Category Archives: Philosophy and language

Fractals, not pyramids: Why “8th grade biology” isn’t enough

Previously: Chromosomes: Cis expectations vs. trans reality, How sex hormones work, and their use by trans people In the years I’ve spent covering gender topics on YouTube, I’ve occasionally encountered one particularly strange objection to the core principle of transness, … Continue reading

Posted in Biology of transition, Philosophy and language, Rhetoric | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Bigot bus on tour: When “biological reality” is neither real nor biological

On March 1, a bus in Madrid bearing an anti-transgender message from a conservative Catholic group was impounded: The slogan on the bus read: “Boys have penises, girls have vulvas. Do not be fooled.” A Catholic group, Hazte Oir, had … Continue reading

Posted in Bathrooms and public accommodations, Biology of transition, Philosophy and language, Transphobia and prejudice | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

No More Rachel Dolezals

Her noxious presence isn’t just offensive – it’s become dangerous to trans people. Continue reading

Posted in History, Media, Philosophy and language, Transphobia and prejudice | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Paul McHugh and the Johns Hopkins gender clinic: The perils of cherry-picking (More Trans, module 2-1)

A decades-old transphobic myth about Johns Hopkins, perpetrated by an unscientific fraud. Continue reading

Posted in History, Hoaxes, Media, More Trans, Outcomes of transition, Philosophy and language, Transgender medicine, Transphobia and prejudice | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Symbol, substance, and tabooing your words, part 2: answers (More Trans, module 1-2)

Previously: Gender reasoning exercises: Symbol, substance, and tabooing your words (module 1-1) In the previous episode, we reviewed some simple Less Wrong techniques for forcing yourself to look beyond an individual term for a concept, and consciously think about the actual … Continue reading

Posted in Biology of transition, More Trans, Philosophy and language, Transphobia and prejudice | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments