Defining Female In Swarthmore
By Bob Small
There’s a cashier at our local Swarthmore grocery store, puts up a handwritten sign that asks people to address him with a choice of feminine pronouns. Not wanting to be labeled “Transphobic”, I said nothing, feeling gobsmacked.
This person is someone I only have a customer/cashier relationship with and do not know in any other way. I did try once to call him “sis”, but I felt like I was pandering so now I call him “you”, like in see you. I want to avoid being uncomfortable every time I buy groceries while at the same time I respect his right to self-definition, if that makes any sense.
This “uncomfortableness”, leads me to Vermont, where I have two friends, one long term and one newer and mostly electronic, who are frequently on opposite sides of the “Trans” issue. One of them is Trans.
First, of all, one note of explanation, the trans identifying 14 -year-old student, “Rabbit” whose presence in the girls locker room is what my generation would of called “pre-op” or possibly even “transvestite” or, a “junior drag queen.”
Here’s some articles explaining the kerfuffle, keeping in mind that the Daily Signal is affiliated with the right-leaning Heritage Foundation
Vermont High School Under Fire Over Trans Student In Girls’ Locker Room
Vermont School District Suspends Father of Girl Who Pushed Back Against
Randolph high school backs down over transgender incident after ADF files lawsuit
Let us be clear that”Rabbit” was only doing what Vermont state law permits “State Law allows the students to use locker rooms and bathrooms that align with their stated gender identity”
For “Rabbit’s” version of the story, listen to this podcast which Marina was kind enough to send to me.
Travis Allen, father to one of the female complainers, was suspended from his position as Randolph Soccer coach for using a male pronoun to refer to “Rabbit”.
At one point, the girls who complained were scheduled for a “restorative circle” to understand the rights of “transgender students to access public accommodations in a manner consistent with their self proclaimed gender identity”. Then there’s Outright Vermont.
Returning to sleepy Swarthmore, I’m not afraid of being “flagged” from the store unless I use the correct pronoun but I am worried that Vermont (and other states) haven’t figured out ways to protect everyone’s rights. Transgender students should have their rights respected but so should everyone else.
The situation in Pennsylvania schools is more muddled and deserves a separate post.
Sorry, I’m not into assisting others with upholding their self-delusions and wrong thoughts. Call it what you will but I’m not going to be playing along with their headgames….
I agree 100%. It’s not a kindness to allow another to live in delusion. Frankly, it’s immoral to consent to another’s view that you feel is not true or fail to point out that he is in the wrong by disrespecting those who don’t see things his way.
Regardless of what one feels inside it is not a burden to demand that he use the private places designed for his biology.
You’re right. It’s not kind or moral to go along with helping others live a life of deception.
I use the pronouns that were assigned at birth by our Creator for everyone. Even if they are serious enough to have gender reassignment surgery, that does not change their gender. All it does is mutilate the body.
There are so many cases of people who “transitioned” (again, something that is not possible) who later want to de-transition after they come to their senses. Case in point:
https://billlawrenceonline.com/chris-beck-still-a-man/
It is sad for those who have gone ahead and destroyed themselves because there really is no going back.
Some of you may say that I am dismissive and disrespectful. I say to you that I am true to myself and will not condone idiocy in any form, no matter how many people support that idiocy.
Transgender is a mental health issue. As such, coddling these people who need serious counseling and other help is only doing them a disservice. Period.
Exactly!