Thank you for all your hard work on this. On a side note, while watching the Australian Open tennis I looked up Renee Richards, a trans-identified male tennis player who fought all the way to the Supreme Court for the right to compete in women's tennis. Yet even (s)he has said more recently that she would not now agree that this is fair, and that biological males should not be in women's sports. Perhaps this story could be told more often?
Unfortunately, the story of Renee Richards is really about males successfully invading the sporting world of women. He can say whatever he wants today, but he got the SCOTUS to support him. I hope that the next case to go to SCOTUS comes to the correct conclusion.
Back in the 1980s, when Saturday Night Live was actually cutting edge and funny, they had to issue an apology over a Renee Richards joke, which referred to a fictitious Richards autobiography, putatively called “How to Play Tennis without Balls”. If anyone doubts just how much our culture has changed...that was considered “risqué humor” then; it would be “hate speech” now!
It is already disastrous that the notion that one needs to have a PhD in biology -- that an 'expert witness' is even considered necessary -- to elaborate on one of the most obvious facts of existence. It's sorta like needing an expert witness to testify to the fact that the sky is blue and rocks roll down hill. Nope, anyone who asks for an expert witness is already deeply disturbed. like when Jackson told the Senators that she couldn't define 'woman' cuz she didn't have a degree in biology. Really lady?
Next up on the agenda, Neil Degrasse Tyson defending against the flat earthers by stating that the earth is more or less round. But likely he would find that the earth is not really round, but the earth's shape is on a "spectrum," of round, oval, flat, cratered, peaked, etc. Then there's the changes with the sea state, from flat to giant waves, so really on a spectrum.
While needed and accurate, the above essentially presents an argument of facts against ideology and so can’t win. Ideologues, by definition, refute facts at-odds with their chosen ideology. While there may be (emphasis on “may”) legislators willing to write, submit and pass such legislation, the nonsense of fluidity is so pervasive that they will risk their next election by doing so. Just passing the legislation is no guarantee it will be enforced (see: immigration law) by the applicable executive branch, or not overturned by some idiot in the judicial branch, probably a woman and due to “empathy” for the clinically insane.
As a long-time liberal--not what's currently called a progressive--I can't communicate just how weird it is that I'm agreeing with the Heritage Foundation on ANY issue, but here I am. I'm either losing my marbles or else trans maximalism is distorting science and public policy beyond recognition. Either way, I can't find fault with this proposed bill.
I'm sad, though, that my fellow lefties have let themselves get caught up in this gender jihad. It's unscientific, intolerant, and distinctly illiberal.
The Heritage Foundation is promoting the canard that so-called cultural Marxism is the root cause of wokeness, DEI, CRT, gender identity ideology and other societal problems.
The Heritage Foundation is also the home of Project 2025, which promises a radical restructuring of the executive branch to serve the extremist aims of the MAGA/Trump movement if Trump captures the White House in November.
Yes, wokeness, DEI, CRT and gender identity ideology are a scourge, but they won't be reined in by joining James Lindsay in his hunt for commies and groomers under every bed.
The political scientist Yascha Mounk's "The Identity Trap" provides a better researched and more nuanced analysis of the ideology that escaped from the hot houses of elite humanities departments into far too many spheres of contemporary life since the advent of the 21st century.
In any case, as laudable and necessary as the Defining Sex Act may be, the baggage it drags with it because it is the brainchild of the Heritage Foundation may prevent it from being adopted in blue states where the name of the Heritage Foundation is poison among the progressive legislators who call the shots.
The only people who can make your argument, that those believing in limited, constitutional government and the rule of law are “extremists,” are totalitarians. If you don’t grasp this fact you need to get a refund on taxes or tuition paid for your schooling.
Cultural Marxism is the philosophical impetus for DEI, CRT, and other malign destructive ideologies of today. I too have my problems with Lindsay. I find his reliance on podcasts. He should do most postings. He's a pretty clever guy.
Thank you Colin for your dedication and commitment to reality on this crucially important definition of sex that dictates many aspects of how our lives are lived. I'm also wondering (as is Tara here) why you don't also expound on how sexual differentiation occurs even pre-natally in conjunction with hormonal release. Please don't trust the Heritage Foundation as they would love to eventually use any sex differentiation distinction to restrict the ability of women to fully participate in life.
We are living in 2024. This is 350 years after the Enlightenment. It is incredible that we must defend biological truth today.
Thanks, Colin, for this work.
Yes, for the last few years, I have felt like I have been trapped inside a really bad Sci Fi movie.
Nowhere is the “movie” weirder than on this issue.
> This is 350 years after the Enlightenment. It is incredible that we must defend biological truth today.
You're missing a "because" in there.
Thank you for all your hard work on this. On a side note, while watching the Australian Open tennis I looked up Renee Richards, a trans-identified male tennis player who fought all the way to the Supreme Court for the right to compete in women's tennis. Yet even (s)he has said more recently that she would not now agree that this is fair, and that biological males should not be in women's sports. Perhaps this story could be told more often?
