Stupid World

[pritch]

"I know who ya girlfriend is..."

Well she was Epstien's girlfriend - and procurer of underage girls.

[pritch]

Twitter is becoming the sewer that it was predicted to be. The haters feel free to spew their hate. I saw a report of hard core porn making unwanted appearances on Twitter. I had never seen that - until today.

Musk certainly doesn't seem to be doing anything to bring back the lost advertisers. The ones who left because they didn't want their products or services featured among hate speech or porn.

To give him credit, he's doing a great job of hiding his genius.

[husaberg]

Twitter is becoming the sewer that it was predicted to be. The haters feel free to spew their hate. I saw a report of hard core porn making unwanted appearances on Twitter. I had never seen that - until today.

Musk certainly doesn't seem to be doing anything to bring back the lost advertisers. The ones who left because they didn't want their products or services featured among hate speech or porn.

To give him credit, he's doing a great job of hiding his genius.

i understand they just found this on hunter bidens laptop

[Laava]

Come on laava he is (according to himself)the NZ leading telsa expert, it seems he knows more than tesla NZ and musk himself about their products.
if you cant trust a no talent ass clown with a limited grasp of English, maths, science, the internet, telsa, their history or components like him, who can you trust....

Seen it all before, anyone who is so successful with their businesses they buy and sell and mega shares, cars, wealth, insider knowledge etc etc, as we all know, anyone actually like this would not spend most of the day endlessly posting butthurt retorts on a limited interest forum. Is primary school level bickering.

[husaberg]

Seen it all before, anyone who is so successful with their businesses they buy and sell and mega shares, cars, wealth, insider knowledge etc etc, as we all know, anyone actually like this would not spend most of the day endlessly posting butthurt retorts on a limited interest forum. Is primary school level bickering.

Holly shit Are you suggesting he may butthurt man and not Bruce Wayne....

[pritch]

Sam Bankman Fried has been arrested in the Bahamas and is being transported back to New York. A former FBI legal executive says considering that FTX only went belly up in November this is extremely quick which implies blatant breaches. Considering that the people running FTX were allegedly investing the money in property. Properties that they purchased in their own names. I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Something to take the focus off Elon for a bit.

[Al Bundy 4eva!]

Tesla semi truck

Built tough

Built to last

Order yours today!

Disclaimer: order's may be delayed from such high demand of international corporations.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tesla...member_desktop

[pritch]

Reportedly rent remains unpaid on Twitter buildings around the world.

Some 1/4 million or thereabout on private jet hire is unpaid.

When Musk took over he fired the lawyers at Twitter and brought his own guy in. His guy has now gone too.

He hasn't paid the staff who took his redundancy offer either.

Nothing unusual there then.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/t...r-shakeup.html

[sugilite:Me]

Not your or Pritch's subsequent reaction to the actual image that sparked this.

Ok, I know I'm late in replying to this, you may recall I said I would read the book in question, and as of now, I finally have.
The pictures in question appear in the 2nd addition of the series. It is about a woman on her non binary path of discovery.
I found it to be a very socially responsible book. This addition covers 100 pages. 3 pages have nakedness, kind of. 2 pages have 2 illustrations that I would consider cross the line into pornography (and one of them only just crosses the line), yet within the context of the book - makes sense. The author is not one to paper over reality. I'm not sure the author ever envisioned the book would find it's way into some school libraries. It is not compulsory curriculum either, it is in some school libraries in general. I personally would not of been in anyway upset if any of my kids from 12 or 13 up had seen the images. Under that age, I simply do not think the book would be aimed at that age group.
I can see why some puritans may get upset, but really, it is super low level imagery from what your average kids see these days. Having said that, it would of been ridiculously easy to either censer the very small handful of images, or simply change the illustrations in question for a puritan safe version.
In no way would I be trumpeting schools are ramming pornographic material into students hands on the basis of this book.
Overall, kids that are having confusion with trans type thoughts and feelings - this book would really help them in a positive way.

If you would like to do a wall of text response, read the book first aye? The 2nd addition has the images in question, the first does not at all.
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...sue-tpb-part-2

[TheDemonLord]

Ok, I know I'm late in replying to this, you may recall I said I would read the book in question, and as of now, I finally have.
The pictures in question appear in the 2nd addition of the series. It is about a woman on her non binary path of discovery.

