121–130 of 156 posts
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No, it's not. "Ms" was absolutely a new dialect, and was similarly scorned by many as it gained popularity, and those who chose to use it where often derided as lesbian, feminist, or otherwise.
Don’t read anything about the plot, it will spoil it. Don’t read the Wikipedia article.
It’s a science fiction novel. Relatively short.
The book will hit you differently, depending on your age.
It’s messed with me for weeks and it’s still messing with me.
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This is extremely similar what anti LGB people were also saying in how they were contrasting it to the civil rights movement. Also similar to what the anti-civil rights movement were saying when contrasting it to the end of slavery. Here, let me show it: "This also highlights the huge difference between the "Abolitionist Movement" and "Civil Rights". The abolitionist movement just asked society to leave them alone. N…
Please could you explain in more detail why you think this is analogous? I'm not seeing it. All you've done is slot some different words into his tweet and asserted that the meaning is similar. How, exactly? Also, your original claim was that Hughes is "against trans people being able to exist in this world" which you haven't provided any proof of. That tweet I quoted shows his actual expressed views, which refutes t…
We've been through this ride before. We're going through this ride again. Bigots, like that author, will lose and history will not look kindly upon them.
However, for now, they get to act as an "enlightened rationalist", and sell books to people so people can justify their discomfort against trans folks.
These enlightened rationalists aren't new. Again, I'm saying that what history provides us is seeing the patterns of behavior and speech.
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Let me more specifically target that tweet you've sent. Trans people make up such a small number of people, and an even smaller percentage of those would be interested in professional sports. Spending this much time having a moral freakout over this, when there's practically no "unfairness" happening in any mainstream sports is telling.
This moral outrage has now led to invasive "tests" women have to go through before they participate in multiple sports at an international level. This outrage has caused a proliferation of false claims lodged against women who just, simply do well in sports and don't fall within the very subjectively defined "gender identity".
For example, what Imane Khelif went through is a damned outrage. Has this author taken responsibility of what their rhetoric might mean to so called "real women" that he's claiming to be so supportive of?
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Now as for the language. As society shifts, and attitudes towards culture changes, our language also changes. It wasn't that far ago where words like the n-word were very common place in American culture. Now, if you're using that you will be considered a bigot. If I'm to take this author at face value, that's somehow supposedly a bad thing?
This is similar to actively, and maliciously, misgendering someone. It's just not reached that level of understanding in society yet.
Language is a living and breathing thing. The meanings of words change over time. How acceptable a phrase is changes over time. Folks crying about this are, at best just scared of change, at worst trying to monetize other folks' fear of change. I believe this author falls into the latter here.
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It's not just his tweets, he's set his career around this issue (https://youtu.be/WDFXPlv-R_s). For someone who wants to be less _social justice_, he sure spends a lot of time talking about issues that ultimately are not relevant for 99% of the population, and is just part of the culture war himself.
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No, it's not. "Ms" was absolutely a new dialect, and was similarly scorned by many as it gained popularity, and those who chose to use it where often derided as lesbian, feminist, or otherwise.
Right, so it's not analogous to women wanting to be called Mr, which is an already-existing word used to refer to men.
You're going to be called bigoted because that's simply where culture is heading. You either own up to that judgement others have of you, or you realize you live in a society and certain behaviors are _not okay_.
You have the freedom to be _subjectively_ a bigot.
