It it worth mentioning that many of the wealthy men funding the trans movement have autogynephilia; that is they transitioned into women later in life to satisfy their feeling of 'wholeness' while wearing women's clothing, particularly their underwear.
Caitlyn Jenner is in this category but he does not support what is happening to children and young people.
Meghan, this is one of the most powerful pieces you've ever written, and that's saying a lot given how powerful your writing is generally. I think this issue of funding is one of the deeper vulnerabilities of the trans movement (in addition to the lack of logical coherence, misogyny, etc.). The public is normally responsive to journalism that connects ideological values to deep pockets, and it seems to be one of the only ways to get people to think twice critically about trans issues.
The connection also applies to activists in general: jumping on the trans wagon assures people (menstruators and ejaculators equally) a quick and simple way of establishing themselves as being on the 'correct' side of history, and protecting themselves from critique or questioning. I work in academia, where trans and race issues are about the only thing anyone talks about...or is allowed to talk about, and from a certain perspective, for that matter. It has created an intellectual environment devoid of curiosity and hostile to difference. I have had many students of colour complain to me about feeling silenced themselves on these issues. Yes, white professors telling students of colour that they're offensive to people of colour, and calling white professors racist for allowing those students to speak. I wonder if this has anything to do with rapidly declining enrolment in arts and humanities?
Thank you for this excellent account of the rise of the transgender movement. It has been similar here in the UK; after Stonewall achieved its goals (gay marriage, adoption rights for gay/ lesbian couples), it morphed into an extreme trans rights organisation - and kept the money, much of it from public funds.
This is one of the best articles I've read on the coercive nature and skyrocketing acceptance of the still-ill-defined concept of "trans rights". From the feminists who spoke up, almost FIFTY YEARS ago, about the danger of men co-opting women's experiences for their own pleasure to the indisputable examples of formerly gay - , lesbian -, and women's- rights orgs benefitting from their leap to the "trans- rights" money wagon, you cover it all, Meghan.
Well-funded lobbyists have an outsize (and undemocratic) influence on transgender issues, as they do in politics in general. When a government develops its policy positions, it should consult all the people affected, and work out a proportionate and measured response. The current political system, particularly in the U.S., effectively allows lobbyists to distort the issues and write the legislation. The effect that trans ideology and its demands would have on half the population was never adequately considered. Women were never consulted. And the lobbyists, backed by billionaires, made sure of that.
May 5, 2023·edited May 5, 2023Liked by Meghan Murphy
Incisive, well written, abundantly clear, and absolutely spot on.
My growing awareness of the power of extreme wealth to distort our socio-political system for it's own ends has led me to also revise my views on taxation as I now favor ~5% per year wealth tax above some base limit tbd.
In the meantime, grassroots numbers still matter, especially at the polls. Hopefully we're getting there.
Why does no one ever mention major funders of transgender advancement Peter Thiel & Paul Singer? Transgenderist policy proposals are extremely well-funded with the money of right-wing billionaires like Peter Thiel of Palantir (a data surveillance and collection entity), PayPal and Facebook who led the economic boycott against North Carolina in an effort to force the State to allow men in womanface access to women's bathrooms, etc. Thiel has also stated that he regrets women ever got the vote. Another phalanx of right-wing billionaires who push transgenderism is the American Unity Fund which was founded by vulture capitalist Paul Singer. Singer got a big chunk of his billions by buying up the debts of distressed and/or bankrupt countries like the Congo, Ivory Coast and Argentina. When these countries received humanitarian aid to keep them from starvation Paul Singer of Elliott Management Hedge fund successfully sued the impoverished countries to expropriate for himself the humanitarian aid money they received. He thus recouped on the debts he'd previously bought in anticipation of the Aid donated to these bankrupt countries. The American Unity Fund is endowed with money taken from the starving children of the Congo and other impoverished nations and is now advancing the destruction of women’s safety and political/social equity. (American Unity Fund, a 501(c) (4) non-profit organization, advances rights of LGBTQ Americans, and religious freedom by making the conservative case for both.)
It's not just the pseudo leftists like the sexual fascists of the fraudulent Green Party or the faux “anti-fascists” who are marinated in misogyny. I refuse to cede the left to these COVERT-RIGHT posers and remain staunch in my claims to feminism, which is, by definition socialist, communalist and humanitarian. Rather than getting tangled up in sectarian fractiousness I look to the actions of people – what they do - rather than what they say to form my opinions on where they stand. Someone like Kelli Keen, so far, has taken more risks to expose the fascistically regressive and cruel nature of Trans ideology than many others who may claim to.
"Rejecting trans ideology was rendered mandatory for any organization wishing to continue getting funding from these corporations and donors" ... do you mean "Accepting trans ideology"?
Your comments on funding are on point, but don't they just push the question back? Pritzker, Soros, and other big-money donors themselves have ideologies, largely focused on their own self-images as progressives fighting reactionary prejudice. There are minority communities with serious problems, but they don't fit so easily into the old stereotypes. Much easier to add a 'T' to the initialism.
Yes that is exactly what has happened.