It's all good, you went away for a bit, I presumed you were busy.

As for the latter part - I disagree that Non-Binary is a thing. I think a more correct term would be 'confused' and perhaps an even more correct term would be 'undiagnosed underlying mental disorders'.

I found it to be a very socially responsible book. This addition covers 100 pages. 3 pages have nakedness, kind of. 2 pages have 2 illustrations that I would consider cross the line into pornography (and one of them only just crosses the line), yet within the context of the book - makes sense.

Okay - let me stop you there. I'm going to presume (in good faith) that this is you being charitable to the book and I'm likewise going to take your assessment of it on face value.

2 illustrations, by your own standards cross the line.

that's two too many. I don't doubt that in the larger context of the book they make sense, my contention is that given the target audience, they are inappropriate.

The author is not one to paper over reality. I'm not sure the author ever envisioned the book would find it's way into some school libraries.

Strongly disagree on that last part. For example, see the latest Project Veritas expose of an LGBTQI+Whistle*Jump#$ health practitioner handing out Buttplugs and dildos to teenagers and advising on whether to use spit or Lube.

That and y'know, it's art style, it's target audience (teens going on a journey)

It is not compulsory curriculum either, it is in some school libraries in general. I personally would not of been in anyway upset if any of my kids from 12 or 13 up had seen the images. Under that age, I simply do not think the book would be aimed at that age group.

So, I think I said a while ago in this thread - that if this book was available to buy in Whitcoulls, and you as someone who was in the care of someone facing these issues decided to buy it for them to help them - At my worst, I might contend that this is encouraging the symptoms, rather than treating the problem - however at best, I'd say that you as the caregiver are best placed to make that judgement call for yourself.

I can see why some puritans may get upset, but really, it is super low level imagery from what your average kids see these days. Having said that, it would of been ridiculously easy to either censer the very small handful of images, or simply change the illustrations in question for a puritan safe version.

I don't doubt that kids, especially kids with an internet connection, see worse. The issue is whether that is actively aided by the school. Even when I was at School, they ran local proxies and internet filters (and a Young DemonMaster may have tried to figure out a way round said filters.... cause Horny Teenager) - point is, they did everything in their power to prevent exposure to such material.

That is at odds with having it freely available.

I don't think this is a Puritan issue - I think this is a fairly centrist perspective of 'Any Pornagraphic material is inappropriate in school' - which seems to have been the de-facto standard of the last 150 years.

In no way would I be trumpeting schools are ramming pornographic material into students hands on the basis of this book.

That was never my claim, though... was it?

Remember - Pritch started by scoffing the idea that a law was needed to prevent there being Porn in schools saying it was ridiculous. I posted up the 2 images that proved it wasn't ridiculous, you - yourself have said (and I quote, lest I be accused of putting words in ones mouth):

"2 pages have 2 illustrations that I would consider cross the line into pornography"

And therefore the parents have a genuine reason to be upset at the book being in a school library and a genuine reason to put forward legislation to oppose it.

It is not the complete hyperbole that started from Pritch. Which was my point all along, there's something to this claim.

Overall, kids that are having confusion with trans type thoughts and feelings - this book would really help them in a positive way.

Yeah, couple of issues with this statement.

There's a number of (admittedly anecdotal) instances where schools who adopt the current Gender Ideology tenants suddenly have a marked increase in kids identifying as Trans. One school in Brighton had a 5000% increase.

Even the CDC estimates that the number of Children identifying as Trans has doubled in the last few years. Doubled.

Despite being pretty consistent for decades.

If any other mental disorder doubled in such a short time span it would be grounds for serious academic research especially to see if there was a social contagion element like the Satanic Panic of the 80s.

Is that Kids having confusion? or is that kids being deliberately confused? And let me lay out a simple case - one kid at a school comes out as Trans (maybe genuine Gender Dysphoria) and they get praised as being brave, they get special treatment and attention etc. etc. Is it a stretch of the imagination that a child (possibly one with Autism) sees this and says 'I want some of that praise and attention'? Do you think that this is a completely ridiculous premise?

