An Unconventional Perspective on Transgender Issues Today

Michael Malice is an anarchist ghostwriter, author, and podcaster. Blaire White is a YouTuber and somewhat controversial male-to-female transgender activist who leans more conservative politically despite her stereotypically left-wing identity. The former interviewed the latter in a recent "Your Welcome" podcast episode 212 (Google & Apple links), and they covered a lot of interesting unasked questions surrounding the issue of gender, identity, and youth.

The debate seems to be divided into two camps: "how dare you question anyone's claimed identity or sexual preferences," and, "how dare you question chromosomal facts and body parts?" I have a cousin who is gay, and another cousin who sought to change gender many years ago, long before it was "cool." I am not necessarily opposed to people choosing how to dress or surgically and chemically alter themselves, but I am concerned for the age group most known for insecurity and body image issues like bulimia, anorexia, school cliques, an onslaught of media idols, and other challenges which accompany the onset of puberty and young adulthood. Maybe not everyone struggling with sexuality and society needs to be encouraged to consider transitioning to the other gender?

Of course, I'm not the "proper" person to even bring up this topic. While I don't identify with a lot of stereotypically "masculine" attributes like obsession with sports, I have never struggled with gender identity or same-sex attraction. I have no direct experience with LGBTQ etc. issues. I do, however, know what it is like to be an anarchist trapped in a world where statism is the norm. I am an anarchist. I did not choose it, I *discovered * it about myself after considerable soul-searching, discussion, exploration of ideas, and internal debate. As such, I hope this can be understood as a good-faith effort to promote thought instead of "straight white guy bashes the gays."

As a straight white XY male, I know I have an innate inability to comprehend the nuances of this issue. I suggest this podcast episode both to the left and the right and ask everyone to challenge their preconceptions and prejudices on this topic. We won't make progress while everyone is focused on using partisan authoritarianism to bludgeon those who disagree. We need dialogue and discourse without censorship. We need to stop condemning people for discomfort and dissent.

And if nothing else, can we at least agree that this new progressive pride flag is an utter abomination both from the principles of vexillology and from the way it undermines the very idea of unity in diversity the rainbow flag was supposed to represent? Including specific groups in the chevron necessarily excludes others, which seems to contradict the core idea of the rainbow to which it was added.