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Culture War Roundup for the week of June 22, 2026

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Wokes rail against male gaze on principle. But they are perfectly capable of arresting the slippery slope short of censoring female gaze/gay oriented media...Even when they latch onto real issues, like domestic violence or sexual assault, I’m deeply suspicious of letting them set the terms...

I agree, but note this also involves many conservatives: I'm suspicious of anyone too passionate about censorship.

And the arguments for even mild censorship are weak. For example, censoring hardcore porn may slightly reduce domestic violence, but I'd prefer ways that don't restrict stable men, because there are downsides (even to men who don't prefer hardcore porn, as explained in GP). I'm sure everyone has some interest or characteristic (e.g. stereotype) that, if restricted, would reduce some kind of harm; so fairly implementing every restriction "for the greater good" restricts everyone, a nanny-state dystopia.

I'd be perfectly fine with conservatives censoring homosexuality in television.

I disagree. Cable is dying, so television amounts to YouTube, Netflix, and every alternative; the power to censor anything more than realistic CSAM and government secrets from all of these would surely be abused (already DMCA is abused by false takedowns). And it may seem like a small consolation, but I'm sure there's some quality in gay porn that inspires better straight media; for example, a wholesome display of gay affection may be reused in a wholesome display of platonic or heterosexual romantic affection.

Furthermore, nobody can deny that objectively gayness exists. Related, I object to completely censoring homosexuality from children any more than heterosexuality: that means at minimum, they should be told in sex-ed that it exists and it's normal for some people to feel it. Because like it or not, some people are intrinsically gay, and trying to hide gayness from them invariably ends up hurting everyone involved: see those who come out in the most repressive communities, knowing their formerly-generous family will now try to kill them, uplifting and threatening their entire life, just to have consensual sex with another adult (or similarly-aged teenager under Romeo and Juliet morality).

However, I strongly believe that, to a reasonable extent, people should have the right not to see and hear media they don't like, and children should be barred from inappropriate (including sexual) media as much as possible without compromising privacy. This means that (E: children only if it’s too sexual for their age, same as hetero) and adults who don't want to be exposed to homosexuality must endure sex-ed and plain "gay XYZ" advertisements, but beyond that, should have technology to block it, and a distributor intentionally circumventing this technology should be illegal. Offline, when mutual coexistence is impossible, laws and government should seek separation: for example, a gay culture growing in a deeply Christian community should (as it naturally will) be coerced to relocate if there's anywhere else (and vice versa). Likewise, graphic violence, porn, etc. should be allowed, but only distributed to those who present themselves as of-age and actively seeking it.

Related, I object to completely censoring homosexuality from children any more than heterosexuality: that means at minimum, they should be told in sex-ed that it exists and it's normal for some people to feel it.

What does this accomplish? If they're gay, they'll figure it out, as gay people have been figuring out for all of history. They don't need to be told. Especially in 2026.

The political cost of this immense, as it pisses of conservatives, and it accomplishes nothing.

This is net downvoted (not by me) but I think you make a good point

Yes, needlessly pissing off conservatives for zero benefit is a favourite pastime of the modern LGBT movement. See also: drag queen story hour. I would also add trans people in prisons and sports, though those are more a case of benefits existing but not outweighing the costs, as opposed to drag queen story hour and your proposed discussion of homosexuality in sex ed, where the benefits are not close, but exactly equal to, zero.

The downvotes may be from people who want conservatives to be pissed off because it makes it easier for them to win. An LGBT movement that picks its battles better would certainly accomplish more.

the power to censor anything more than realistic CSAM and government secrets from all of these would surely be abused

I'll admit I'm being petty here, and I wouldn't have taken this stance 10 years ago. But the current censorship regime is not neutral. Wokes have spent years freely injecting female and gay-oriented content everywhere while selectively pozzing traditionally straight male spaces. Any potential abuse would likely continue flowing in the same direction.

Because like it or not, some people are intrinsically gay

I'll agree to disagree on education, though if my kid came out as gay I’d probably accept it simply because there aren’t better alternatives. I’m not religious, but I still dislike LGBT while acknowledging the underlying reality that they cannot change who they are. If reliable prenatal testing existed that could detect it, I would abort.

My main contention is that straight male oriented media should be completely off-zone for any kind of woke-washing. This means blockbuster films and AAA video games should be allowed to exclusively pander to straight men without any concessions to women or LGBT. And if this happens through the way of censorship, I wouldn't complain. Consider the backlash ShiftUp faced in Korea because Nikke featured an artwork where the placement of a female's hand somewhat resembled the small penis gesture. Objectively, it's such a ridiculous reach and you can't see it even if you squint extra hard. But as a partisan, I'm happy to see a company signal boosting against misandry after 10 years of unabashed anti-male messaging in western culture.

blockbuster films and AAA video games should be allowed to exclusively pander to straight men without any concessions to women or LGBT

Agreed

I'm happy to see a company signal boosting against misandry after 10 years of unabashed anti-male messaging in western culture.

Acceptable

And if this happens through the way of censorship

I don't think it really will, and it will have a slight opposite effect: the people pushing censorship don't care about free expression and vice versa, so if you censor their side, they will only escalate. I would gladly accept a truce where every art I like is allowed and every art I dislike is also allowed, but I already don't care about the latter. The people who care enough about offensive art to implement censorship, if they have any logic to their thinking, know it will be used against their art; they choose censorship over expression.

I acknowledge, one way censorship does reduce other censorship, is by getting bystanders to notice it used against the other side (which they already don't see), when it's used against their side, so they push back on all of it. So, maybe.

But I think promoting expression is better: you can alternatively (or both, but you only have finite resources) get bystanders to notice by creating media they like that the censors (whose tolerance is always lower than the bystanders') will target. And that has the intrinsic benefit of creating good art, and doesn't have the drawback of enraging the censors (as much) or creating censorship infrastructure (which makes it easier for anyone to censor).

My main contention is that straight male oriented media should be completely off-zone for any kind of woke-washing. This means blockbuster films and AAA video games should be allowed to exclusively pander to straight men without any concessions to women or LGBT.

I largely agree. But, devil's advocate: adding a romance subplot to an otherwise male-centric IP is (was?) a common way to appeal to women (e.g. Han/Leia in Star Wars). Allowed?

Well, it overlaps with Hero gets the Girl (even if THE hero is Luke) part of the male fantasy of growing into status and responsibility. But if you want the female romcom audience to show up, it'll have to be "soap drama wearing Star Wars skinsuit", like Superman & Lois.

Nikke featured an artwork where the placement of a female's hand somewhat resembled the small penis gesture

My understanding is that this relates to a Korea-specific moral panic over penis length, rather than being applicable to gender politics more generally. The other key difference with Korea is that the sex (not gender) wars being actively fought on both sides is comfortably inside the Overton window.