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PaperclipPerfector  7d ago (text post)   31461 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of January 5, 2026

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Because the scoring is arbitrary and the score-keepers are readily politically captured. A transman who wins a sprint either has the time or doesn't. A transwoman who beats wins the Miss America pageant could have impressed judges with interviews, swimsuit, and evening dress... or have had judges feeling they could Prove The Chuds Wrong. Hell, even if she genuinely does win with the judges, it's quite possible or even likely, that none of the things that won the race will appeal to a social conservative audience, even if you could somehow force them to be honest with a magical spell.

((uh, most sports. A transman might have a biological advantage over cis guys in some gunnie-related sports, though the data is controversial.))

Meanwhile, the philosophy that this is just some distraction that doesn't matter runs headfirst into the 'fine, then let me win' problem. It probably does have some strategic value, and I'd argue that social conservatives should actually try to investigate what (though I don't like them on this topic well enough to do their work for them), but social conservatives can tell it does from progressive actions, without having to delve into whether it's the scholarships, ability to claim what's attractive to men at young women, ammo for the 'this is how things really are' arguments in courts and to regulatory agencies, or just a new avenue to claim anti-trans people aren't 'really' straight.

I don't think it matters, but if you want to persuade people who do, you need to at least attempt the basics of understanding what motivates them.

I don't think it matters, but if you want to persuade people who do, you need to at least attempt the basics of understanding what motivates them.

I think that's what my comment was doing.

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