Susan's Place Transgender Resources

** trigger warning **

Op-ed:Transgenders on the march: Reality disappears and only feelings count
Ernest Istook - - Wednesday, October 15, 2014

"Reality doesn't matter in government anymore. It's feelings that count, as promoted by heavy doses of propaganda.

The biggest example is the transgender/gender identity movement. It proclaims that you can choose your own gender and switch it whenever you wish. Others must bend their behavior to your behavior."

More: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/15/transgenders-march-reality-disappears-and-only-fee/

After reading this I see that the author is the one that's ignoring reality in order to publish his feelings. At least the first few comments at the end of the article are taking him to task for this poorly written hit piece.

I left a comment of my own. Actually refreshing that a conservative newspaper like this is drawing mixed comments.

The guy who wrote this, a former Republican congressman from Oklahoma, lacks the ability to use basic reasoning and logic. It is a supreme example of the slippery slope fallacy. Giving transgender people rights does not mean that we are going to start letting people who think that they are Warren Buffet withdraw money from his account or other stupid stuff like that, but that is the argument that he is seriously making.

As for 'reality', we have science to investigate reality, and what we have found, among other things, is that the neuro-anatomy of MtFs is comparable to that of women instead of men. Transgender people are not denying reality or 'choosing' to be trans. They are as a result of biology. That is reality.

This is really just irrational bigotry and fear-mongering. Try not to get too worked up over it anyone. This kind of politician is a dying breed.

I began posting in the comment section. Despite the eugenic stuff (which made me sick), the following exchange with someone whose views disgusted me actually ended up brightening my day:

Quote
Suzi • a day ago
How can Mr. Istook be so sure that current medical understanding is incorrect? All indications are that transgender individuals have brains that are wired to identify as a gender different from their body sex. How does Mr. Istook know such wiring isn't "reality"? Is it possible that reality DOES matter and that government no longer wants citizens whose reality includes being born transgender from being able fully to contribute to our country?
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Largicus Biggus  • 17 hours ago
I was supposed to have been born with a large breast protruding from my forehead. GIVE ME MY RIGHTS and YES I will proudly walk down the street showing my head-titty!
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Suzi  • 17 hours ago
I'm assuming by your tone that you ridicule the idea that someone could be born with a gender identity wired into their brain that is at odds with their body sex. How can you be so sure that this doesn't happen?
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Largicus Biggus  • 17 hours ago
Actually it may be the truth. All that means is that they are deformed. Deformities used to be bred out of the race... now...the human race is getting sicker and sicker.
Perhaps they should study how to the rewire the brain... the problem is that they don't want that... they want whatever they want and see an opportunity to get it.

But really, how do you know I don't have something wrong with my brain and really DO want a head-titty?
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Suzi  • 17 hours ago
I don't, LB. That's why, if there were a population of folks who suffered unhappiness due to such a disorder, and no other treatment seemed to help, I'd like to believe that I'd have the compassion to try the treatment that works. I also would hope I'd have the decency to treat them as human beings and allow them to hold jobs, rent safe housing, and enjoy their lives, and to help protect them from those who would deny them those things.
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Largicus Biggus  • 5 minutes ago
You know something... I 100% agree.

It's quite telling how some folks love to carry on about "reality" and "scientific fact", until someone comes along and points out that the decades of real scientific research points to this being a real, treatable medical condition. Then it's "Well, uh, but... well I don't believe it! They should keep trying the same crap that has repeatedly failed to work, despite having found a successful treatment! Keep trying until they can accept their birth sex!" Whose feelings trump reality, now?

arent feelings real and part of the reality ?

Quote from: suzifrommd on October 16, 2014, 09:19:21 AM
I left a comment of my own. Actually refreshing that a conservative newspaper like this is drawing mixed comments.

So did I. But the amount of people that are so ignorant is absolutely sickening.

Warped logic!?  I love the smell of irony in the afternoon.

How dare we trample the bigots' right to discriminate against us and treat us like third class citizens.

/sarc

And I love the comment about breeding us out of the race. *headdesk*  How many of us came from cishet parents?

I'm also guessing that Istook wrote that so his colleagues wouldn't ever suspect that he's a closet ->-bleeped-<-, or even trans.

Methinks he doth protest too much.