Unfortunately, the story of Renee Richards is really about males successfully invading the sporting world of women. He can say whatever he wants today, but he got the SCOTUS to support him. I hope that the next case to go to SCOTUS comes to the correct conclusion.
Right? It almost feels that this speech defending biological sex should end with something like "And yet it moves"
𝑒𝑝𝑝𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑖 𝑚𝑢𝑜𝑣𝑒
Back in the 1980s, when Saturday Night Live was actually cutting edge and funny, they had to issue an apology over a Renee Richards joke, which referred to a fictitious Richards autobiography, putatively called “How to Play Tennis without Balls”. If anyone doubts just how much our culture has changed...that was considered “risqué humor” then; it would be “hate speech” now!
Go Missouri! It's not called "Show me state" for nothing. Thanks for all you do, Dr. Wright
Colin, Thanks for being committed to the cause of protecting women and children through science!
It is already disastrous that the notion that one needs to have a PhD in biology -- that an 'expert witness' is even considered necessary -- to elaborate on one of the most obvious facts of existence. It's sorta like needing an expert witness to testify to the fact that the sky is blue and rocks roll down hill. Nope, anyone who asks for an expert witness is already deeply disturbed. like when Jackson told the Senators that she couldn't define 'woman' cuz she didn't have a degree in biology. Really lady?
Next up on the agenda, Neil Degrasse Tyson defending against the flat earthers by stating that the earth is more or less round. But likely he would find that the earth is not really round, but the earth's shape is on a "spectrum," of round, oval, flat, cratered, peaked, etc. Then there's the changes with the sea state, from flat to giant waves, so really on a spectrum.
Thank you for your hard work and persistence on all of this!
Keep fighting the good fight!
While needed and accurate, the above essentially presents an argument of facts against ideology and so can’t win. Ideologues, by definition, refute facts at-odds with their chosen ideology. While there may be (emphasis on “may”) legislators willing to write, submit and pass such legislation, the nonsense of fluidity is so pervasive that they will risk their next election by doing so. Just passing the legislation is no guarantee it will be enforced (see: immigration law) by the applicable executive branch, or not overturned by some idiot in the judicial branch, probably a woman and due to “empathy” for the clinically insane.
Thx, Doc. I actually live in MO. Will follow up with my elected officials.
I love that you are willing to testify in court on this issue.
This nation desperately needs more Honesty and Moral Courage from our experts.
Based. Looking forward to this being written into a Law and used as a benchmark.
As a long-time liberal--not what's currently called a progressive--I can't communicate just how weird it is that I'm agreeing with the Heritage Foundation on ANY issue, but here I am. I'm either losing my marbles or else trans maximalism is distorting science and public policy beyond recognition. Either way, I can't find fault with this proposed bill.
I'm sad, though, that my fellow lefties have let themselves get caught up in this gender jihad. It's unscientific, intolerant, and distinctly illiberal.
Frankly if more people had listened to the Heritage Foundation earlier, we wouldn't be in this situation now.
This!!
The Heritage Foundation is promoting the canard that so-called cultural Marxism is the root cause of wokeness, DEI, CRT, gender identity ideology and other societal problems.
The Heritage Foundation is also the home of Project 2025, which promises a radical restructuring of the executive branch to serve the extremist aims of the MAGA/Trump movement if Trump captures the White House in November.
Yes, wokeness, DEI, CRT and gender identity ideology are a scourge, but they won't be reined in by joining James Lindsay in his hunt for commies and groomers under every bed.
The political scientist Yascha Mounk's "The Identity Trap" provides a better researched and more nuanced analysis of the ideology that escaped from the hot houses of elite humanities departments into far too many spheres of contemporary life since the advent of the 21st century.
https://www.amazon.com/Identity-Trap-Story-Ideas-Power/dp/0593493184
In any case, as laudable and necessary as the Defining Sex Act may be, the baggage it drags with it because it is the brainchild of the Heritage Foundation may prevent it from being adopted in blue states where the name of the Heritage Foundation is poison among the progressive legislators who call the shots.
The only people who can make your argument, that those believing in limited, constitutional government and the rule of law are “extremists,” are totalitarians. If you don’t grasp this fact you need to get a refund on taxes or tuition paid for your schooling.
Cultural Marxism is the philosophical impetus for DEI, CRT, and other malign destructive ideologies of today. I too have my problems with Lindsay. I find his reliance on podcasts. He should do most postings. He's a pretty clever guy.
Thank you Colin for your dedication and commitment to reality on this crucially important definition of sex that dictates many aspects of how our lives are lived. I'm also wondering (as is Tara here) why you don't also expound on how sexual differentiation occurs even pre-natally in conjunction with hormonal release. Please don't trust the Heritage Foundation as they would love to eventually use any sex differentiation distinction to restrict the ability of women to fully participate in life.
I also live in middle Tennessee! 😄 and it is a mess here. Thank you for the important work that you do! 🙏🏻