The latest New Yorker podcast

[Spidergloves]

www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/tnyradiohour/episodes/masha-gessen-battle-over-trans-rights

I listened to this with trepidation as I know how awful the New Yorker has been in covering JKR in recent years. It did give an interesting/ disturbing insight into how things are in America though.

I am astounded by David Remnick’s blind acceptance of everything covered in this episode, from trans kids to mangling of the language with pronouns and genuinely believing any opposition to be purely and only right wing ignorance and malice. There is a surprising amount of taking Judith Butler at face value, and interesting discussion about why a Nabraskan bill known as ‘let them grow’ is actually a bad thing for kids and parental rights.

Worth listening to the interview with staff writer Masha Gessen as a late stage female to male transitioner. Masha is very intelligent and measured won’t be drawn when asked about JKR and thinks Dave Chappelle is hilarious.

But overall it comes across that there is something very wrong with American media on this issue. As with so many US orgs it’s clear trans staff lead the way on this editorial line of naive, unquestioning narratives.

www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-trans-rights

Now in print. I was a fair bit too generous recalling Masha Gessen's input from memory. Intelligent it is not.

What's weird is this quote from the article:
"That simplicity—women are women, men are men. There’s social and financial stability. Where relevant, there’s whiteness. There’s a comfortable and predictable future. That’s a message that says, We’re going to return you to a time when things weren’t scary,"

Well - women are women is just a fact. I am none too fussed about whiteness, but I suspect financial stability is something people across the political divide want. Its not a desperate desire to return to the 50s. No-one normal wants an uncomfortable and unpredictable future. Unless financial stability/mentioning the economy is going to be the next "right wing dog whistle". Sigh.

There's a bit where Masha starts going on about how a young girl and a older woman will not have the same gender. It's all meaningless garbage, and Remnick doesn't challenge a word.

And you're right, that they want to frame sex as some kind of old fashioned backward thinking for dummies (right wing ones, of course) is ridiculous.

This piece shows what a con it all is - except the New Yorker has completely fallen for it.

Reviving this thread (and old username) as the NewYorker has finally achieved secured a boss-level TRA win here by getting Judith Butler on and, seemingly, once again framing any objection to what's going on as right wing awfulness and stupidity.

I'll admit I haven't listened yet but what I wrote upthread will give you an idea of what to expect, just wanted to flag it up here for anyone interested.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/id1050430296?i=1000649357270

Its insane how gunho the americans are for the lunacy. But then some are arguing it fits a pattern of magical thinking on other issues too. See my post about the Moon of Alabama blog.

It is insane! I sometimes read the comments on slate and they truly are mind boggling.