We have made the same mistake over and over again when dealing with conservatives, which is the assumption that they give a micron of a shit about definitions and facts.
They are not living in a fact-based world, and we resent them for that because they are benefitting from the science, facts and reason that has build the world they cherish.
But we can make far more effective arguments if we meet them on an emotional level in these debates. I’ve seen more progress made in debates by progressives asking them what they would do if their own son or daughter was gay or trans than all the graphs and statistics in the world.
Or at the very least, call them heartless, weird, child-hating, freedom-hating, etc.
I know you are /s but I will respond /srs.
The fact that people in support of trans rights often can’t give a satisfying definition of “woman” is certainly not very problematic or even important at all, but it’s a big sticking point for conservatives and it would be nice to have a real answer.
I haven’t tried this on real people yet, but I think that you can use a simple comparison to show that they also can’t simply define identity words. For example, they probably can’t come up with a simple definition of “father” that includes/excludes all the right people. Pester them on this point. Is a sperm donor a father? Is a man who adopts children a father? Is any male caretaker a father? Is a father-in-law a father? Is a step-father a father? Is an absent father a father?
If they end up with a very complicated & unintuitive flowchart definition, ask them: when someone says “as a father, this concerns me” or “I’m not a good father”, what do they actually mean? Are they referring to your definition? or to a vaguely-defined identity that’s really based in feelings and values?
This really easily transitions into talking about gender because then you can ask them to explain what people mean when they say “man up” or “be a man”. Nobody says those things to mean “be a penised adult human”, it’s obviously about feelings and values.
The real strength of the “what is a woman” argument is that theres no answer that puts you ahead. If you draw a line, you get absolutely creamed for being some bigoted transphobe, if you take an open stance now you’re against women. If you say you can have your cake and eat it too you’re ridiculed for the inconsistency.
And a lot of transmen have also, even after being on hormone treatment for a while, thus looking just like cismen at a glance. Put them in women’s toilets, hmm, no?? What’s the problem, I thought only genetics mattered?? Like the very important genes that dictate that only women can wear dresses???
Hmm, if only there was the possibility of no strict binaries actually existing considering biological sex and social expressions of gender varying wildly even between cultures, but alas!
How do they even define “man?” People with xy chromosomes have given birth before.
We have made the same mistake over and over again when dealing with conservatives, which is the assumption that they give a micron of a shit about definitions and facts.
They are not living in a fact-based world, and we resent them for that because they are benefitting from the science, facts and reason that has build the world they cherish.
But we can make far more effective arguments if we meet them on an emotional level in these debates. I’ve seen more progress made in debates by progressives asking them what they would do if their own son or daughter was gay or trans than all the graphs and statistics in the world.
Or at the very least, call them heartless, weird, child-hating, freedom-hating, etc.
I don’t disagree, just pointing out - engaging them on an emotional level (in a different way) is exactly what happened in OP.
WHAT IS A WOMAN! /s
I know you are /s but I will respond /srs.
The fact that people in support of trans rights often can’t give a satisfying definition of “woman” is certainly not very problematic or even important at all, but it’s a big sticking point for conservatives and it would be nice to have a real answer.
I haven’t tried this on real people yet, but I think that you can use a simple comparison to show that they also can’t simply define identity words. For example, they probably can’t come up with a simple definition of “father” that includes/excludes all the right people. Pester them on this point. Is a sperm donor a father? Is a man who adopts children a father? Is any male caretaker a father? Is a father-in-law a father? Is a step-father a father? Is an absent father a father?
If they end up with a very complicated & unintuitive flowchart definition, ask them: when someone says “as a father, this concerns me” or “I’m not a good father”, what do they actually mean? Are they referring to your definition? or to a vaguely-defined identity that’s really based in feelings and values?
This really easily transitions into talking about gender because then you can ask them to explain what people mean when they say “man up” or “be a man”. Nobody says those things to mean “be a penised adult human”, it’s obviously about feelings and values.
The real strength of the “what is a woman” argument is that theres no answer that puts you ahead. If you draw a line, you get absolutely creamed for being some bigoted transphobe, if you take an open stance now you’re against women. If you say you can have your cake and eat it too you’re ridiculed for the inconsistency.
pretty bold of you to assume PragerU would use the therm “cis” in this context.
What is a man?
…
(Inb4 “a miserable pile of secrets” :p)
That’s a geek about to do his job.
That’s Diogenes trolling Plato. So technically a Greek about to do his job.
thx for the inb4 :D legendary line
And a lot of transmen have also, even after being on hormone treatment for a while, thus looking just like cismen at a glance. Put them in women’s toilets, hmm, no?? What’s the problem, I thought only genetics mattered?? Like the very important genes that dictate that only women can wear dresses???
Hmm, if only there was the possibility of no strict binaries actually existing considering biological sex and social expressions of gender varying wildly even between cultures, but alas!
I’m interested to read about this, please link to some more information.
Edit: found some, it’s not hard to search online for it.