Secondly - the data on Gender affirming care being a net positive influence is dubious at best. The claim is that Gender Affirming care is best, but this is not backed up by sufficient evidence. Not only that there is some data that suggests that Gender Affirming care is not appropriate in the vast majority of cases - there's several studies that found of Teenagers who identify as 'Trans' - something like 80% of them (if they do not undergo any medical interventions) will grow up to be Gay Adults, identifying with their birth Sex. Granted these studies don't have a huge sample size (in the hundreds) but IIRC they were done in different cultures and at different time periods.

Now - let's assume for the moment that all of this had completely benign and reversible affects - kinda like someone going through an Emo or Goth phase (well... Mostly reversible...) - I would be irritated by the demands that I adhere to their standard of Morality but I would otherwise be none-too-fussed.

The real issue is the demand for Medical interventions - Plastic Surgery, Artificial hormones, delaying of Puberty etc. and the lifelong issues this causes. There was a video a while ago of a US doctor outright saying how an entire department is funded by Trans people due to the lifelong dependence on medical care they need after these interventions.

Seems to be at odds with the mantra 'First, do no harm'.

If you would like to do a wall of text response, read the book first aye? The 2nd addition has the images in question, the first does not at all.
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...sue-tpb-part-2

Sure, will read it - the Book however is tangential to the issue(s). I'm happy to take your word on it - you say there are 2 images that in your view are pornographic - Cool, I'll accept your assessment of it and point to my above position 'inappropriate in schools'.

You say it's a tasteful journey - I don't doubt it, my issue is with the underlying phenomena and the ideology that surrounds it.

And before anyone asks - Yes, I've met several Trans People, I've known people who would today be called Gender Queer or Non-Binary - and my position is the same - If you're an adult, you do you. I won't debase the English Language for your feelings - but if you've made an effort, I'll happily call you Mr or Miss depending on what you'd prefer.

Just don't push it onto Kids.


-----

Edit: Happy Christmas.

[R650R]

it seems the Tesla does have design elements that I thought they’d missed out on utilising. Pretty good elements if functional too. Shows a lack of understanding thought that Tesla and the media didn’t trumpet these features.
Also those of us living in the real world know all to well that technology isn’t 100% foolproof.
I can foresee Discovery channel signing up Jamie Davis towing for another season soon as these trucks hit the Coquiholla Highway.....

[TheDemonLord]

If you would like to do a wall of text response, read the book first aye? The 2nd addition has the images in question, the first does not at all.
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...sue-tpb-part-2

H'okay, I've read the entire thing - and....






I think I was giving the book far too much goodwill.

*warning - incoming wall o' text coming, will be including links to relevant sections*

So, my initial reading of the first half, reading between the lines (initially) is that we have an initially Homeschooled child, living in relative isolation (initially), to two radical left-wing parents who is probably on a Spectrum of sorts. Suffice to say I think this is a causal factor.

First page that I think is 'interesting':

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-1/49

Linking back to my previous post where I talked about Social Contagion - curious that the author makes a point of saying that a number of the children at the QSA club have Lesbian mums and 'Allies'.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-1/69

Pagan Magic spells from her Mum and Feminist rants by friends - This seems to be pretty conclusive about the radical left wing parents and radical left wing environment

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-1/83

There's a long running theme or discussion in right wing circles about this sort of phenomena:

With the exception of the last few years, the rates of Homosexuality and Transgenderism have been pretty consistent, single digit percentages of the population. The fundamental argument for Gay Liberation was that they were born that way, however the statistical likelihood (assuming that nurture/social environment is not a factor at all) of parents having 2 'queer' children is astronomically small.

To the point where it raises very serious refutation of that underlying assumption, it seems there is in fact a social component to this, and if there is - the Christian Right and those who oppose acceptance have a point - if it's a choice, then you can be judged for that choice.

Further to this - when a Mum comes out and says 'I have two Trans Kids' - all I hear is "I'm abusing my children" - not only that, I've heard multiple anecdotes from people that go along these lines:

"I came out to my Mum as Gay and she asked if I was trans as *barbara* has a trans kid and all the other mums think she's so wonderful"

I consider this to be a variation on Munchausen by Proxy - abusing your child for sympathy and status points, indicative of a deeply narcissistic mother.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-1/92

Now we get into the meat of the issues and why increasingly, based on their own testimony, I don't think that the current Trans-craze is natural or healthy.

