Zi/zis/zirs and xe/xem/xyrs

[Brian Howell]

No, I didn't put my fingers on the wrong keys and then continued typing...

Many college campuses are trending towards what I will call "politically safe speech," lest someone feel antagonized by a particularly word or phrase. Microaggressions, anybody? The apotheosis of this idiocy—I hope—is the University of Knoxville's recently published pronoun usage guide, asking students and faculty to adopt the neologic, gender-neutral pronouns found in the subject line of this post. The reaction was mixed, with conservatives calling it "political correctness run 'amok'" and progressives accusing conservatives of being "callous" and having no consideration for transgender students. 

As was been pointed out, there are already a number of gender-neutral pronouns, save that they are all technically plural. But what about extending their usage to the singular gender-neutral case, as has been gradually occurring with their?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/12/she-is-not-welcome-on-campus.html (Note, the embedded link is already a dead-end.)

I'm off to fire up an R.E.M. song. Anybody care to guess which one?

[jack saunders]

How many of these episodes will it take before administrators get it? 

These things invariably make them and their organizations look silly, their student look fragile and their leadership feckless. 

This is not the first time I've pointed this out, and yet the unforced errors continue. 

Are universities not learning organizations?  Are they belligerently NOT learning organizations?

 

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From: Brian Howell <bdho...@gmail.com>
To: Ipse Dixit <Ipse-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 2:23 PM
Subject: [Ipse Dixit] Zi/zis/zirs and xe/xem/xyrs

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[jack saunders]

And to be entirely forthright about this particular PC joke of the week, I owe it to my esteemed interlocutors to acknowledge that I take a very dim view of  transgender technology.  These experiments are now wildly popular and public support for their aims a de rigeur requirement to self-identify as progressive. Sorry, then.  I just can't buy in. 

The whole thing strikes me as born of the same fatal conceit behind so many "death is optional" promotions, like 80s the new 50s, etc. 

You are monkeying around with evolutionary forces, with no social plan, no clear aim.... except, quite likely, to grab a big share of the adolescent malaise treatment market. 

 If you can promise every sexually underwhelmed kid a second chance, you will make billions. The problem is, these Brave New World doctors are now saying they'd really prefer to start treatment in the 10-12 age range.  They've gotten it down to 16-18 in practice, and are reporting better results....so it does apparently benefit the patient to choose early. 

At age 10? 

That would be ideal. 

I'm sorry.  I'm out.

 

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From: jack saunders <jack...@pacbell.net>
To: Brian Howell <bdho...@gmail.com>; Ipse Dixit <Ipse-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Ipse Dixit] Zi/zis/zirs and xe/xem/xyrs

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/Ipse-dixit/1937134813.2456262.1442271180601.JavaMail.yahoo%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Craig Good]

On Sep 14, 2015, at 16:52 PM, jack saunders <jack...@pacbell.net> wrote:

> And to be entirely forthright about this particular PC joke of the week, I owe it to my esteemed interlocutors to acknowledge that I take a very dim view of transgender technology.

I used to. I have been persuaded that it’s a real thing. This Skeptoid episode may help, and is a short read and/or listen:

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4463


As with any kind of medicine, I think a cautious, science-based approach is best. At least now we have a range of treatment options for transgender people.

>
> You are monkeying around with evolutionary forces, with no social plan, no clear aim.... except, quite likely, to grab a big share of the adolescent malaise treatment market.

Doubtless there will be charlatans seeking gain. That’s why the science-based approach is best. But one has to recognize that evolution did not provide us with tidy, binary sexuality nor gender.

One of my heroes, Dr. Harriet Hall, does a great job of explaining why “it’s complicated”:

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/sex-gender-and-sexuality-its-complicated/




--
--Craig WWJGD?
clg...@me.com http://www.craig-good.com
I don't see you, so don't you pretend to be there.

[jack saunders]

The doctors I saw quoted in the Times were not charlatans.  They are distinguished surgeons in their field and spokespersons for their specialty.  The Times, I assume correctly, treated them with all due professional respect.  They are honorable doctors selling treatments in a competitive marketplace.  They promise teens who (in their own eyes) are failing at sexuality, a whole, new, clean shot at being beautiful and admired.  Who wouldn't consider it?  Caitlin Jenner looks great and happy.  Why am I any different?  I'm younger....therefore better yet.

 Caitlin Jenner began as a trained and disciplined success story proven to have the heart of 10 men.  Add to that singular factor the unlimited resources of a giant entertainment empire, eager to invest in such promising "content."  This iconic example does not prefigure success for every disappointed teenager who never got picked. 

I foresee a horrible outcome to rival thalidomide.  Give it 5 years.

 

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From: Craig Good <clg...@me.com>
To: jack saunders <jack...@pacbell.net>
Cc: Brian Howell <bdho...@gmail.com>; Ipse Dixit <Ipse-...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 5:04 PM

Subject: Re: [Ipse Dixit] Zi/zis/zirs and xe/xem/xyrs