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Steve QJ's avatar

"My conversations on these matters were candid, calm, and free of the rage that always comes with them online. I was never called "incredibly transphobic," and the dumb word hadn't been invented yet."

Ah, the halcyon days! Yep, I know this used to be the case, but we're a long way from that today. Most of the trans people I've met in real life are also more reasonable. As everybody is in real life I suppose. I'm quite sure Stephane wouldn't dare shout and swear at me in person.

But the reality denialism has become foundational. And is embraced not just by extremists, but many well-meaning people who aren't trans, but who think lying is kind. I regularly see trans women refer to themselves as female, not just as women, but as *female*. I didn't see that at all even a year or two ago. And the social contagion means that we suddenly have huge numbers of people, particularly young people, who we have to figure out how to accommodate in society.

I don't share your certainty that this is a passing trend because there's no factual basis for that certainty. Only time will tell on that front. But the degree of institutional and cultural capture I see makes me think it'll be extremely hard for society to return to its previous delineations of sex and gender. Even if the more extreme stuff fades away.

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