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Culture War Roundup for the week of November 28, 2022

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If any other mid tier government employee took the wrong bag from the airport and claimed it was an honest mistake, it would only make the news AFTER a guilty verdict was reached (if guilty). Instead, this has become a major story because of Brinton's identity.

If Joe Bloggs, mid-level civil service minion, took the suitcase of Jane Doe or John Roe from the airport, had video evidence of them taking the case and ripping off the tag, denied that they took the case, then said maybe they took the wrong case but their clothes were inside it(?), then said they left the clothes that were inside in their hotel room (and the hotel says no clothes were left), and had gone around for a few weeks or a couple of months using that suitcase as their own when on trips - there would and should be questions asked, because what the hell was going on?

Yes, Brinton's public persona contributes to the publicity, as does the fact that it was a woman's property and contained her clothing. But if this was Sam Brinton, straight cis guy in a suit, and he did the same thing - then yeah, the same questions should be asked. Why did he take it? What happened to the contents? How could it be an 'honest mistake' if he didn't have a bag on the flight with him? Was he drunk? Stoned? Suffering from some mental impairment? Has he done anything like this before?

Maybe it's kleptomania. But being genderfluid queer non-binary doesn't constitute a "Get out of jail free" card, anymore than being anonymous boring cis het white male should do in a case like this.