Well, what you find likely isn't really at issue here is it? You're talking to the person who wrote the piece. If you've already decided you understand my thoughts and motivations better than I do, well, hopefully you can see the problems with that line of thinking for yourself. And if you can't, there was no need to comment in the first place, was there?
I'm decrying the fake authenticity of this particular influencer because this particular influencer was invited to the White House as a representative of trans people. Because this particular influencer was at the centre of this particular controversy. And because this particular influencer is arguably the most famous and influential "trans" person in the world today. I'm constantly bemused by how trans people and their allies would rather attack criticism of the grifters and misogynists speaking in their name (and harming public perceptions of trans people as a whole) than speak up themselves.
Because most people don't know a single trans person. Like, the vast majority of people. So whether you like it or not, millions of opinions about trans people are being formed by the Mulvaneys of the world. Add to that the offensiveness and the misogyny, and yes, I think writing about it is relevant.
Anyway, I think I did address your criticisms, though yes, when they followed a theme, I thought it more efficient to just address the theme.
1. You criticised me for quoting Greer and Sánchez because they've said some things you disagree with. I responded by saying that I often quote people who I disagree with on certain other points. I find this all or nothing attitude to agreement truly baffling.
Given this conversation, it seems we disagree significantly about sex/gender/etc. But you also seem like a smart, reasonable person who I'm sure I'd agree with on lots of other things. This shouldn't be hard to understand.
2. You repeatedly described my criticisms of Dylan as "bashing of trans femme people." The irony lies in the fact that you're accusing me of generalising one insincere trans person out to the entire "trans femme" community when, in fact, you're generalising criticism of one insincere trans person out to the entire "trans femme" community. Dylan is not all trans femme people. I'm aware of that in my criticisms. Are you?
3. I don't think it's on you to "weigh the whole of my soul." No idea what you're talking about here.
4. Finally some agreement. Although you're putting words in my mouth. I'm not saying people are forced to transition. Nobody is holding anyone down and cutting off their breasts or injecting them with hormones. I'm saying that young, impressionable people (often girls) are having false, incoherent ideas about sex and gender presented to them as answers to their feelings of discomfort during puberty or as an answer to sexual trauma they've experienced, again, often during puberty.
They're being sold on an identity that will not only make them reliant on the medical industry for the rest of their lives but that many of them will have to spend the rest of their lives trying to convince other people to play along with. It's incredibly hard for me to believe that you're unaware of this, but if you are, read r/detrans on reddit. Look up Chloe Cole or Sinead Watson or Elle Palmer or Ritchie Herron or Laura Becker or Abel Garcia or Keira Bell (see also the class action lawsuit against the Tavistock clinic) and these are just from memory, give me time and I could pretty much do this all day.
Look at the Vanderbilt clinic, (which I also mention by name if you were interested in where I was getting my information) who admitted in a hastily deleted video to seeing trans kids as a "big money maker." The "actual medical guidelines" and what is actually happening are wildly at odds with each other in many, well-documented cases.
Heck, just type "detrans stories" into Google.
This isn't to say that there aren't people who have gender dysphoria and for whom transition is an effective way of treating that discomfort. It's to say that many activists in the trans community label all attempts to differentiate between these two cohorts as "hate" or "transphobia" or "conversion therapy." And for many reasons, differentiating between them is important.
Lastly, no, it doesn't sound harsh that you don't do an extensive character study of everybody you read. Only an insane person would expect you to do that. Which is why I find it so strange that you expect me to agree with everything somebody else has written to agree with them on a single point. A quote of a statement is an endorsement of that statement. Not of everything the person who made it ever said.
