatives. Therefore they take the path of least resistance. They are not ideologically driven, they’re just lazy. When the path of least resistance changes, the tide will turn. It’s just really hard to imagine how that could happen.

    There is a reason that your Mom used to say that, “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

    • #12
  13. David Foster Member
    David Foster
    @DavidFoster

    Above and beyond this specific issue…there are an awful lot of people who seem to get much of their satisfaction in life from the furious denunciation of others.

    Of course, there have always been such people…are there more of them now, or are they just more visible because of the amplifier effect of social media?

    • #13
  14. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Can’t we do the Ben Shapiro thing where we disagree with transgender ideology and mutilating your junk while being nice to trans people? Obviously we need to stick with the Truth no matter what but can’t we be nice without lying?

    They won’t let you.

    You can think your nice, but you are actually an incredibly hateful person.

    Better to just own up to it instead of trying to prove your nicest, lest you give the cow away with the milk.

    • #14
  15. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):
    There is a reason that your Mom used to say that, “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

    It’s not wrong to treat liars like liars.

    Let me elaborate – tolerating liars leads to those seeking the truth not knowing what the truth is. Who were you nice to? The liars. Who were you not nice to? The people trying to find the truth.

    Who is it you are trying to be nice to? Depraved liars with worm tongues, leading innocents down unretractable paths? Or the innocents?

    • #15
  16. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Can’t we do the Ben Shapiro thing where we disagree with transgender ideology and mutilating your junk while being nice to trans people? Obviously we need to stick with the Truth no matter what but can’t we be nice without lying?

    Problem is, they get to define ‘nice’ and they are defining it as ‘doing it our way’. And the problem with doing it their way is that they update their absolutist rules constantly. 

    • #16
  17. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Do not employ them, do not cater to them, do not call obvious he’s and she’s she’s and he’s.

    Tolerating this for the purpose of civility is putting innocents at serious risk. If you care more about the anger of the outrage mob than the safety of children, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

    This is the only way to stop it. The current situation exists because school administrators, HR directors, local politicians and the like fear the left more than conservatives. They know that crossing the left will make their lives miserable, unlike running afoul of conservatives. Therefore they take the path of least resistance. They are not ideologically driven, they’re just lazy. When the path of least resistance changes, the tide will turn. It’s just really hard to imagine how that could happen.

    So are you saying that we should start terrorizing (legally) our government officials? 

    Because I’m on board with that. We’ll get nothing unless we become the squeakier wheel. 

    • #17
  18. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    David Foster (View Comment):

    Above and beyond this specific issue…there are an awful lot of people who seem to get much of their satisfaction in life from the furious denunciation of others.

    Of course, there have always been such people…are there more of them now, or are they just more visible because of the amplifier effect of social media?

    I think both – because of the amplifying effect, more people get in on the game and find it satisfying. 

    • #18
  19. TBA Coolidge
    TBA
    @RobtGilsdorf

    TBA (View Comment):

    David Foster (View Comment):

    Above and beyond this specific issue…there are an awful lot of people who seem to get much of their satisfaction in life from the furious denunciation of others.

    Of course, there have always been such people…are there more of them now, or are they just more visible because of the amplifier effect of social media?

    I think both – because of the amplifying effect, more people get in on the game and find it satisfying.

    How many #metoos before one wholly becomes? 

    • #19
  20. Bob W Member
    Bob W
    @WBob

    TBA (View Comment):

    Bob W (View Comment):

    Stina (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Do not employ them, do not cater to them, do not call obvious he’s and she’s she’s and he’s.

    Tolerating this for the purpose of civility is putting innocents at serious risk. If you care more about the anger of the outrage mob than the safety of children, you are a sorry excuse for a human being.

    This is the only way to stop it. The current situation exists because school administrators, HR directors, local politicians and the like fear the left more than conservatives. They know that crossing the left will make their lives miserable, unlike running afoul of conservatives. Therefore they take the path of least resistance. They are not ideologically driven, they’re just lazy. When the path of least resistance changes, the tide will turn. It’s just really hard to imagine how that could happen.

    So are you saying that we should start terrorizing (legally) our government officials?

    Because I’m on board with that. We’ll get nothing unless we become the squeakier wheel.

    Basically yes, that is what I’m saying. Somehow, they have to start fearing the right in the way they fear the left. A zeitgeist has to develop where people are instinctively not afraid to say politically incorrect things. How that could possibly happen is hard to imagine since the left controls most of the media and “the narrative”. I can only hope that at some point the left will go a bridge too far and the pushback will begin, but I would have thought that would have happened long ago. 

    • #20
  21. CarolJoy, Above Top Secret Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Above Top Secret
    @CarolJoy

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    Jay Hobbs: What We Can Learn from the Latest Outrages Over Gender Identity

    Bullying works!

    Yes and the brilliance of whatever pied piper is leading The Charge on Western Civ is that it is cloaked in virtue.

    “You and your emotional tone deafness are most offensive to the trans community. Your failure to accept all the theorems and corollaries regarding the rights of the trans gendered is damaging to the mental emotional and physical well being of we who are trans.”

    The trans community then unites with the members of the New Left. They demand that those not in agreement with them learn to shut up, as micro aggressions are not allowed.

    Notice the word “insult” has been replaced by micro aggression. An insult has to do with hurt feelings. A micro aggression keys the offense of not sharing someone else’s viewpoint into the arena of violence. Then the New Left demands the offending person or group either shut up on their own or be shamed into silence. The owners of social media, like Zuckerberg of Facebook can then de-monetize and outright censor.

    • #21
  22. CarolJoy, Above Top Secret Coolidge
    CarolJoy, Above Top Secret
    @CarolJoy

    TBA (View Comment):

    Henry Castaigne (View Comment):

    Vance Richards (View Comment):

    I know this is anathema to the right, but perhaps it’s time we be as intolerant as the left thinks we are on gender identity.

    Shame them into accepting biological reality like they are shaming us. It violates no laws. It doesn’t involve government. It does mean starching our disused backbones and using our rusty voices.

    Can’t we do the Ben Shapiro thing where we disagree with transgender ideology and mutilating your junk while being nice to trans people? Obviously we need to stick with the Truth no matter what but can’t we be nice without lying?

    Problem is, they get to define ‘nice’ and they are defining it as ‘doing it our way’. And the problem with doing it their way is that they update their absolutist rules constantly.

    Yes that is the bigger problem. And so often, when they update the rules, the media incorporates the new rules and concerns into not just the news but also TV programming.

    • #22
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