Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
Shortly after Obergefell was decided, it became clear that transgender rights was simply the next stop on the train.
asserted
rights → decide → train
But the pairing of LGB and T never made sense to me.
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pairing → make → me
Gays and lesbians urged society to accept them as they are.
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they → urge → them
Transgender people compelled society to accept they as they are not.
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they → compel → they
More pressingly, transgender rights advocates focused nearly all of their efforts on children: bathrooms in school; teachers telling students to lie to their parents about secret transitions; medical procedures for minors; biologically male athletes in sports; and so on
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advocates → focus → sports
For generation, gay men were targeted for grooming young children.
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men → target → children
Growing up in New York City in the 1990s, I heard nonstop jokes about gay priests and Boy Scout troop leaders abusing kids.
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priests → grow → kids
Yet the T in LGBT focused on the kids.
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T → focus → kids
The issues for gays and lesbians always seemed quite different.
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issues → seem → gays
I wondered whether gay rights groups were quietly concerned about this merger of LGB and T, but didn't speak up for fear of being labeled transphobic.
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groups → wonder → fear
I think the other shoe has finally dropped.
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shoe → think → ?
The Log Cabin Republicans will no longer advocate on transgender issues.
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Republicans → advocate → issues
Ross Hemminger, the President of LCR, published an essay in Townhall discussing the issues.
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Hemminger → publish → issues
In 2015, the Log Cabin Republicans Board of Directors voted to add the "T" under the umbrella of our mission — out of a belief that all adults should be allowed to pursue their own happiness, free of government interference, as long as it did not impede on the inalienable rights of others.
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it → vote → others
At the time, we did not believe that we would find ourselves where we are today.
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we → believe → ourselves
The transgender movement has ceased focusing on adults at all — nearly all of their efforts and those of their aligned special interest groups focus on minors.
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all → cease → minors
They push schools to teach radical gender ideology; they want biological men in women's sports regardless of the consequences; perhaps most offensively, they support gender reassignment treatments for minors, often without the knowledge or consent of the parents, knowing full well these treatments are mostly irreversible.
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treatments → push → parents
And Hemminger recognizes how support for gay marriage is declining because of transgender ideology.
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support → recognize → ideology
Gay men and women are losing public support across the country, and support for gay marriage and other once-widely accepted rights is eroding.
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support → lose → marriage
Because many voters today weren't alive or cognizant of the politics of gay marriage winding its way through the courts and gaining ground in public opinion.
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voters → wind → opinion
Their view of the gay community is based on today's radical transgender activists with their unnecessary and discomfiting focus on America's youth.
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view → base → youth
That is why, after significant discussion with our membership, our Board of Directors voted to refine Log Cabin Republicans' national advocacy focus to concentrate specifically on issues of sexual orientation and conservative values — in other words, we are an LGB advocacy organization, as our founders envisioned and as our moral center calls us to be.
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us → vote → words
The New York Times quotes Danny Sullivan, who previously served as the President of the Houston Chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans:
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who → quote → Republicans
Danny Stevens, a former president of the Log Cabin Republicans chapter in Houston, said he thought the national group had made a smart move by abandoning trans rights issues, which it embraced in 2015.
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it → say → 2015
"At some point, I just kept thinking, why are we spending all this time convincing Republicans that we're not crazy while associating ourselves with a movement pushing things most of them are never going to accept?" Mr. Stevens wrote in a text message on Tuesday.
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Stevens → keep → Tuesday
He wishes the national Log Cabin group had abandoned trans issues sooner, he said.
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he → wish → issues
"I actually think it was necessary," he said, if the group "wants to keep making progress within the Republican Party.
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group → think → Party
I spoke at Danny's chapter in Houston last year about Obergefell.
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I → speak → Obergefell
I explained that regardless of what one thinks about same-sex marriage, Justice Kennedy's decision was legally indefensible, and a shaky foundation on which to build the institution.
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decision → explain → institution
The audience was respectful, even if they disagreed.
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they → disagree → ?
During Q&A, there were a number of questions about transgender rights, and it was clear to me which way the members were trending.
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members → be → me
Danny actually stepped down from leadership, largely due to LCR's stance on the transgender issue.
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Danny → step → issue
I asked Danny if I could publish his letter, and he gladly shared it.
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he → ask → it
I think Danny makes some important points here that are worth considering:
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that → think → points
First, I want to say that I love LCR and want the best for our chapter and the entire org.
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I → want → chapter
I'm also writing this as Danny.
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I → write → Danny
My opinions may/may not represent the singular voice of our Houston board.
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opinions → represent → board
I'm growing more concerned and frustrated that the trans issue is not only harming us, but it's undoing much of the work we've accomplished as a chapter and as an organization.
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we → grow → organization
I plan to write a more formal letter, but I needed to get my initial thoughts off my chest now.
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I → plan → chest
My belief is that we need to take a leadership position on this issue, one we have not yet taken.
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we → need → issue
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