Pause for a moment and everyone reading this pretend I asked you a question:

"Why are you a Motorcyclist?"

I'm sure the answers would vary greatly, although I'd expect to see lots of "I like the Adrenalin rush, I like the agility/accelerations, I like the connection I have with the road when I ride, I like the wind on me", lots of reasons and I'm sure that this list doesn't even touch the tip of the Iceberg.

But you know what I'm fairly certain I wouldn't get?

"I hate cars, I hate their 4 wheels, I hate how they turn, I hate the crash structure"

This panel is one that I could probably write an entire dissertation on. Her (fuck her pronouns - I'll get to that later) entire reason for being the way she is, is because she hates herself. This does not come from a positive place, it comes from loathing and nihilism.

She hates reality itself and that is why she goes on this journey - it's never about anything positive - it's about the manifestation of an underlying Mental disorder (Self-Hatred).

And I think that all of her actions subsequently (including this book and other panels I'll point out later) are her trying to justify this: "I hate myself and so I want everyone in the world to feel as bad as I do" - I think this is dangerous.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/49
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/50
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/51

So, more Self-Hatred but also rampant Selfishness - The Mum (at whose feet I lay most of the blame) tries to make the conservative case for Womanhood and Motherhood - and this is also something that a lot of Conservatives have pointed out that there are a number of Women who have had the fulfillment in their lives of being Womanly and Mothers who then rob their daughters of it by the espousing of radical Feminist ideas.

The Mum points at that she would make a good parent (debatable...) but then the author rebukes with pure selfishness - I'm getting the faint waft of some massive self-centredness and narcissim - more Underlying Mental health issues.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/76

I said earlier 'Fuck her Pronouns' - and this panel is one of two key reasons why. I've said previously I have no problem with a genuine trans person calling them by the opposite terms - but that I wouldn't debase the english language to accommodate it - well this quote is precisely why:

"Because I really want people to be confused about my Gender at all times"

Translation: "I'm a massive nihilistic narcissitic Cunt who wants to deceive the whole world"

And I mean that. I think this person and their ideas are dangerous - and the worst kind of Dangerous - Danger wrapped up in well meaning.

This line, to me, shows the true intention of the author, to demoralize everyone around them by forcing them into a constant state of confusion. The literature on the link between this and Totalitarian thought is clear "2+2=5 if the Leader wills it" - this is a mere extension of it - and so as above, fuck her Pronouns, I will not cede any inch of my intellect to her games because I know that the ultimate goal of such confusion is power.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/86

Okay, so now that my ire is well and truly raised, now we get to the insidious stuff.

You remember how before I read it I disagreed with your assessment that the author never intended it to be in schools? Yeah... This is one of two areas where I think the author clearly demonstrates this to be her intention.

And I want to focus on the language here - She's talking about how she might help a hypothetical child who was confused... it's all "I this" "I that", Me Me Me Me Me - her attempts to help are entirely self-centred on her.

It's not about helping some child, it's about validating her decisions to herself.

And the fact that this advocacy involves highly dangerous medication that can have life-altering affects, including sterility, being pushed onto children by self-hating narcisstic adults is just about grounds enough for me to pull the pitchforks and torches.

I want to be clear - this is a major red flag and this person should have zero interaction with any child.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-2/93

Lesbian Feminist Aunt from before she was born.

Called it.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/24

Now, for all my fire and fury of the comment before last - here's the flipside - She's lied to herself so completely that reality itself causes her to Vomit and sleep for ages - she can change all the details she wants, she can have all the plastic surgery, all the treatments, all the pronouns - whatever.

Then nature rears it's ugly head and says 'Fuck you, this is what reality is' - and she's left vomitting from the mental torment of it. I have a lot of sympathy for people who suffer a sudden and catastrophic crisis of faith, it's not pretty to see - however the solution is not to keep lying to yourself.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/26
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/27

Up until this point, the Author has been perfectly fine with the clothes they have chosen to wear, boyish clothes etc.

