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RE: The difference between tolerance, acceptance and celebration

It may be hard to lump all of the LGBTQ+ world into one category.

But as one example, my understanding is that most people become transgender because of a condition called "gender dysphoria". While probably a vast oversimplification, basically this is a condition in which you are born with a female brain in a male body or vice versa. This is a legitimate medical condition and in that regard can be though of in a similar context to other mental conditions like being bipolar etc. However, there is no real treatment for gender dysphoria (for the brain anyway). That leaves people with that condition with only a couple of options. Accept it and just live that way (which can be exceedingly difficult for them), or resort to "gender affirming" treatments which are imperfect and may include things as drastic as hormone treatment and surgery. The problem with these drastic treatments is that I think the jury is still out on how effective they are (in terms of leading to a better quality of life). For instance, it doesn't seem to reduce suicide rates.

Certainly I think such people should be tolerated and accepted. Celebrated? I don't know how that makes sense. Nobody is going around celebrating the fact that they are bi-polar or have cancer. Nobody would wish (or should wish) to have gender dysphoria. Though I could see it being celebrated in the sense of being a survivor.

But just because you don't easily make friends with someone who is transgender doesn't mean that you are necessarily transphobic. There really is a cultural divide with much of the transgender community (and gay/lesbian/etc. communities for that matter) having a culture all its own (this doesn't apply to all of course). Most people find it easier to make friends and close relationships with those more like them. I don't think that means you are 'phobic' in some way or a bigot/racist/sexist/whatever. Those labels only apply, in my opinion, if you think such people are inferior to you or deserve worse treatment in some way because of those things.

However, there is a fine line between acceptance and stupidity. I'm not using weird made-up pronouns. When I use 'he' or 'she' I am basing that on perceived biological sex. Also, when checking a box on a medical form you need to use your biological sex. What you identify as is irrelevant for medical purposes. Same goes for sports competitions. Males have certain advantages in certain sports because of biology. You shouldn't be able to identify as female to compete in female sports, gender affirming treatment or not.

As far as life changing decisions for minors, especially with regard to irreversible 'gender affirming' treatments, I tend to agree. I suppose I don't have enough medical knowledge for my opinion to mean much but treating pre-pubescent kids this way in particular seems dangerous. They don't have the emotional maturity to fully grasp the effect and long term consequences enough to give informed consent. Also, I'm not confident in the reliability of a "gender dysphoria" diagnosis at such a young age.

You mentioned ESG in a comment. I won't support companies by buying their products if they insist on preaching to me in some way. This first really started to annoy me back when Gillette was telling men not to beat their wives. I don't really drink the beer of the companies that have been weirdly promoting transgenderism and anti-sexism anyway. Not that I am pro-sexism or anything, I just don't see how using sex appeal in advertising = sexism. It's like saying if you are a male and you are attracted to scantily clad women then therefore you are sexist. I wonder if they know how the human species procreates...