of course on the day my essay finally comes out unpacking/critiquing this Jonathan Chait quote from 2 weeks ago, he's moved onto pundit-ing about the lab-leak theory haha...
...omg, Chait has somehow managed to link the lab-leak theory to "rushing kids into hormones & surgeries" – because of course he has! #GalaxyPunditBrain
...in thinking about it, I guess the two issues (origin of Covid19 & efficacy of gender-affirming care) have 3 things in common: 1) experts in the field largely in consensus, 2) the few who disagree are given disproportionate attention (either by ppl with racist or transphobic...
if you are so obsessed with a stranger's genitals that, when they say something rather mundane, you imagine that they have made a ridiculous statement about their genitals, then perhaps you're the one who's the sexual threat, not them?
...some confirmation regarding who is the real threat here:
let's be clear: they're critiquing this study b/c it found *too low* of a regret rate. but if the study showed a 5% or 10% regret rate for gender-affirming surgeries (what Megan calls "normal" here) you *know* that they'd be screaming about how high & unsafe that would be...
...FYI I don't think Singal or McArdle are TERFs. but it's the same circular logic. no result or interpretation would please them other than "transitioning is bad & people shouldn't do it no matter how much it improves their lives"...
...a few ppl (seemingly Singal-stans) are asking me pointed questions about the methodology. I haven't read this study yet (b/c paywall), but I can say two things: 1) the 0.3% result is in line with this meta-analysis of 72 studies showing... whatweknow.inequality.cornell.edu/topics/lgbt-eq…
...as a related aside, as a longtime trans writer & activist, I think it's super-important to know who your audience is, what their assumptions are, what you are hoping to achieve, and to tailor your article accordingly...
...e.g., I've written a lot about trans-exclusion from feminism & gay liberation. if I'm writing *for* those communities (e.g., in a feminist or queer outlet), I can get away with airing differences in a more forceful manner, as it's a "family affair" (so to speak)...
apropos of something, here's an essay I wrote back in 2017. the title conveys my mood at the moment: "stop pitting detransitoners against happily transitioned people"... juliaserano.blogspot.com/2017/06/stop-p…
...as a general rule, most trans ppl have friends & acquaintances who have detransitioned/retransitioned (for a variety of reasons) & we are supportive of them. I welcome any & all research to further understanding & address their needs...
...I don't doubt that *some* trans ppl harbor negative attitudes toward detrans ppl. just as *some* detrans ppl harbor negative attitudes toward trans ppl (e.g., those who align w/anti-trans movements & work to undermine GAC: slate.com/human-interest…)...
while I was away, we apparently had both "bisexual women" & "dick energy" Discourses™. while I'm loath to weigh in directly (as both are complicated + I don't know all the specifics), this discusses unconscious meanings we project onto both (no-paywall): juliaserano.medium.com/penises-privil…
...& this related essay explains why conservatives gratuitously smear all #LGBTQ+ ppl "gr00mers" while simultaneously embracing actual gr00mers like Andrew Tate (hint: it's not about sexual exploitation/abuse, it's about stigma-contamination; no-paywall): juliaserano.medium.com/anti-trans-gro…
...both these essays draw heavily from my latest book Sexed Up: How Society Sexualizes Us, and How We Can Fight Back. if you're interested in learning more, this chapter-by-chapter preview summarizes the book and all topics covered therein (no-paywall): juliaserano.medium.com/sexed-up-a-cha…