Fair, I can understand how it came across that way - I didn’t mean to blame anyone but the DNC for losing an election by not doing the one thing most of their voters wanted them to do.

This doesn’t need to turn into a pissing contest as I see you care about the Palestinian cause.

I too have spent countless hours protesting on the ground, being threatened and followed by police, helping comrades deal with the abysmal legal system and some other things I don’t feel comfortable admitting on a public forum - but I don’t see this as justification to blame others for the voting choices they’ve made - I’ve used my privilege to help as much as I can - not because that allows me to “berate people on the internet for not caring as much” but because it’s the only thing that helps me sleep at night.

I’m glad you’re involved in the cause - I just wanted to highlight how we should have class solidarity against the ruling class and not divide ourselves based on who’s not voted for whom as if that’s what makes it or breaks it.

I just want to preface this that as a trans person I totally understand your fears and agree they are completely valid - however I also want to make you aware of your relative privilege (being able to pack up and leave the US) - compared to almost all Palestinians that cannot do the same on top of also not being able to see their parents - not because of immigration but because they’ve been blown up by American bombs.

I just want to point out that by blaming voters for not compromising on their values around human rights (instead of blaming the DNC for enabling genocide) - you’re showcasing that you personally care more about your child’s domestic rights being threatened than Palestinian children being killed - yes both are atrocious but I would hope that you can see how being killed right now should take precedence over likely (but avoidable) suffering down the line.

Instead you’re saying that your daughter’s safety is more important than middle eastern children dying (which for you personally is valid) - but you can’t claim that everyone else should care about your child’s potential struggles in the future vs other’s children’s deaths right now.

I just hope you will now become more understanding of the Palestinian struggle (as a refugee yourself) and will fight for the DNC to recognize both your rights and theirs as you now more viscerally understand how you’re both in the same boat.

100% agree - I think people shouldn’t use somebody’s inborn body features as an insult.

However, based on OP’s post history I do believe they’re a fragile man that really ought to touch more grass.

This means you’re becoming politically active via grassroot groups, right? And not just shitposting on the internet, right?

Good it didn’t burn down but it’s quite ironic considering it was built using Paul Getty’s oil money…

So your argument is “people will break the rules so we shouldn’t have any rules because it doesn’t matter”?

This is the classic nazi bar argument - which has been proven time and time again that “free speech absolutism” consistently leads to spaces becoming hostile to marginalized groups

I see you have your heart in the right place but by insisting on everyone having equal rights to say anything - you are inherently favoring the oppressor over the oppressed.

I don’t think we’ll come to an agreement so I’ll stop replying as this feels futile to argue over.

EDIT: Just FYI this is what you’re defending in this instance

So why leave this comment? You yourself identify the social impact of “assigning a label (i.e. how others react to it)” - so for what purpose are you arguing for what labels are to be assigned?

Can you not just accept that the people impacted by this label (and the scientific community) have recognized that this label is harmful to individuals and not feel the need to chime in?

Or do you feel your desire for pedantry is more important than the negative impact such a label can have on marginalized groups?

What’s gained by insisting on potentially harmful labels?

Even by your own admission, labels have social impact. So why are you choosing to argue for harmful ones?

EDIT: If you’re actually arguing for better acceptance of people with mental disorders - I would recommend volunteering at a mental health institution or defending people’s right to self-determination.

This is demonstrably false.

Actually that’s a common misconception - while gender dysphoria is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) - it’s not actually a mental disorder (similar to how the DSM includes physiological and environmental issues like Insomnia or Social Exclusion) - main reason it’s there is for admin purposes and to facilitate treatment access.

However, a condition like body dysmorphia (think Anorexia Nervosa) is considered a mental disorder because the issue is the mind incorrectly perceiving the body - therefore it can be treated using psychotherapy which enables the mind to correctly perceive the body and prevent harm.

People who experience gender dysphoria on the other hand - actually correctly perceive their body (that’s where the distress comes from) so psychotherapy doesn’t work to alleviate this - as you can’t therapy away an accurate perception (think gay conversion therapy)

Which is why after many decades of research the only treatment that’s been found to work is aligning the body with the mind - as at that point the mind continues perceiving the body correctly but this time it’s congruent with it’s mental model which alleviates the distress.

Hope this helps :)