And yet after they go to the Pride March, they decide that they need to reject what they've been happy with:

"I don't want to spend this year looking straight"

This is not a normal response, this is again a nihilistic and narcissistic response - I must be different for all the attention Me Me Me (Narcissism) and the Nihilism of 'I hate everything about Society' - yes, I know she doesn't say society, but considering that this author almost certainly construes society as a 'Cisgender hetero-normative capitalist Patriarchy' - and being straight is the 'herero-normative' part of that word-salad, then yes - that is exactly what they mean. They can't bear to be normal or to fit-in because to do so might mean they aren't special.

https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/38
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/39
https://comiconlinefree.net/gender-q...-tpb-part-3/40

And now, based on everything, is the most insidious part of the whole book.

This is exactly what Conservatives mean when they talk about Grooming.

Firstly - her decision to come out to the children in her Care is all about her "I would have liked this, Me Me Me Me" - massive Narcissist red flags. And remember why she chose the pronouns she did? She wants everyone to be confused about her - given the above context, she wants Children to be confused about her.

I'm not talking like a little harmless fun like the magic of Christmas and Santa being real, I'm talking inflicting her denial of reality onto Children and doing it consciously, because it makes her feel good about herself.

Secondly - the only reason she feels comfortable doing this is because she knows the school system will back her up. Not the Parents, not the ones whose children are entrusted to her Care - she doesn't give a fuck about them whilst she's pushing her ideology and self-hating, self-centred beliefs onto Children - oh no, she does it because she knows she's protected by a system that shares the same beliefs as her.

The same system that thinks this book in schools is okay.

Thirdly - I consider these panels an absolute nail in the coffin about it not being intended to be in schools, I see it as an extension of the Authors narcissism, She can't be in every classroom grooming kids, but a book sure as hell can be.

Finally - what is the ultimate purpose of this decision?

I put it to you this way:

If someone is confused, there are two options:

1: Help them understand their confusion
2: Accelerate their confusion

Gender affirming Care and Gender ideology is definitively the second option.

Her reason for coming out is in the hopes that there will be a child who is confused about their Gender (lots of big changes going on in the teenage years) with the hopes to make them like her - miserable and hating themselves, all under the guise of compassion and love (from someone who is too selfish to want Children - her words).

This is a microcosm of the same demoralization techniques that the KGB and Yuri Bezmenov talked about and it's the same undermining of society that Antonio Gramscii talked about. Make people confused about reality and they will do anything you want them to.


-----

Edit: At least you got your wish, I did read the book

[mashman]

@ Trump NFT. I mean seriously wtf. It's up there with the kids who pumped and dumped and made a cool 100 million from the dealing that are now going to jail. Stupid world at it's absolute finest.

[sugilite:Me]

Gosh, had I known my book review would be so well received, I would of done heaps more of them!
I'm sure you will be equally endamered with my pending report on critical race theory, I went in deep on that subject.

As for the latter part - I disagree that Non-Binary is a thing. I think a more correct term would be 'confused' and perhaps an even more correct term would be 'undiagnosed underlying mental disorders'.

I've never met a non binary person, but my gut feeling is it is a thing for some, and a fad for others. I'm wary of all the boxes shrinks love to put people in, so I do not wholesale subscribe to deeming it a mental disorder such as you do.

Okay - let me stop you there. I'm going to presume (in good faith) that this is you being charitable to the book and I'm likewise going to take your assessment of it on face value.

2 illustrations, by your own standards cross the line.

that's two too many. I don't doubt that in the larger context of the book they make sense, my contention is that given the target audience, they are inappropriate.

I'm not attempting to be charitable or otherwise with my review. Do I agree with everything in the book? No, but most of it in my opinion is fine, and helpful information for the "target audience".
I agree, the 2 images would cross the line for a fair few people, hence my suggestion that it could so easily have been mitigated with 2 toned down illustrations, or censored illustrations for the 2 images in question.

Strongly disagree on that last part. For example, see the latest Project Veritas expose of an LGBTQI+Whistle*Jump#$ health practitioner handing out Buttplugs and dildos to teenagers and advising on whether to use spit or Lube.

