This week’s winner goes to a reporter – and I use the term as loosely as I can here. Perhaps calling him a guy who attempts to write a news story but is so stupidly biased that he can’t even put together a headline without creating fake news is more accurate.
We’ve discussed fake news a lot this week, and we know how the “media” uses tactics to frame things in a way meant to enrage and divide. And our focus today is less on the biscuit and more on his message, because it is important.
None the less we must put a name to this scoundrel. Scott Bixby of that bastion of journalism The Daily Beast – Congrats Scott, you’re a winner!
Scott wrote an article in which he came up with the following headline:
“Rand Paul launches into transphobic rant against trans nominee.”
What image does that conjure up in your mind?
Yah something like that.
Anyway as you probably already know Senator Paul did not go on a transphobic rant but he did ask some extremely important questions of the Biden administration’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, Doctor Rachel Levine, who is transgender.
The primary question he asked was this. “Do you believe minors are capable of making such a life-changing decision of changing one’s sex?”
She avoided the question by pledging to “work with your office to understand the complex and nuanced field” of pediatric transgender medicine.
He voiced another concern that many people have as well: “American culture is now normalizing the idea that minors can be given hormones.” Since this is all pretty much new in the last ten to twenty years it seems like a good question to ask before someone really gets hurt (hot tip, a lot of kids who are going to grow into some serious regret down the road already have). I remember my psychologist friend talking about the explosion in Prozac prescriptions when the drug first came out. “I’m pretty sure there aren’t sixty million new cases of clinical depression all of a sudden.” Were some of those folks who really needed Prozac? Of course there were. All of them? Of course not.
He also noted that he was concerned that the rising rates of minors declaring themselves transgender was potentially due to “the social pressure to conform and do what others do.” You do all remember guys getting an earring in the 80’s right? Or perming up the back of their hair? Peer pressure, acceptance and wanting to be unique are real, and that’s perfectly fine. Until someone gets hurt. Permanently hurt.
None of what he asked seems like a “transphobic rant” to me. These are legitimate concerns about the physical and mental well-being of children who in this age of the internet are, to coin a phrase, growing up way to fast.
And none of that is to say that there aren’t kids out there with gender dysphoria that need help! I’m certain that there are and we should support them as we would support any child struggling with a problem whether it be algebra equations or searching for direction in a world where it is increasingly more difficult to stand out.
The problem is when Biscuits like Scott Bixby write headlines like that we are being divided and lied to. It blunts any ability to have a serious conversation about what is clearly becoming an issue with our children. I look back after having turned fifty last week and have even fewer regrets about never having had children. I can only imagine the anguish parents have to deal with in today’s world. I wish you all luck I really do. Scott Bixby – you’re not helping anything, including your own view of the subject.
As ever, very thought provoking.
On the subject of children: I can say unequivocally that the world looked grim when you were born, (even worse under Carter) & is getting worse. I shared your same concerns. However, I’ve no regrets. Even during the direst of times, we gave a desire to continue. You’d have been a great father.