Have We Surrendered the Freedom To Think What We Think?
Does she look at all like a man to you? Do you have permission to ask yourself that question? Dr. Rachel Levine is Joe Biden’s nominee for assistant secretary of health. Her position is of no matter at the moment, other than the fact that her photo is so much in the news; and neither is her gender, not in this discussion at any rate. My question is what you are allowed to think when you see her. We do not normally use trans persons’ changed/acquired pronouns at The Stream, but I’m making an exception this time, for several reasons. For one, I want to make sure there’s no doubt what I’m focusing on here: Not her gender, but what we have permission to think. Questions of Suffering, a Question of Freedom And I’m also going to ask questions here that may make Dr. Levine unhappy, and I have no need or desire to do so more than necessary. I do not presume to know her experience, but I do know the transgender condition can be painful, even cruel. A cousin of mine transitioned from his male pe...