A teacher was explaining on TikTok his “trans closet” that he uses with the children he teaches: students come to school dressed by their parents, and then go into the trans closet to change into “who they really are.”
He explains this by likening it to Clark Kent going into the phone booth to change into Superman, “who he really is.”
Setting aside the question of Clark’s true identity, the analogy fails utterly because “who Superman is” is a function of his Kryptonian biology.
Setting aside the question of Clark’s true identity, the analogy fails utterly because “who Superman is” is a function of his Kryptonian biology.
Superman is invulnerable, can fly, is vulnerable to Kryptonite BECAUSE HE IS BIOLOGICALLY KRYPTONIAN.
If would be sheer nonsense for Superman to think “identifying as” human would protect him from Kryptonite
If would be sheer nonsense for Superman to think “identifying as” human would protect him from Kryptonite
The best analogy to trans is Captain Marvel's Uncle Dudley: the old fraud he shouts SHAZAM! and then quickly changes his clothes, and has no actual powers.
The Marvel family humors him, because he means well, but that humoring would not include putting him in real danger.
The Marvel family humors him, because he means well, but that humoring would not include putting him in real danger.
Because, whatever you want to say about what it means "to be a Marvel" and whether or not Uncle Dudley "identifies as a Marvel" — nothing happens when he says "SHAZAM."
Everyone understands he isn't a Marvel in this crucial sense.
The word they all use is "fraud."
Everyone understands he isn't a Marvel in this crucial sense.
The word they all use is "fraud."
Uncle Dudley is a "loveable old fraud" but that still makes him a fraud.
Uncle Dudley is a comedic character, because he so clearly is not what he pretends he is.
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