Senator Rand Paul questions Rachel Levine about puberty blockers

[andyoldlabour]

This is well worth a watch, because Rand Paul is bang on about this subject.

@Childrenofthestones

Go Rand Paul!

Has a British politician stood up and made such points?

The House of Lords has had a pretty good crack at shining a light into the darkness this week.

Those committed to transing children are really doubling down.

As we've seen in the UK and as we are seeing even more in the USA making TRA ideology& women's rights s party political or left wing:right wing issue is really really unhelpful and divisive. And it turns out it's total rubbish to.

In America this perceived political divide is going to cause a lot of people a lot of problems though.

What Duncan said:

How have we got to this point where middle aged adult males, most of whom have no genital surgery can push drugs and surgery onto children without question.

Why are people so fucking afraid to say no to a minority pushing an Ideological belief based on unprovable feelings.

I don't know anything about Rand Paul other than this vid and the female sports one, but how could ANYONE listen to that and not think, why the fuck is this being allowed to happen to children all to push an adult agenda?

@persistentwoman

That's #nodebate in action. It's embarrassing isn't it - having to listen to a medic painfully unwilling / unable to answer questions about safeguarding children?

A medic about to be put into a highly influential and important federal position no less. Who's decisions will directly affect the children Rand is talking about.

What a disgrace this medic is. Biden has lost his mind.

I have no idea who Rand Paul is, but I don't see how anyone could watch that video and think he was anything but utterly reasonable and correct, and that Rachel Levine was anything but evasive and uncaring.

Nice to see that the evidence based approach we are taking in this country is being picked up in the US. What happens here may be so important in reversing this madness.

Gosh just had a look on Twitter. Does no one on "the left" in USA engage in critical though or give a fuck about vulnerable children?

@JackieWeaversZoomAc

Gosh just had a look on Twitter. Does no one on "the left" in USA engage in critical though or give a fuck about vulnerable children?

I'm definitely not defending the lack of critical thought, but part of the reason they're reacting like this is that it's Rand Paul saying it. The problem is that he's so rabidly right wing and a conspiracy nutjob that most people will just assume he's talking rubbish on this issue too. He has no credibility.

Yes it's a huge problem - no on the "left" will say anything on this subject apart from TWAW and screech transphobia at anyone who speaks out.

I can't bear Rand Paul, but he is brilliant in that clip.

I'm about as left-wing (US) as they come, but here I am agreeing with Rand Paul, of all people. To me, the recent election was all about getting rid of Trump. Now it's time to get rid of men still telling women what to do, how to feel, and what to think. In a way, I'm glad it's happening so soon and openly. Rake it up, hash it over, and put it to rest. I hope.

I have no idea who Rand Paul is, but I don't see how anyone could watch that video and think he was anything but utterly reasonable and correct, and that Rachel Levine was anything but evasive and uncaring

Same here. His frustration at Levine's lame irrelevant statement was obvious. Levine is a disgrace, as is Biden.

Same. I don’t care who says it as long as it’s said.

It’s not surprising the conspiracy theorists are looking at this issue - in a way it’s brilliant that people are going against the grain and challenging everything (I mean obviously sometimes they get it wrong). But The ‘science’ being pushed in this is so leaky it’s only going to spread distrust and fuel further conspiracy theory.

Levine is a paediatrician ffs. This is their specialty. Soon to be a senior health official during a pandemic. I mean... (insert rant here. I don’t want to get a deletion)

The comments under the video are sensible!

I'm definitely not defending the lack of critical thought, but part of the reason they're reacting like this is that it's Rand Paul saying it. The problem is that he's so rabidly right wing and a conspiracy nutjob that most people will just assume he's talking rubbish on this issue too. He has no credibility.

The reasoning from the other side is the same, that's the underlying problem. Those who see themselves as on the right/conservative simply won't take anything from those they see as liberal/left seriously because of stuff like this from people like Biden.

I hate how this refusal to answer questions properly is treated like a partisan issue. It was really bad when Trumps press secretary just refused to answer a question. It was bad when the Republicans pick for the Supreme Court straight up said “I can’t answer any question involving hypotheticals” when asked how she would decide certain cases. This evasive nonsense is clearly bad because it avoids political accountability. But I really wish the American left would not celebrate when their side does it too! It’s infuriating because democracy is diminished when people in power refuse to answer questions. A couple of weeks ago Bidens press secretary was celebrated for saying she “didn’t understand” a perfectly clear question about the impact of males in women’s sport. This behaviour should be called out and condemned whether it comes from the left or the right. Levine comes across as evasive as Barrett in this video.

@WeeBisom so well said. I agree 100 percent.

I'm a lifelong Democrat...it PAINS me to see what has happened to our civil discourse.

The comments are sensible. Someone says "Can you imagine being beamed in from 2005 and watching this?" and I know what they mean. There's a horrible decadent insane feeling about it which makes me feel very pessimistic about our civilisation.

Any Senator voting for Dr Levine after that performance and the pointed questioning by RP will have no cover when this scandal blows. And for the safety and health of children, I hope it happens sooner rather than later.

@PamDenick

I no longer think of politics and politicians as left or right but truthful or not.

Well done Sen Rand.

My God I've just had a light bulb moment reading that.

Yes! When did some politicians become so divorced from the truth? There's always been a lot of "doublespeak" in politics but now it seems acceptable to use outright fiction.

Oh my goodness! I was thinking as he was talking, this is the Keira effect, then he specifically mentioned her!

She's such a shero.

And making the point about the left going nuts about that Covid snake oil but agreeing to mutilation of children?! He's amazing!

Is he in biden's party? I do hope so!

Sorry, I see he's a republican. Hopefully more on the Biden side will listen.

That's the hardest issue America have.

I spoke to an American woman who is entirely gc, has read things like testosterone Rex etc, really gets 'it' and yet still finds ways to be sympathetic to trans and agree that "transgirl" school kids should be allowed to compete with girls. I think she lives in such a homophobic and racist area that she simply cannot align with any idea on the right.

The problem is that he's so rabidly right wing and a conspiracy nutjob that most people will just assume he's talking rubbish on this issue too. He has no credibility.

Ah, dammit.

Yes, it 's funny how such issues unite people from very different political factions:

I'm a softly softly liberal leftie public sector worker but am HUGELY gender critical. I have been called 'Terf' by members of my own family and it also opened up my eyes to how name calling or cancelling or no platforming does NOTHING to help in a debate.