30 Terrible Ways to Express ‘Skepticism’ of Transgender People

I will tell you how I generated this list. It’s not random.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Do cisgender “skeptics” who are “critical” of transgender people make very bad arguments? Do they ever. I’ve divided this list into “11 Bad Ways to Get Started,” “6 Similarities Between Anti-Gay and Anti-Transgender Arguments,” and “13 Additional Bad Arguments.”

I didn’t generate this list haphazardly. I collected these observations in a specific way. Read to the bottom and I’ll tell you where they came from.

11 Bad Ways to Get Started

• When people reveal their feelings, explain their needs, and defend their rights, don’t portray them as “extremist” or “radical.” Don’t say they misunderstand their own feelings, don’t threaten their ability to fulfill their needs, and don’t undermine their political rights — and, if you insist on arguing against them this way, don’t claim you are “centrist” or “moderate.” This is not a correct dichotomy. Similarly, don’t say they’re rocking the boat while you’re trying to stabilize it. They are not “activists” for asserting their basic needs and beliefs, and you are not a “traditionalist” for getting in their way. Their lives don’t need to be diminished, and you aren’t a hero for undercutting them.