That and y'know, it's art style, it's target audience (teens going on a journey)

There is always fringe wackadoodles in just about any given group of people, I do not wholesale blanket the entire group with the lowest denominator such as you have chosen to do in this case.

So, I think I said a while ago in this thread - that if this book was available to buy in Whitcoulls, and you as someone who was in the care of someone facing these issues decided to buy it for them to help them - At my worst, I might contend that this is encouraging the symptoms, rather than treating the problem - however at best, I'd say that you as the caregiver are best placed to make that judgement call for yourself.

I do not disagree with this sentiment, but neither would I be waving my arms around windmill style if my kids had seen this book in a school library. I will say again, because you in no way addressed my solution - the images should of been mitigated, such an easy solution in regards to this specific book.

I don't doubt that kids, especially kids with an internet connection, see worse. The issue is whether that is actively aided by the school. Even when I was at School, they ran local proxies and internet filters (and a Young DemonMaster may have tried to figure out a way round said filters.... cause Horny Teenager) - point is, they did everything in their power to prevent exposure to such material.

That is at odds with having it freely available.

I don't think this is a Puritan issue - I think this is a fairly centrist perspective of 'Any Pornagraphic material is inappropriate in school' - which seems to have been the de-facto standard of the last 150 years.

Sure, the schools should of asked the publishers to mitigate the 2 images if they were so keen to put it in their libraries. The thing with moral standards is they constantly shift north - they have in no way stayed static for the last 150 years. While I do not agree that pornographic images should be shown at school, equally I acknowledge that porn itself is a hell of a lot more mainstream in general than it ever was in the past, and schools should in some fashion at least broach the subject in some form, not show porn, but at least address it exists and that much of it is not true to life. I suppose a lot of boys are quite shocked that near every girl does not want jizz sprayed on their face in the real World. I accept you have deep concerns about what materials teachers should teach, so do I. It should be approached with a calm way with child safety foremost in mind. It should also have an opt out clause for parents that do not wish for their children to take that particular class. This will give the parents that give a shit enough to educate their own children in these matters the option of doing so, while giving the children of parents that do not want to cover that subject themselves a chance to be educated that porn rarely represents real life and respect and consent are the primary directives to be followed.

That was never my claim, though... was it?

Remember - Pritch started by scoffing the idea that a law was needed to prevent there being Porn in schools saying it was ridiculous. I posted up the 2 images that proved it wasn't ridiculous, you - yourself have said (and I quote, lest I be accused of putting words in ones mouth):

"2 pages have 2 illustrations that I would consider cross the line into pornography"

And therefore the parents have a genuine reason to be upset at the book being in a school library and a genuine reason to put forward legislation to oppose it.

It is not the complete hyperbole that started from Pritch. Which was my point all along, there's something to this claim.

Surely there is already censorship laws in place to stop pornography being distributed in schools - sure, maybe they need to be overhauled, or simply the existing ones be enforced. I keep saying this - the two images could so easily of been mitigated.

Yeah, couple of issues with this statement.

There's a number of (admittedly anecdotal) instances where schools who adopt the current Gender Ideology tenants suddenly have a marked increase in kids identifying as Trans. One school in Brighton had a 5000% increase.

Even the CDC estimates that the number of Children identifying as Trans has doubled in the last few years. Doubled.

Despite being pretty consistent for decades.

Except you seem to neglect mentioning that lgbtq acceptance and rights have made huge strides in recent years, now it is much more acceptable to "come out" and be ok to talk about it without as much fear of bigotry as in the past. Another factor is the predominantly right leaning gas-lighters doing their best to make this a huge end of the earth subject . One unintended effect of this is attention seeking rebellious teens seize upon this as being the new cool rebellious thing to do. Gaslighting does not come for free tdl. It has consequences way beyond it's intended effect - the intended effect in this case being rallying fearful voters to the pollies side. Often the very same pollies that are top of the heap in nefarious sleazy practices.

If any other mental disorder doubled in such a short time span it would be grounds for serious academic research especially to see if there was a social contagion element like the Satanic Panic of the 80s.

