This morning on WBBM Chicago radio, I heard a Ted Cruz ad. No, I didn’t barf because I had been fasting and on my way for a blood sugar test, hence my stomach was empty.
It was the most vicious political ad I had ever heard in my life, including the 1964 Johnson mushroom cloud ad. Cruz (in a REALLY sinister voice) says that Trump supports letting full grown men enter you daughter’s bathroom because he feels like a woman that day. It says that about three different ways.
I can hardly believe that the Transgender rights laws do that. Still, I’m taken aback by talk of gender identity, rather than gender. Saying someone identifies as a woman rather than is a woman lends credence to Cruz’ ad.
I had always thought that transgender referred to sex change operations like Christine Jorgenson and more recently the former Chastity Bono, Bruce Jenner, and Bradley Manning. I did not think that transgender referred to simple cross dressing. Indeed, Cruz implies that a mere statement without even cross dressing is all that is required.
So here’s my question and it is sincere. What does transgender mean? Is there a range of meanings? Why do we use euphemism’s like “gender identity” which are ambiguous like “undocumented immigrant”? Could Cruz be horribly correct? Say it’s not so!
I suggest you ask Robyn at caucus99percent. Gays and lesbians may have no more insight into transgender than those that are now labeled cis. From what little I know, transgender is real and not some temporary or fleeting fancy to be the opposite sex, and it appears to have existed within human populations for a very long time. It is also quite rare and is not synonymous with cross-dressing; although for many transgender people that’s how they may express themselves at an early age.
There’s no one-size-fits-all medical protocol for transgender individuals. Not all of those that transition opt for surgery to alter their genitals, but don’t know if that’s by choice or it’s a financial matter.
Thank you for the suggestion. it sounds like there is a kernel of truth in Cruz’ arguments, although those state “birth certificate” laws are WAY off-base.
Cruz disseminates ignorant fear; any kernel of truth in anything he or his ads contain is only there to heighten fear and ignorance.
Will some horrible crime happen someday in a restroom by a transgender or fake transgender individual? Probably and all the rightwinger bigots will come out and scream “told ya, blah, blah, blah” while ignoring the rare but not uncommon horrible crimes committed by cis people in restrooms and transgender people are among the victims of such crimes.
There really was a quality to his voice that made my blood grow cold. I actually thought of a Cobra speaking.
I don’t think he is mentally stable. Trump is a blowhard narcissist, but, I believe, fundamentally sane.
There’s something evil and twisted in Cruz, like a serial killer.
I’ve (sincerely) questioned Hillary’s sanity, but a Cruz nomination is the only thing that would make me vote for her. Sort of like the choice between Livia and Caligula.
Ah, Livia. What a character she was.
I’m not LGBT, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I do have a close friend who is transgender, and there are a few people in my office building who are as well.
“Transgender” simply means that a person’s sense of self in terms of gender doesn’t match their biology. It doesn’t solely apply to people who have undergone the surgery to switch sexes.
As I understand it (others feel free to correct me if I’m wrong), a person wishing to undergo sex-change surgery has to live for a certain period of time — a year or two, I believe — as the “new” gender. So, if transitioning to female, for example, dressing like a woman. That also eventually involves hormone therapy and eventually the operation.
Not everybody goes through with the operation for one reason or another (financial reasons, being uncomfortable with such a serious surgery, and so on). Sometimes they’ll simply have the hormone treatment, if I remember correctly.
Could a man use the women’s restroom because he “feels [and dresses like, etc] like a woman that day”? Sure, I guess so.
Is that something to freak out about? No. Cruz is a bigot seeking to prey on a very small minority group. Your daughter, statistically, is a lot more likely to be assaulted by you or her uncle or a neighbor than a transgendered person in a public restroom. She’s a lot more likely to get kidnapped in a crowded city center when walking off on her own than in a public restroom with you standing outside the door.
It’s a non-issue.
Here is a simple rule…one that has stood the test of centuries.
If you have a penis, you go to the men’s room.
If you have a vagina, you go to the women’s room.
End of story.
If some minuscule percentage of the population doesn’t like this, then they…as long as they do not flash their pudenda or otherwise discomfit other people of any of the 7 sexes..should be able to go into any bathroom they choose as long as they are (at least outwardly) outfitted in what generally passes for “male” or “female” garb. If they are dressed…coiffed, whatever…in totally non-sexually identifying gear, then they should (as long as once again they do not actively discomfit any other people) be allowed to choose any bathroom that offers itself.
DUIH!!!
AG
P.S. If someone who looks at all like Ted Cruz should walk into any bathroom in which I was a user, I would immediately and with no hesitation whatsoever be prepared for whatever combat might follow.
To the death, if necessary.
Bet on it.
Agree with every point.
Once, at Dallas-Fort Worth airport, I needed to go badly. The restrooms (1970’s?) were marked with PC symbols (only! no text) with small skirts because large skirts were considered “sexist”. I barged through a door into an anteroom with a number of women sitting on couches (Ladies, Men’s rooms don’t have those). We stared at each other in stunned silence for two seconds, I shouted “OMIGOD!” and did an about face accompanied by gales of laughter. Some guy waiting for his wife/girlfriend outside wasn’t so amused. he looked like he wanted to kill me. O’Hare airport had the same man/woman symbols that you had to look really close at, but they also said, “Men” “Caballeros”, “Herren” and “Hommes” on the door. Since I understand all four terms, there was never a problem.
BTW, shouldn’t that have been “Hombres” instead of “Caballeros”? Probably put up by a politically connected Irish contractor.