The bill's sponsor, Representative Jordan Pace, called for those criticizing a bill that would require schools to declare transgender people's pronouns to be false as official school policy.
They're not even trying to pretend this isn't Christian fundamentalist bigotry anymore. Hopefully Rep Pace's comments get used against him in the inevitable court challenge if this bill becomes law.
Apparently Mr.* Pace he thinks he is God's messenger to South Carolina, calling out like an Old Testament prophet for people to "repent" and pray for God's mercy for the sin of opposing a piece of legislation. Rachel is right, they aren't even pretending any more.
I'd like to ask Pace what country he thinks he lives in and under what Constitution it operates. Not that any answer would be coherent or even, very likely, relevant.
*I use "Mr." and not "Rep." because I reject the legitimacy both of the position he claims to represent and the notion that Biblical invocations are a proper basis for civil government.
If I lived in one of these states, I'd say that they violate my religious rights. And I don't mean the trolling Satanic Temple, but as a Jew.
See, the Talmud has not two, but *eight* genders (albeit on a binary axis). They are:
1. Male
2. Female
3. Both
4. Neither
5. MtF naturally
6. MtF artificially
7. FtM naturally
8. FtM artificially
So saying gender is immutable from birth violates my religious freedom.
If you think that religion can't contradict science, first of all, you should ask these transphobic legislators what they think about evolution, and also, you should ask real medical scientists (i.e. doctors) what they know about transgender people.
It’s so disgusting this unrelenting hatred and attack on trans people. I get so discouraged about it. There’s got to be something to turn these hateful people around. Thank you Erin for your leadership and dedication to help right these horrible laws.
I have a bone to pick and I think this is important: We too often translate the words of the bigots and know-nothings into a more passive, a more neutral, voice - such as, here: Pace didn't tell Dr. O’Brien that "it is 'cruel' to affirm transgender people," he said "it's cruel to affirm mental illness rather than treat [it]."
That is, he didn't just refuse to affirm, he actively denounced. He declared being transgender, indeed the very idea of being transgender, a "mental illness" in need of "treatment."
We - community members and allies alike - need to be equally direct in our language. Not ranting insults or arm-waving sneers but hard, cold words: Jordan Pace is wholly incompetent to make the judgments he made, with no more standing, training, or backing in science fact than some bottom-of-the-barrel Flat Earther.
And we should continue to be that direct. Remember the scene from December 6 when physicians testified on an anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Ohio, saying "You trust us on every other condition. Please, trust us on this one?" We should say the same but even more bluntly, telling legislatures (and those beyond), "Listen to the people who know what they are talking about. Because you don't."
Three footnotes:
1. I don't dismiss the value of mockery, humor, and ridicule as weapons. But they should always, as I have said many times, employ the rapier, not the bludgeon.
2. I checked Pace's campaign bio and there is no hint of any training in any field of science.
3. This spring, Pace was among those who backed a failed attempt to have getting an abortion subject to the death penalty.
Funny.... I don't recall being born into a theocratic nation.... Just kidding, we always have been. I gotta say, all this hate isn't very Christ-like of them...
They're not even trying to pretend this isn't Christian fundamentalist bigotry anymore. Hopefully Rep Pace's comments get used against him in the inevitable court challenge if this bill becomes law.
It almost certainly will. It's clear animus.
..but it won't matter. :shrug:
I'm inclined to agree. It won't matter at all. It hasn't before. The only real defense we have is to leave states like this. It's awful.
Apparently Mr.* Pace he thinks he is God's messenger to South Carolina, calling out like an Old Testament prophet for people to "repent" and pray for God's mercy for the sin of opposing a piece of legislation. Rachel is right, they aren't even pretending any more.
I'd like to ask Pace what country he thinks he lives in and under what Constitution it operates. Not that any answer would be coherent or even, very likely, relevant.
*I use "Mr." and not "Rep." because I reject the legitimacy both of the position he claims to represent and the notion that Biblical invocations are a proper basis for civil government.
I keep coming back to that “prayer”, grimly true:
“Lord, protect me from Your followers.”
I prefer Missy to Mr. He can be called what he likes when he learns to respect other people.
If I lived in one of these states, I'd say that they violate my religious rights. And I don't mean the trolling Satanic Temple, but as a Jew.
See, the Talmud has not two, but *eight* genders (albeit on a binary axis). They are:
1. Male
2. Female
3. Both
4. Neither
5. MtF naturally
6. MtF artificially
7. FtM naturally
8. FtM artificially
So saying gender is immutable from birth violates my religious freedom.
If you think that religion can't contradict science, first of all, you should ask these transphobic legislators what they think about evolution, and also, you should ask real medical scientists (i.e. doctors) what they know about transgender people.
But I have my doubts.
It’s so disgusting this unrelenting hatred and attack on trans people. I get so discouraged about it. There’s got to be something to turn these hateful people around. Thank you Erin for your leadership and dedication to help right these horrible laws.
> There’s got to be something to turn these hateful people around.
Voting them out of office.
Indoctrinating kids with hate and intolerance. A new line has been crossed
I have a bone to pick and I think this is important: We too often translate the words of the bigots and know-nothings into a more passive, a more neutral, voice - such as, here: Pace didn't tell Dr. O’Brien that "it is 'cruel' to affirm transgender people," he said "it's cruel to affirm mental illness rather than treat [it]."
That is, he didn't just refuse to affirm, he actively denounced. He declared being transgender, indeed the very idea of being transgender, a "mental illness" in need of "treatment."
We - community members and allies alike - need to be equally direct in our language. Not ranting insults or arm-waving sneers but hard, cold words: Jordan Pace is wholly incompetent to make the judgments he made, with no more standing, training, or backing in science fact than some bottom-of-the-barrel Flat Earther.
And we should continue to be that direct. Remember the scene from December 6 when physicians testified on an anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Ohio, saying "You trust us on every other condition. Please, trust us on this one?" We should say the same but even more bluntly, telling legislatures (and those beyond), "Listen to the people who know what they are talking about. Because you don't."
Three footnotes:
1. I don't dismiss the value of mockery, humor, and ridicule as weapons. But they should always, as I have said many times, employ the rapier, not the bludgeon.
2. I checked Pace's campaign bio and there is no hint of any training in any field of science.
3. This spring, Pace was among those who backed a failed attempt to have getting an abortion subject to the death penalty.
Funny.... I don't recall being born into a theocratic nation.... Just kidding, we always have been. I gotta say, all this hate isn't very Christ-like of them...
Ugh. My mother lives in SC and my trans child wants to go visit her. I just can't. Gonna have to keep coming to us, Grandma.
Maybe jackass Pace should repent, let’s give him plenty of time to do it on the unemployment line
Missy Pace should keep her nose out of other peoples' business.