The gender wars have been raging for years and there are signs that the tide might be turning against the progressive side of the debate.
Many, including myself and my colleagues at RedState, have been covering this part of the culture war as the left continues trying to convince, cajole, coerce, and compel the nation to accept the notion that men can become women and vice versa.
Recent years have shown a series of critical victories against the hard left when it comes to gender ideology. Laws have been passed protecting children from being subject to “gender-affirming care” treatments, which can cause irreversible damage for many, in some states.
Even further, public opinion is clearly on the side of those who understand basic biology. There is still much more that needs to be done, but so far, I’d say we are on the right track.
I’m not the only one who views the situation this way.
The Christian Post published a report on its “Unmasking Gender Ideology II” event that took place on October 6 in Burke, Virginia. A panel of experts expressed optimism about the progress being made in the fight against progressive gender ideology. The speakers included Jay Richards from the Heritage Foundation, Arkansas state Rep. Robin Lundstrum, Andrea Picciotti-Bayer of The Conscience Project, and Amie Ichikawa of Woman II Woman.
Richards summed up the overall thrust of the panel: “We’re winning, and we’re moving directionally exactly where we need to go.”
The event, moderated by The Christian Post’s Brandon Showalter, focused on increasing legislative and cultural pushback against “gender-affirming” surgeries and hormone treatments for minors. The panel pointed to the growing number of states that have passed laws prohibiting these procedures for children. Over 25 states have enacted bans on these treatments.
“God can do amazing things with people that are willing to follow Him,” Lundstrum told the audience.
Richards used a World War II analogy to describe the current state of the battle. “We are after Pearl Harbor and we’re working our way across the Pacific,” he said. “We haven’t gotten to Okinawa yet.’
Picciotti-Bayer brought up the legal challenges to Tennessee’s law banning “gender-affirming care” for minors, which the U.S. Supreme Court is currently reviewing. She compared the case to Roe v. Wade, and explained how LGBTQ activists are trying to use the courts to establish a constitutional right to these procedures.
However, she expressed optimism about the eventual outcome. “I have a lot of confidence in this Supreme Court,” she said.
Ichikawa discussed accounts of gender ideology in the prison system, where biological male inmates have been housed in women’s facilities, placing the female inmates in dangerous positions. She said this is “one of the biggest female human rights crises that [she has] seen in [her] lifetime” and characterized policies allowing this to happen as “the biggest step backward in women’s rights in this century.”
There has been a plethora of studies emerging over recent years showing the harm that “gender-affirming care” can cause when it is used on children. A German study released in June found that 63.6 percent of children diagnosed with gender dysphoria no longer had the condition after five years. Researchers also found that almost 72.4 percent of trans-identified youth suffered from coexisting psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety.
This suggests that most children are not in need of “gender-affirming care,” which can cause irreversible damage. It would be more effective to take a more holistic approach to treating these children rather than altering their bodies.
It is also worth noting that most Americans oppose “gender-affirming care” for children suffering from gender dysphoria. A poll released in August 2023 showed that almost 70 percent of Texans believe children should not receive puberty blockers or hormone treatments before turning 18. This, despite the endless propagandizing in the media and education.
This is good news, considering the damage wrought by gender ideology being foisted on children. As Richards pointed out, “This issue assaults not just what we believe as Christians; it assaults natural reason directly.”
Those pushing gender ideology are working overtime to push American society to embrace their warped and demonic ideas on gender and sex. Fortunately, many people are waking up to the agenda, and more are willing to speak out against it regardless of political affiliation.
The conversation has clearly shifted, and the cultural tide is starting to turn in favor of reason. The battle might seem daunting at times, but I believe things are heading in a much better direction.