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No he isn't, here's a recent tweet of his that explains his position: "This also highlights the huge difference between the "LGB" and the "T''. The gay rights movement just asked society to leave them alone and let them get married. No impositions on my life. The trans movement demands that I adopt their new dialect (or I'm a bigot) and allow males to play in girls sports (or I'm a bigot). Big impositions." https://x…
This is extremely similar what anti LGB people were also saying in how they were contrasting it to the civil rights movement. Also similar to what the anti-civil rights movement were saying when contrasting it to the end of slavery. Here, let me show it: "This also highlights the huge difference between the "Abolitionist Movement" and "Civil Rights". The abolitionist movement just asked society to leave them alone. N…
Seeing this reminds me of something I'm not proud of. I've done effectively no reading this year. At least not by my normal standards. I generally read between 30-50 books a year (mix of fiction and non-fiction). But this year I knew my focus was going to be more on research, reading papers, writing code, etc. so I set my reading goal lower than normal (I usually set it to like 75, knowing that that's a bit aspiratio…
You know, I misread your opening sentence at first and thought you said you are proud of this. And I gotta say, I've considered a few times lowering my "target" books read per year, to make more time for studying, reading articles, etc. And I totally thought that's what you were doing since you mentioned reading papers, research etc. And I was super proud on your behalf for doing that. So anyway, just popping in to s…
My reads this year with my personal ratings: Greg Egan, Diaspora (7/10) Dan Simmons, Hyperion 1-4 (9/10) James S.A. Corey, Leviathan Wakes (6/10) Scott Alexander, Unsong (7/10) Qtmn, Ra (7/10) Qtmn, Fine Structure (6/10) Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary (6/10) Wildbow, Worm (8/10)
The Hyperion series is spectacular and a must-read for any scifi enjoyer.
Pilgrims?
A random monster?
WTH?!
But it was very sci-fi-y in the end. Interesting concepts, not too soft on the science.
Loved it.
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Right, so it's not analogous to women wanting to be called Mr, which is an already-existing word used to refer to men.
Then, simply, don't use Mr with them. You're going to be called bigoted because that's simply where culture is heading. You either own up to that judgement others have of you, or you realize you live in a society and certain behaviors are _not okay_. You have the freedom to be _subjectively_ a bigot.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Please could you explain in more detail why you think this is analogous? I'm not seeing it. All you've done is slot some different words into his tweet and asserted that the meaning is similar. How, exactly? Also, your original claim was that Hughes is "against trans people being able to exist in this world" which you haven't provided any proof of. That tweet I quoted shows his actual expressed views, which refutes t…
Dictating to trans people about _how they get to live_ is the process of saying they can't co-exist in this world. It is the insinuation that they are _separate but equal_. We've been through this ride before. We're going through this ride again. Bigots, like that author, will lose and history will not look kindly upon them. However, for now, they get to act as an "enlightened rationalist", and sell books to people s…
This isn't about "how they get to live". For instance, if a male wants to dress in clothing designed for female wearers and adopt a name more commonly used by women and girls then the vast majority of people will live and let live, and happily co-exist. It's not a problem.
However it becomes a problem when encroaching on the rights of others. The female category in sports is a great example because exclusion of males is the entire rationale, as this provides women and girls with a competitive space that is fairer and safer than if it is mixed-sex. Allowing males into the category - which effectively destroys it - has a negative impact on female athletes. So of course there is going to be opposition to this.
"This moral outrage has now led to invasive 'tests' women have to go through before they participate in multiple sports at an international level. This outrage has caused a proliferation of false claims lodged against women who just, simply do well in sports and don't fall within the very subjectively defined 'gender identity'."
Screening for sex can be done with a cheek swab. This is vastly less invasive than the anti-doping tests athletes must take, which involves having blood taken and urinating in a cup while someone watches.
"For example, what Imane Khelif went through is a damned outrage. Has this author taken responsibility of what their rhetoric might mean to so called 'real women' that he's claiming to be so supportive of?"
There's a significant amount of evidence that indicates Imane Khelif is actually male, with the athletic advantage that brings.
"Language is a living and breathing thing. The meanings of words change over time."
Right, but going back to the above point, if we can't use words like "man", "boy" or "male" to describe the category of people who are definitionally excluded from the female category of sports without being shut down and complained at, then how can anyone make the case for women's sports to those who disagree? Or indeed any aspect of anything relating to women.
Perhaps that's the point - attempting to make it "bigoted" and "transphobic" to argue in favor of women's and girls' sex-based rights, rather than presenting any rational argument for taking them away.
Anyway I think this shows quite clearly that your analogy doesn't fit when one digs into the detail. None of the above is anything like the struggle for racial equality.
Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott. If you're into Jewish history/legend, Baba Yaga, intergenerational trauma, or just good books , I would find it difficult to recommend it more. It's well-told and well-paced (note: do not read at night if you have something to do in the early morning the next day). As you would expect from a book drawing heavily on Jewish history, it can be difficult to read. Middlegame by Seanan…