Transgender Ideology and the Power of Social Media
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In the UK, psychotherapist James Caspian submitted a research proposal to Bath Spa University. It involved a study of people who had undergone a transition and now regret it. If you are thinking ‘well, good idea, objective academic research into this can never hurt’, you have counted beyond your means. Caspian's research proposal was rejected.
Research Proposal
The reason given to him was that the university feared criticism of the research via social media. Criticism of the research could implicitly be criticism of the university itself. You read correctly; because there could possibly be criticism on Twitter, Facebook et cetera - it was not there yet for all intents and purposes - a research proposal was rejected in the second instance (it was initially approved according to Caspian) because the university in question feared for its reputation.
Regret
The addition, ‘it's better not to offend people’, is the comment you knew was coming. These days, not wanting to offend people behaving like bullies on the internet when something comes to their ears that is unwelcome to them and that they can get ‘hurt’ by is commonplace. The fact that universities, politicians, schools and other social bodies are increasingly taking this seriously is particularly galling, especially when it gets in the way of independent research. Caspian has been working with transgender people for eight years, guiding people through their transition process. All he wanted to investigate was why people have or may have regrets after entering such a journey. That's all.
Sorry Person
Also in the Nethrlands, the programme Zembla had a documentary about Patrick (40) who afterwards said he regretted his decision to change sex. The COC (LGBT-lobby), the UMCG (University Medical Centre Groningen), Transgender Network, all let it be known in a reaction that very few people regret their transition, thereby distorting what Zembla showed, namely that several people regret it. Regretting after such a drastic decision with all its consequences is no small thing. Why shouldn't you be allowed to show that? Whether it is one person, ten or a hundred, the regret is there.
Read also: Child wittily answers Gender Questions: 'Transgender People are just Confused'
Concerned Man
Nor does British academic Caspian say anywhere that he feels that very many people have regrets afterwards, he just wanted to research those cases - and they do occur - where this is indeed the case. What's wrong with that you might say, but apparently nothing is allowed to question gender ideology or look at it from a less positive angle. This is why a committed man like Caspian with a heart for his clients is not allowed to conduct research to find out more about this phenomenon of the regrets. After all, this would be ‘politically incorrect’ according to the university where he works.
Roses and Moonshine
Remarkable that before there is any research report on the table at all, the university already knows that this is politically incorrect or could hurt people. We only know that when Caspian conducts and completes research and puts his findings on paper. And that is exactly what the university banned him from doing. As if afraid that he might discover something people don't want to know, namely that it's not all rosy when it comes to gender reassignment pathways and/or surgeries. When science bows to public opinion and bans research beforehand, it is very harmful.
Social Media Bullies
Perhaps the vulnerable souls who scour social media daily to keep finding new reasons to feel hurt will now avert their gaze from Bath Spa University, but academically, it is surely a disgrace that in advance these social media bullies have already won and academic research has been subordinated to their moods and whims. In any case, this does not serve science, only the speeding LGBT lobby train that does not tolerate any dissent.
Read also: Purity Is Indispensable In a Genuinely Catholic Home
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A principled, not a personal position
This article aims to defend marriage, the family and morality according to Catholic teaching. In no way is it our intention to slander individuals. We simply exercise our freedom as children of God (Rom. 8:21), so that ‘every tongue would confess to the glory of God the Father, that Jesus Christ is Lord.’ (Phil. 2:11).