“You don’t get to decide whether you’re transphobic or not and you don’t get to decide you’re an ally”

[AuuYSC]

Then who does?

This was said to me by a transman when I said that buying a video game (hogwarts legacy) doesn’t define a persons morals and personal beliefs (because let’s face it, nothings really ethical unless you live off the grid completely) which of course was met with a stream of abuse and how I don’t care about trans lives.

I pointed out that actually I do, I am gender critical and I don’t think JK Rowling is transphobic but I also appreciate that trans people do face danger and need protection and I also think they have a right to be who they want to be. I’m also part of the lgbtq community and donate to the local youth club (I’ll admit it’s not just the trans people who benefit from my donation but it helps the whole community).

Am I wrong in thinking that the trans community are actually causing more harm to themselves with this game boycott because judging by the pre order sales (and the millions of people that visit HP world and theme parks and buys all the merch) that actually there isn’t a lot of people on their side and by telling people what they can and can’t do, saying they’re transphobic etc for simply buying a game or spending their money isn’t making the point they think it is?

It just really made me think about what the end goal is here, do they really think being treat as the biological sex they identify with, will help them?

Imagine if we all said okay trans men are men and trans women are women and we’ll treat them like such - trans men will be put into male prisons and wards (imagine how that’ll go), medical treatment will be restricted only to biological sex so if you’re a transman you can’t have smears because men don’t have a cervix etc obviously it’s absolutely ridiculous and won’t happen but I just don’t see the benefit of the whole “transwomen are women” stance, I think they sound be treat as trans people and we look at options for them like a third toilet option or a third sports category etc something that will benefit them without causing harm to biological men and women.

Sorry I went onto a bit of a rant, I’ve never considered myself to be transphobic but I guess if it’s not something I can decide for myself then who knows.

All their doublespeak means that they think you must support them 100% (an ally) but if you acknowledge material biological reality (transphobic) you are automatically an enemy and a “TERF”.

So be it, I couldn’t care less as I won’t be intimidated or emotionally blackmailed into saying things I don’t believe or agree with.

This behaviour may work with a % of Zoomers online but most people resist their guilt tripping tantrumming. Many of us because we have already raised toddlers.

Of course you don't get to decide if you're transphobic, your words and actions will demonstrate it one way or another.

Has the phrase "I'm not racist, but..." ever been followed by something that isn't racist? Not that I've ever heard anyway. You don't get to declare that you're not racist, you demonstrate it in the way you treat people. Any other prejudice is the same.

Well if you have the brains to formulate ideas and courage to speak them then you get to have your say.

So we are not who we say we are? Words and actions, so material reality, defines who we are?

Yup I 100% agree.

But wouldn’t you actively have to do something with malice to be transphobic? So for this example you’d be buying the game because you genuinely thought it was harmful to trans people? Or is it just automatically that you’re transphobic for buying the game?

Because if that’s the case then it seems the masses are transphobic which I don’t believe is the case.

if you say “I’m not racist but” then you’re about to say something will malice, if you didn’t buy a game because the character was black then it’s malice but if you didn’t buy a game because it doesn’t interest you then it’s not racist.

My actions are that like mentioned in the OP I donate to the LQBTQ community and I want to go into a profession that will help save trans lives but playing a game for personal reasons, to me isn’t transphobic but if I’m wrong then I’m wrong.

During the cultural revolution in China, Mao gifted some students a basket of mangoes and declared they were holy fruit. People went nuts for the cult of the mango: prostrating themselves, holding them aloft reverentially, declaring the miracle curative properties of its flesh etc. This small town finally gets a mango and displays it in the town square. An old guy living in the town went to see the mango and said it wasn’t that impressive and it was just a fruit. He was lynched.

The point, of course, wasn’t the mango just like the point here isn’t really about a video game. It’s a bare display of naked power. Of course it doesn’t make you “transphobic” to play a game. It’s absurd to suggest that the “sins” of the creator can be transposed onto the consumer by passive consumption. What TRAs are doing here is a loyalty test. If you participate in this game in any way you are a transphobe. It doesn’t make sense, but it’s not meant to. It’s meant to make you unthinking and reflexive.

