I refer to a recent podcast in which you summarise your views on trans issues: that people are born with an observed sex (almost always male or female) and that they might later in life choose to live as a different sex (or gender) . And if they do so they must be accorded all rights and considerations accorded non trans people.
You say that all other things like access to bathrooms, entry to change rooms, participation in sports (especially by trans women in women's sports) can be worked out by dialogue.
That sounds fine and fair and tolerant.
But.
Here's the problem.…If it's accepted that the chosen sex (or gender) is *real* then all the other points above are moot. Trans women *must* be allowed into women's bathrooms if they identify as women, because they are *women*. They must be allowed to participate in women's sports if they identify as women, because they are *women*. Increasing numbers of natal women are finding this unacceptable. Confronting in bathrooms and unfair on the sports field.
Until very recently it was fine because there were not so many trans folks and everyone just bumped along.
In recent years, however, people identifying as trans have skyrocketed (1,000s % increases!) and their demands too. Thus women — that is natal or biological women — are increasingly feeling threatened. I feel for them. See, for example, Megyn Kelly on this issue, in recent podcasts.
This is not a small issue. I'm not sure you've fully thought through your take on it. (Which, if true, I'll grant is not *you* as one of the reasons I follow you is because how well thought out all your views are! What with 50 years teaching and all…).
It's not as simple as saying that people may identify as the opposite sex and "that's fine", and we must accord them all the rights and considerations of people born as that sex. In particular it's *not* fine when trans women's "rights" bump up against the rights of women born as women. And those women feel threatened and cheated.
Wishing you all the best from Hong Kong,
Pf, etc…
ADDED: Here’s an unexpected result of changing one’s natal sex in DNA databases, from Twitter:
