Let’s All Get Past This Confusion About Trans People

Summary

The speaker addresses the ongoing controversy surrounding transgender individuals, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between biological sex and gender identity. They critique both the right's denial of transgenderism and the left's occasional missteps, such as conflating gender with social constructs. The script calls for societal acceptance and normalization of trans people, advocating for respectful language guided by science and logic, and urges a balanced discussion on complex issues like sports participation.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker aims to address the controversy surrounding trans people and clarify misunderstandings.
• 🔍 The speaker identifies the right-wing denial of transgenderism and the left's missteps in the discourse.
• 🌟 The distinction between 'sex' and 'gender' is emphasized, with sex being chromosomal and gender being a neurochemical construct.
• 🧬 The speaker explains that gender identity is not solely determined by sex chromosomes but involves a complex neurochemical basis.
• 💡 The term 'cisgender' is used for individuals whose gender identity aligns with their biological sex, while 'transgender' refers to those whose gender identity does not.
• 🚫 The speaker criticizes the offensive notion that being transgender is a 'choice', comparing it to past misconceptions about homosexuality.
• 🏳️‍🌈 The acceptance of diverse sexual orientations is presented as a precursor to the acceptance of transgender identities.
• 🙅‍♂️ A critique of liberals who incorrectly label gender as a social construct is presented, asserting that gender is biologically determined.
• 🤔 The speaker calls for an honest discussion about the biological basis of gender, separate from societal gender roles.
• 🤝 The importance of respecting trans individuals' gender identity over their biological sex is highlighted as a matter of courtesy and societal progress.
• 🤔 The script touches on the complexities of trans athletes in sports, acknowledging the biological advantages of those who went through male puberty.
• 🌐 The final message is a call for societal acceptance and normalization of trans people, advocating for language guided by science and logic.

Q & A

What is the main issue addressed in the script?

The main issue addressed is the controversy and misunderstandings surrounding transgender people and their rights.

How does the speaker differentiate between sex and gender?

Sex is defined as a chromosomal phenomenon, typically XX for females and XY for males, while gender is a neurochemical construct related to one's identity and not determined solely by sex chromosomes.

What is the speaker's stance on the right's view of transgender people?

The speaker criticizes the right for denying transgenderism and perpetuating misleading caricatures about gender identity.

How does the speaker address the left's mistakes regarding gender?

The speaker argues that the left errs by saying 'gender is a social construct' and decoupling gender from its biological basis, which leads to conservative mockery.

Why does the speaker believe conservatives get traction with their views?

Conservatives gain traction by mocking the left’s oversimplified statements about gender, making it seem like liberals lack a solid understanding of the issue.

What is the speaker's opinion on comedy and offensive remarks?

The speaker believes that comedy, including off-the-cuff remarks by comedians like Dave Chappelle, should not be overreacted to and that anger should be reserved for those denying science and human rights.

What does the speaker say about trans women in sports?

The speaker acknowledges that trans women who have gone through male puberty have an unfair biological advantage in sports and suggests respecting the reasons why men and women typically do not compete against each other.

How does the speaker propose we address the existence of trans people?

The speaker advocates for accepting and normalizing trans people, ensuring they feel safe to express their identity while maintaining scientifically accurate language.

What historical comparison does the speaker make regarding the acceptance of transgender people?

The speaker compares the current debate on transgender rights to past controversies surrounding homosexuality, predicting that transgender acceptance will follow a similar path of normalization.

What is the speaker's overall message about language and cultural shifts?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of using scientifically and logically accurate language when discussing sex and gender, avoiding the pitfalls of oversimplified or culturally trendy terms.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Clarifying Transgenderism and the Misunderstandings Surrounding It

The speaker begins by addressing the contentious topic of transgenderism, expressing a desire to contribute to the dialogue. They acknowledge their liberal stance but promise not to spare any group from critique. The main focus is on the right-wing denial of transgenderism, characterized by misrepresentations in media. The speaker clarifies the distinction between sex and gender, explaining sex as a chromosomal fact and gender as a complex neurochemical construct influenced by genetics but not solely determined by sex chromosomes. They argue against the oversimplification of gender identity and criticize the right for denying the legitimacy of transgender experiences, drawing parallels to past controversies around homosexuality. The speaker calls for an acceptance of transgender individuals based on scientific understanding rather than prejudice.