The thing is, if enough people shrug and say “okay I guess I’m transphobic” and play the game anyway then this shows the emperor has no clothes.

Most people who say JK is transphobic haven’t even read ‘the essay’ cos if they did they’d realise it’s not transphobic anyway 🙄

As WeeBisom says, the whole thing is an unfounded loyalty test. No basis in fact. No change there then

Computer games are transphobic! Books are transphobic! Everything is transphobic! Transphobia for everyone!

The word ceases to have any meaning when it seems to translate as “transphobia is anything I don’t like because I'm trans and I perceive this viewpoint as “against me”…therefore it’s transphobic”.

Reminds me of a friend who thinks anyone who ever does anything she doesn’t like is “a narc”. And a similarly unhinged point of view.

See this is what puzzles me with the people that go along with this ideology. You cant win and whatever you do will never be enough so you may as well admit it's all bollocks and stop going along with it.

This is it, isn’t it?

I made the point to the trans man who gave me abuse uncalled for as the post wasn’t even specifically about hogwarts legacy anyway that I donate and I want to go into a professional that actively helps trans people and his response was “okay, and?” So my support isn’t enough but buying a game they feel is against the trans community is enough to be met with aggression.

It’s not a black and white topic I guess but it just feels like a minefield.

Of course you don't get to decide if you're transphobic, your words and actions will demonstrate it one way or another.

Yes, like their words and actions will demonstrate their misogyny.

As pp said, we're not dealing with an emotionally mature, rational group of people.

Massive own goal.

I know of a couple of dc, with no real interest in HP or the trans debate, who have gone out and preordered the game just because they have seen videos telling them NOT to.

Have these people ever met a teenager?

My own dd hasn’t ever really gamed before but does love HP. Even she wants a new console/preorder for her birthday.

Of course you don't get to decide if you're transphobic, your words and actions will demonstrate it one way or another.

Wonder if I’d get deleted for swapping one of these words out…

Of course you don't get to decide if you're a woman, your words and actions will demonstrate it one way or another.

either:
reality is transphobic
facts are transphobic
thinking logically and rationally is transphobic

doing and thinking anything other than what you are instructed to by TRAs is transphobic

or:
there are some people who have got the meaning of the word transphobia wrong, and it's ok to not obey their commands and to live without their approval.

there is nothing transphobic about the harry potter game.

They are currently trying to get Aretha Franklin's 'Natural Woman' taken down off spotify and other streaming services because there is more than one way to be a woman and saying that women are natural is transphobic.

I just don't bother arguing with these people, I just agree, yes I'm a terf and yes I'm transphobic and yes I've pre ordered the game too. What can they say then? Its usually very little, you've taken the wind out of their sails.

YY.

This list probably needs updated again!

wingsoverscotland.com/everything-is-transphobic/

Everything that anyone else wants that they do not approve of, is transphobic.

Only trans-identified people are allowed to define what people are. Which is why they insist that gender-atheists are 'cis', regardless of how we feel about their labelling us, whereas we are not allowed to use sex-accurate language in reference to them.

Absolutely right.

@Meaningofthesea but it’s not right, it’s not as black and white as that as there would need to be intent and malice behind an action for it to be racist, homophobic or transphobic.

@romdowa I guess that’s the only thing to do isn’t it, you can’t win or convince them otherwise. You just are what they say you are which is kind of ironic really.

@AlisonDonut seems that way, doesn’t it. It’s all or nothing which seems to be a losing battle for them as demonstrated with this game.

So am I ok to point out the obvious misogyny of the trans movement @Meaningofthesea

‘Of course you don’t get to decide self ID is harmless & just a teeny bit of admin, the resulting impact on women & girls single sex spaces will demonstrate it one way or another’

this argument ’works in many ways….