I read Sullivan’s proposal for a “compromise” on trans issues with an open mind and am afraid I must reject it. Here’s why.... https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/a-truce-proposal-in-the-trans-wars-c49

Firstly, his proposed bans would introduce the power of the state of not intimate family and medical matters. I reject that idea out of hand. It is fundamentally illiberal.

His proposed ban on trans materials being taught in school I must also reject. This would represent perhaps the largest expansion of free speech restrictions in recent history.

Also there are trans teachers, this would run them out of their careers and we must reject that.

Lastly, he repeatedly cites the Kiera Bell case, but his proposed medical structure would not have changed her case...

Her hormonal intervention came at age 16, her surgical intervention came at age 20. Sullivan’s proposal to ban hormones until 16 and surgery until 18 would not have changed anything.

But at its basis, Sullivan fundamentally misunderstands the power imbalance in this debate and his “proposal” reflects that. Trans people do not have institutional power no matter how much Sullivan cries “woke”.

His “proposal” would put cis people in complete control over the lives and experiences of all trans people and creates a government sponsored hierarchy of gender acceptability. Conveniently, Sullivan sets himself above trans people in this power order.

When you have garbage input into any processing machine, you get garbage out. As ever, this is what Sullivan has done here, again.