Is that Kids having confusion? or is that kids being deliberately confused? And let me lay out a simple case - one kid at a school comes out as Trans (maybe genuine Gender Dysphoria) and they get praised as being brave, they get special treatment and attention etc. etc. Is it a stretch of the imagination that a child (possibly one with Autism) sees this and says 'I want some of that praise and attention'? Do you think that this is a completely ridiculous premise?

Secondly - the data on Gender affirming care being a net positive influence is dubious at best. The claim is that Gender Affirming care is best, but this is not backed up by sufficient evidence. Not only that there is some data that suggests that Gender Affirming care is not appropriate in the vast majority of cases - there's several studies that found of Teenagers who identify as 'Trans' - something like 80% of them (if they do not undergo any medical interventions) will grow up to be Gay Adults, identifying with their birth Sex. Granted these studies don't have a huge sample size (in the hundreds) but IIRC they were done in different cultures and at different time periods.

Now - let's assume for the moment that all of this had completely benign and reversible affects - kinda like someone going through an Emo or Goth phase (well... Mostly reversible...) - I would be irritated by the demands that I adhere to their standard of Morality but I would otherwise be none-too-fussed.

As mentioned I do not subscribe to your blanket notion that trans people have mental disorders. Again, you neglect to take into consideration this growth is due to trans people coming out as they feel it is safer to do so now.
Sure do more studies, completely neutral studies on a large scale are fine, if that is even possible in todays agenda driven "scientific" studies? I doubt it.
I do not feel transgender students should get special treatment. such as I do not agree with them competing in sports for genders they were not born into. Trans people want to be respected and that is fine, but their decisions to follow their feelings and transition comes with limitations. I feel they should be accepted as equal people as they say they want, but biological constraints should in turn be respected by them as well. For instance, it is simply not fair to female athletes to have to compete against biologically born males. In short, I feel if trans people want to be respected, then they should also respect the fact that they should not receive unfair advantages. It is a two way street to my mind.

The real issue is the demand for Medical interventions - Plastic Surgery, Artificial hormones, delaying of Puberty etc. and the lifelong issues this causes. There was a video a while ago of a US doctor outright saying how an entire department is funded by Trans people due to the lifelong dependence on medical care they need after these interventions.

Seems to be at odds with the mantra 'First, do no harm'.

Yes, I agree more than you know about irreversible procedures being carried out on young people. There needs to be an age limit. It is a bloody tough one to address as to what age that might be. 24 or 25 would not be too old in my opinion, but MANY would disagree with me. It is a bit like abortion and people doing runners from police. there is no perfect solution. There are those that genuinely need it, and there will be those which will get a serious case of buyers remorse in spectacular fashion. Those fuckers that encourage such procedures in immature youth need to be taken down. They are a menace. So too are people at the other end of the scale that just want to throw a blanket "fix" on the issue and write it off as a mental disorder.

Sure, will read it - the Book however is tangential to the issue(s). I'm happy to take your word on it - you say there are 2 images that in your view are pornographic - Cool, I'll accept your assessment of it and point to my above position 'inappropriate in schools'.

You say it's a tasteful journey - I don't doubt it, my issue is with the underlying phenomena and the ideology that surrounds it.

And before anyone asks - Yes, I've met several Trans People, I've known people who would today be called Gender Queer or Non-Binary - and my position is the same - If you're an adult, you do you. I won't debase the English Language for your feelings - but if you've made an effort, I'll happily call you Mr or Miss depending on what you'd prefer.

Just don't push it onto Kids.

I read the book coming from 2 distinctly different positions, or realities if you like. The first is during covid, I noticed when several of the TV shows I enjoyed watching came back on air that all of a sudden they were so fucking woke and virtue signalling - I could no longer watch them. And new programs in the last few years all seem to have to have a representative of each race and sexual subscription to the point the story telling got lost with the sheer amount of frivolous characters now embedded into them - meh. The other is I'm a father of one lesbian and one trans child (both well into their 20's now) whom I dearly love. If you think I went into this subject lightly - think again.

[pritch]

People in Ukraine are now unable to sign up for Twitter. The software will not accept Ukraine telephone numbers. So much for his obsession with free speech.
This has not gone unnoticed, Russian media are praising Musk.


Meanwhile back at Tesla...

https://markets.businessinsider.com/...wVNZEuUgM6ywRs