Yesterday evening saw an interesting chat with French colleagues about adapting to gender neutrality/gender changes in a language where so much is gendered.
It seems we may have it easier in English.
French extends beyond pronouns into nouns, adjectives etc. Not even ‘they’ is neutral.
The week before saw a comparison of gendered words between different gendered languages (French v Russian).
Example: Is ‘boat’ masculine across gendered languages? English language convention sees ‘boat’ (and other vehicles?) as feminine, despite no gendered noun.
In societies where third gender categories exist, what language structures apply to that category? @HJoyceGender ?
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I blocked Dope because he could not entertain a discussion that wasn’t on his terms within his framework.
I don’t accept his framework. And because he wouldn’t discuss a single thing within mine, it was pointless.
Because he wouldn’t discuss anything outside of his own narrow ideology, I am left with no idea whether he even understands that my framework is different to his.
His repeated questions indicate he seems to think they were natural progressions of my framework.
They were not.
I and others have discussed - at length, ad nauseum - about how reducing sex to a composite tally of characteristics is ideological.
It is an abuse of the system in use to describe the sometimes incongruent reproductive biology of those with DSDs.
Clownfish. Some dominant males can change their biological sex to female. We know they have switched sex because they change their gonad tissue, stop making sperm and start making eggs.
Two sexes? Yes.
Sex change? Yes.
Trans Nemo? He’s way down the pecking order of “dominant male”. Doubtful clownfish have gender identities.
Ruff. Males have three different body types/behaviours, one is mimicking females (males pretending to be females is not exactly unique). We know it is a male pretending to be female because he makes sperm.
Two sexes? Yes.
Sex change? No.
Tranimal? Maybe, if transgenderism is based on gendered stereotypes, and we keep getting told it definitely isn’t ever based on stereotypes, so no.
1. We disagree with the assertion that the IOC framework [fairness, inclusion, and nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity and sex variations] is consistent with existing scientific/medical evidence and question its recommendations for implementation.
2. Testosterone exposure in male development:
--> physical differences between male and female bodies
--> male athletic advantage in muscle mass, strength and power, and endurance and aerobic capacity.
The IOC's “no presumption of advantage” principle disregards this reality.
3. Studies show that transgender women (male-born individuals who identify as women) with suppressed testosterone retain muscle mass, strength, and other physical advantages compared to females.
Male performance advantage cannot be eliminated with testosterone suppression.
What does “feeling 80% female” actually feel like?
Is it only 80% of your clitoris being sliced off in childhood? Maybe 80% probability of being kidnapped to warlords? You bleed through your knickers 4/5 periods? Only 80% of men try to control your fertility?
Female people - women - are real human beings, my friend.
We aren’t a feeling, whether 100%, 80% or 0.01% of the time.
We are not 80% of a skirt, or 80% nurturing, or 80% good at fucking handwriting.
Do you have any concept - any? - of how it feels to be female and see a man talk about our material reality as if it’s something you can wake up to and feel about four fifths of?
Here @SkyNews repeat one of the most pervasive lies in sport, and one that has held back honest (and admittedly often uncomfortable) discussion about male bodies with male advantage in female sport.
@SkyNews I say precisely nothing about Semenya’s legal and social status.
I say this very precisely: Semenya is male with a DSD. That DSD does not affect male development that is relevant for sports performance. Males with this DSD should not be eligible for female categories.