From JK Rowling to Detrans: How Trans Activists Are Doing It Wrong | Trans Sandwiched #7

Dear fellow trans people: in this episode, I am going to talk about issues that have provoked strong feelings from some in our community. Please approach what I say with an open mind, and feel free to disagree. And remember that, ultimately, what we all want is to progress trans acceptance and make trans lives better. It is because of this goal, and concerns that we are not getting there, that I feel I have to say what I'm saying today.

Welcome back to Trans Sandwiched by TaraElla, where we talk about how trans people are now sandwiched between political forces with their own agenda on all sides, and what it means for us. Today, I want to talk about how trans activists are doing it wrong, by revisiting two topics: JK Rowling and the Detrans, or detransition, phenomenon.

Let's talk about JK Rowling first. The trans activist community has essentially defined JK Rowling as a transphobic enemy, and has put up a strong wall of resistance towards her. When this was first developing about two years ago, I cautioned against this approach, and I still stand by my views today. Let me explain. Let's start by analyzing this situation rationally. Right now, Rowling stands in opposition to some of the trans rights reforms many of us support. However, this does not automatically mean that she is transphobic. Being involved in gay marriage politics for over a decade has taught me that, sometimes, good people can and do disagree. And while it is natural to be disappointed when people take a stand against something you passionately support, such disagreements and disappointments are an inevitable part of a liberal democracy. As to whether Rowling is transphobic or not, I think we need to remember that disagreeing with, and disappointing, most trans people does not equal transphobic. I believe the question of whether someone is transphobic or not should be answered with reference to the commonly accepted standards in liberal democracy, not feelings-based responses, and certainly not justifications rooted in postmodern criticalism. And based on standards that are commonly applicable in liberal democracy, I do not believe that Rowling is 'transphobic', even though she disagrees with reforms we want. It's like how many people oppose gay marriage but are still not 'homophobic'.

The problem with the trans community's overreaction to people like Rowling is that, it doesn't do us any favors. Firstly, as many have observed, the trans community's overreaction has only pushed Rowling further into the other side, and she might have actually brought many people with her. Therefore, the whole exercise has only served to decrease trans acceptance. Secondly, perhaps even more importantly, in a liberal democracy, the undecided people generally make their minds up by observing the debate, and seeing which side makes more rational sense. Therefore, keeping calm and cool, arguing rationally, and being charitable to those who disagree with you are always good strategies to adopt. Sadly, the trans activist community is taking a maladaptive stance, a stance that would lose us support, and delay acceptance of trans people in the general community. It really is the opposite of how gay marriage was done, and this is why I'm so concerned.

Now, let's talk about the Detrans, or detransition community, people who once identified as trans but have gone back to their original gender. This has always been a sensitive issue in the trans community, but lately, I have been seeing a severe reluctance to even acknowledge the issue. As a result, Detrans people are often pushed into the arms of gender critical feminism, a movement that is eager to bring them on board and provide support and meaning for their suffering. This is why I have seen at least a few cases of Detrans people ending up completely anti-trans. I have argued in the past, and I will argue here again, that the trans community should provide acceptance and empathy towards Detrans people, and take their concerns on board where appropriate. Failing to do this adequately will almost certainly harm the credibility of the trans community in the long run.

Having examined these two examples, I think there is a common trend: the trans activist community is treating everything like a zero-sum game, where those who 'disagree' with the dominant trans narrative in any way are seen as threats or enemies. I think the recent rise of postmodernism and critical theory has a lot to do with this. During the gay marriage movement, there wasn't nearly as much influence from postmodern criticalism, but just in the past few years, the balance of forces among the activist community has drastically changed. The postmodern criticalism worldview is that all knowledge and discourse is shaped by power, which essentially has the effect of encouraging an attitude of zero-sum struggle against people who promote an alternative view of things. As a result, LGBT activism has become much more antagonistic to those who disagree, and this has caused a level of backlash that has not been seen for many years. This just shows how the rise of postmodernism and criticalism has made the LGBT community less effective in its pursuit of acceptance and accommodation from the general community. I really hope we can turn the ship around before it's too late.