05:05

🚫 Dispelling Myths: The Biological Basis of Gender and the Impact of Language

In this paragraph, the speaker tackles common misconceptions, particularly the liberal notion that 'gender is a social construct,' which they refute by emphasizing the biological underpinnings of gender as a neurochemical phenomenon. They argue that while gender roles are indeed social constructs, gender itself is determined biologically. The speaker also addresses the complexities of language use regarding sex and gender, noting the importance of distinguishing between the two to avoid confusion and miscommunication. They critique those who deny the biological reality of transgender identities and call for a respectful acknowledgment of individuals' gender identities, while also recognizing the immutable biological sex. The speaker touches on the cultural debate around comedy and the need to focus on more significant issues, such as the scientific understanding of gender and the rights of transgender individuals in sports, advocating for a balanced and scientifically informed approach to these discussions.

10:10

🌟 Conclusion: The Imperative of Acceptance and the Role of Reasoned Discourse

Concluding the video script, the speaker reiterates the need for society to accept and normalize the existence of transgender people, emphasizing that they have always been part of the human experience. They call for an end to the controversy by advocating for acceptance based on scientific understanding and logical reasoning. The speaker warns against getting caught up in 'woke' culture and stresses the importance of using accurate language guided by science. They remind viewers of the real meanings of terms like 'sex' and 'gender' and encourage teaching these distinctions to others, wrapping up the discussion with a call for a rational and informed dialogue on the topic of transgenderism.

Keywords

💡Transgenderism

Transgenderism refers to the condition of having a gender identity that differs from one's sex assigned at birth. In the video, the speaker clarifies that transgender individuals have a gender identity that is the opposite of their biological sex, and this concept is central to the discussion on acceptance and understanding of trans people.

💡Cisgender

Cisgender is a term used to describe individuals whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. The script emphasizes that the majority of people are cisgender, and this is the reason why gender identity aligns with biological sex in most cases, making it less discussed historically.

💡Sex

Sex, as defined in the script, is a chromosomal phenomenon that determines whether an individual is biologically male or female. It is a critical distinction from gender, and understanding this difference is essential to grasping the complexities of transgender identity.

💡Gender

Gender in the video is described as a neurochemical construct that is biological but not solely determined by sex chromosomes. It is more complex and involves an individual's internal sense of self, which may not align with their biological sex, as is the case with transgender individuals.

💡Intersex

Intersex people, mentioned in the script, are those with chromosomal irregularities that result in a blend of phenotypes associated with both sexes. This group highlights the diversity within human biology and challenges the binary understanding of sex.

💡Chimera

A chimera, in the context of the video, refers to an individual who has different genotypes in different cells due to developing from more than one zygote. This concept further illustrates the complexity and diversity of human biological makeup.

💡Neurochemical Profile

The script discusses the neurochemical profile as a part of human psychology that guides how we think and feel, including aspects of gender identity. This concept is integral to understanding the biological underpinnings of gender beyond the sex chromosomes.

💡Social Construct

The term 'social construct' is used in the script to differentiate between biological determinants and societal expectations or roles. The speaker argues against the notion that gender is a social construct, while acknowledging that gender roles certainly are.

💡Transphobia

Transphobia is the discrimination against or denial of the existence or legitimacy of transgender individuals. The video addresses the need to combat transphobia by understanding and accepting transgenderism as a valid identity.

💡Woke

In the script, 'woke' is used to describe a cultural trend of being aware of and actively attentive to important societal issues, particularly those related to social and racial justice. The speaker cautions against getting swept up in the 'woke' culture without being guided by science and logic.

💡Sports and Transgender Athletes

The script touches on the controversy surrounding transgender athletes, particularly trans women, and their participation in sports. It acknowledges the biological advantages that trans women who went through male puberty may have, which is a complex issue in the realm of competitive sports.

Highlights

The speaker expresses a desire to discuss current events, specifically the controversy surrounding trans people.

Acknowledges the division in public opinion about trans people and the heated debates that ensue.

Clarifies a personal liberal stance while promising a balanced critique of both the left and the right.

Criticizes those who deny transgenderism, calling out the caricature of reality presented by some media outlets.

Differentiates between 'sex' and 'gender', explaining that sex is chromosomal while gender is a neurochemical construct.

Discusses the complexities of gender identity and its biological basis, beyond just sex chromosomes.

Argues against the notion that gender identity is a choice, comparing it to the historical misunderstanding of homosexuality.

Advocates for the acceptance and normalization of transgenderism, drawing parallels to the evolution of societal views on sexual orientation.

Points out the missteps of liberals, particularly the incorrect assertion that 'gender is a social construct'.

Stresses the importance of distinguishing between biological sex and gender identity in discussions.

Addresses the controversy around comedy and the need for society to differentiate between offensive and subjective humor.

Comments on the challenges faced in sports regarding the participation of trans women and the biological advantages discussed.

Encourages a respectful dialogue about the participation of trans individuals in sports, respecting both their identity and biological reality.

Concludes with a call for society to accept trans people and to base discussions on science and logic, not cultural trends.

Emphasizes the importance of using accurate language regarding sex and gender and educating those who are confused.

Ends with a reminder that trans people have always existed and that their acknowledgment is a step towards a more inclusive society.

Transcripts

Hey everyone, I know I don’t discuss current  events too often, but I’d like to do more of that,  

and there’s one thing happening at the  moment that I feel compelled to comment on.  

Everybody seems to be furious about trans people. Half of us are furious that they exist,  

and the other half are furious about what  the other half is saying. I would like to  

jump in and see if I can clear up some of the  ways that people are talking past each other. 

Now it’s no secret that I’m a bit on the liberal  side, but rest assured, the left is not going to  

get away scot-free on this one. They’re missing  the mark on a few key points. But as tends to  

be the case, it’s bigots on the right who  are the main problem, so let’s start there. 

The primary issue is people who deny  transgenderism. These are the people who spew  

the tired FOX News talking points. “Liberals say  there are 89 genders and anyone can identify as a  

hampster”, that sort of thing. It’s a deliberate  caricature of reality peddled by all the angry  

conservative dudes popping up in my feed lately  who claim that nobody can define a woman. Let’s  

all take a moment to acknowledge the problems that  go along with the ambiguity of language. Sex and  

gender are different words that refer to different  things. If you did not know that, now you do. Sex  

is a chromosomal phenomenon. Nearly all of us have  two sex chromosomes in all of our somatic cells.  

If both are X, your sex is female. If one is X and  one is Y, your sex is male. There are interesting  

exceptions like intersex people who exhibit a  blend of the phenotypes associated with the two  

sexes due to chromosomal irregularities, as well  as chimeric beings who exhibit different genotypes  

in different cells due to developing from more  than one zygote. It is important to discuss  

and understand these populations, however we can  still safely categorize the overwhelming majority  

of people as exhibiting either male or female  sex. Gender is a different phenomenon. It is  

still biological, but it is a neurochemical  construct. This means that ultimately it is  

still genetic in basis, but it absolutely is not  determined merely by the sex chromosomes. It is  

tremendously more complicated, and researchers  are still working to understand the biological  

basis of gender identity. Human psychology is  complex. People need to deal with that. Thoughts  

and feelings are ultimately chemical phenomena.  We all have a neurochemical profile that guides  

how we think and feel, and part of that is  gender identity. The reason that we are just now  

becoming equipped to differentiate between the two  phenomena is that in the vast majority of humans,  

somewhere between 99 and 99.9% of all people,  gender identity aligns with biological sex.  

Hence the term cisgender. Cis is a prefix that  means same. But for that remaining fraction of a  

percent, which totals to millions and millions of  people all over the world, their gender identity  

is the opposite of their biological sex. Hence  the term transgender. Trans is a prefix that means  

opposite. The unfortunate linguistic coincidence  is that we use terms like “man” and “woman”,  

or “male” and “female” in describing both of these  phenomena. That is where the confusion arises,  

when people insist that one term must encapsulate  both phenomena at once. So when someone asks  

“What is a woman?” expecting to get a very  simple answer that children can understand,  

they are sorely mistaken. The answer requires  a discussion of genetics and neurochemistry. 

Therefore, when people complain about “men  choosing to be women”, this is very offensive.  

It is a denial of the concept of gender. It is no  different than the conversation that was happening  

surrounding homosexuality a few decades ago.  Conservatives would say that homosexuality is  

just demons, or temptations from Satan, and that  heterosexuality is the only way people can truly  

be. Today this seems totally ridiculous because  homosexuality and other sexual orientations  

have become accepted and normalized, even among  many conservatives. The same will happen for  

transgenderism, because it undeniably exists. The  acceptance for suppressed sexual orientations came  

first because around 10% of people are gay,  whereas a much smaller percentage of people  

are trans, but this is the natural progression  of societal evolution. Nearly every binary has  

been shown to actually be a spectrum, and  it doesn’t matter how uncomfortable it makes  

conservative people, society will continue to  shift until our language and policies reflect  

actual human nature, not the tiny puritanical  box that has historically been thrust upon us. 

Now, as promised, with the indictment of  conservatives complete, I turn to liberals,  

and the missteps they are enacting  that are preventing resolution. 

Number one, please stop saying things like  “gender is a social construct”. No it is  

not. It is a biological construct. Society can’t  turn you trans any more than it can turn you gay.  

Gender is determined biologically. It  is simply that, again, gender is not  

determined merely by the sex chromosomes and is  an incredibly complex neurochemical phenomenon.  

So let’s talk about it honestly. Gender  roles are a social construct. That all  

men must be this way and do these things, and  all women must be this way and do these things,  

that is a social construct. And it is one that  became obsolete immediately upon evolving beyond  

a hunter-gatherer society. It has only persisted  due to deeply rooted misogyny and the desire to  

treat women as private property. Rage against  gender roles as a social construct all you like,  

I’m right there with you. But stop saying  that gender itself is a social construct.  

It is biological. In addition, sex is a much more  easily definable biological construct, and we must  

acknowledge that when an individual that is of  the male biological sex identifies as trans,  

their biological sex remains male. By identifying  as trans, their chromosomes do not change,  

no matter what surgeries they choose to undergo.  We rightfully refer to them as women, because  

most of us have decided that it is appropriate for  a society to respect their gender identity over  

their biological sex as a linguistic formality.  If one’s sex is male and their gender is female,  

why not refer to them as female, and address  them as they wish. This is a simple and obvious  

courtesy. But their sex does not change, nor  is their transgenderism selected. When liberals  

attempt to decouple gender, or even sex, from its  biological basis, they give conservatives license  

for mockery, because they can then rightfully  criticize what seems to them like a vague and  

meaningless declaration. That’s why smug, ignorant  conservatives who make a living stirring up hatred  

amongst bigots get so much traction by cutting  together cherry-picked compilations of young  

people saying silly things, like “gender is a  social construct”, because they get to go “look  

at the dumb liberals”, and it is a rare instance  where they aren’t completely wrong. This emboldens  

them, and makes them feel justified in pushing  other talking points that are completely wrong. 

And finally, on a cultural note, I think that  we need to stop flipping out about innocuous  

things that comedians say. Let us reserve our  anger for those who are in denial of science  

and are attempting to limit human rights. When  someone attacks Dave Chappelle on stage in my town  

of Los Angeles, in the wake of controversy  surrounding alleged anti-trans rhetoric,  

and he, off the cuff, shouts “it was a trans man”,  that’s not a hateful remark. He was reacting to  

the situation, which is what comedians do. You  are free to decide for yourself whether or not  

you find any particular comedy to be funny. Comedy  is subjective. But whether or not something should  

be deemed offensive has an element of objectivity  to it, and that remark does not qualify. I’m  

not here to do an in-depth analysis of all the  alleged anti-trans jokes from all the comedians  

on Netflix, as I haven’t even heard all of them,  but in general let’s just tone it down a notch. 

Additionally, regarding the controvery with  sports, trans women who have gone through  

puberty as males, experiencing the dramatic  hormonal changes characteristic of any sexually  

dimorphic species, objectively have an unfair  biological advantage over female athletes.  

I personally couldn’t care less about sports and  who is competing against whom, but people who say  

that trans women have an unfair athletic advantage  are absolutely correct, and to deny this makes any  

objections to transphobia totally meaningless,  because you are refusing to acknowledge what  

trans people are. As to where trans women  should compete, I don’t have any solutions,  

because again, I don’t care about sports. But  there is a reason that men and women do not  

compete with one another in almost any sport. So  if you are a fan of sports, try to respect that. 

And that’s the end of my rant, which I felt  compelled to write down and say out loud,  

because I’m tired of hearing about  the persistent controversy where  

in my mind there should be none whatsoever. The main takeaway is that the world needs to get  

over the fact that trans people exist. They’ve  always existed. We are just now acknowledging  

their existence. We must accept and normalize  trans people so that they feel safe to be who they  

are and express themselves as they choose. But  along the way, let’s not get swept up by the woke  

train. Let’s make sure that all of our language  is guided by science and logic, rather than an  

accumulation of meaningless cultural currency. Remember, words like sex and gender have real  

meanings, so let’s try to remember what  those are, and teach them to those who  

are having some trouble. Thanks for  watching, I’ll see you next time.