It it worth mentioning that many of the wealthy men funding the trans movement have autogynephilia; that is they transitioned into women later in life to satisfy their feeling of 'wholeness' while wearing women's clothing, particularly their underwear.
Caitlyn Jenner is in this category but he does not support what is happening to children and young people.
Meghan, this is one of the most powerful pieces you've ever written, and that's saying a lot given how powerful your writing is generally. I think this issue of funding is one of the deeper vulnerabilities of the trans movement (in addition to the lack of logical coherence, misogyny, etc.). The public is normally responsive to journalism that connects ideological values to deep pockets, and it seems to be one of the only ways to get people to think twice critically about trans issues.
The connection also applies to activists in general: jumping on the trans wagon assures people (menstruators and ejaculators equally) a quick and simple way of establishing themselves as being on the 'correct' side of history, and protecting themselves from critique or questioning. I work in academia, where trans and race issues are about the only thing anyone talks about...or is allowed to talk about, and from a certain perspective, for that matter. It has created an intellectual environment devoid of curiosity and hostile to difference. I have had many students of colour complain to me about feeling silenced themselves on these issues. Yes, white professors telling students of colour that they're offensive to people of colour, and calling white professors racist for allowing those students to speak. I wonder if this has anything to do with rapidly declining enrolment in arts and humanities?
You can't make this stuff up.
Thank you for this excellent account of the rise of the transgender movement. It has been similar here in the UK; after Stonewall achieved its goals (gay marriage, adoption rights for gay/ lesbian couples), it morphed into an extreme trans rights organisation - and kept the money, much of it from public funds.
This is one of the best articles I've read on the coercive nature and skyrocketing acceptance of the still-ill-defined concept of "trans rights". From the feminists who spoke up, almost FIFTY YEARS ago, about the danger of men co-opting women's experiences for their own pleasure to the indisputable examples of formerly gay - , lesbian -, and women's- rights orgs benefitting from their leap to the "trans- rights" money wagon, you cover it all, Meghan.
So good! Will be sharing widely.
Wow, this is so good. Thanks. That NYT article is the peak example of mainstreamed reversal.
Well-funded lobbyists have an outsize (and undemocratic) influence on transgender issues, as they do in politics in general. When a government develops its policy positions, it should consult all the people affected, and work out a proportionate and measured response. The current political system, particularly in the U.S., effectively allows lobbyists to distort the issues and write the legislation. The effect that trans ideology and its demands would have on half the population was never adequately considered. Women were never consulted. And the lobbyists, backed by billionaires, made sure of that.
Incisive, well written, abundantly clear, and absolutely spot on.
My growing awareness of the power of extreme wealth to distort our socio-political system for it's own ends has led me to also revise my views on taxation as I now favor ~5% per year wealth tax above some base limit tbd.
In the meantime, grassroots numbers still matter, especially at the polls. Hopefully we're getting there.
Why does no one ever mention major funders of transgender advancement Peter Thiel & Paul Singer? Transgenderist policy proposals are extremely well-funded with the money of right-wing billionaires like Peter Thiel of Palantir (a data surveillance and collection entity), PayPal and Facebook who led the economic boycott against North Carolina in an effort to force the State to allow men in womanface access to women's bathrooms, etc. Thiel has also stated that he regrets women ever got the vote. Another phalanx of right-wing billionaires who push transgenderism is the American Unity Fund which was founded by vulture capitalist Paul Singer. Singer got a big chunk of his billions by buying up the debts of distressed and/or bankrupt countries like the Congo, Ivory Coast and Argentina. When these countries received humanitarian aid to keep them from starvation Paul Singer of Elliott Management Hedge fund successfully sued the impoverished countries to expropriate for himself the humanitarian aid money they received. He thus recouped on the debts he'd previously bought in anticipation of the Aid donated to these bankrupt countries. The American Unity Fund is endowed with money taken from the starving children of the Congo and other impoverished nations and is now advancing the destruction of women’s safety and political/social equity. (American Unity Fund, a 501(c) (4) non-profit organization, advances rights of LGBTQ Americans, and religious freedom by making the conservative case for both.)
It's not just the pseudo leftists like the sexual fascists of the fraudulent Green Party or the faux “anti-fascists” who are marinated in misogyny. I refuse to cede the left to these COVERT-RIGHT posers and remain staunch in my claims to feminism, which is, by definition socialist, communalist and humanitarian. Rather than getting tangled up in sectarian fractiousness I look to the actions of people – what they do - rather than what they say to form my opinions on where they stand. Someone like Kelli Keen, so far, has taken more risks to expose the fascistically regressive and cruel nature of Trans ideology than many others who may claim to.
"Rejecting trans ideology was rendered mandatory for any organization wishing to continue getting funding from these corporations and donors" ... do you mean "Accepting trans ideology"?
Your comments on funding are on point, but don't they just push the question back? Pritzker, Soros, and other big-money donors themselves have ideologies, largely focused on their own self-images as progressives fighting reactionary prejudice. There are minority communities with serious problems, but they don't fit so easily into the old stereotypes. Much easier to add a 'T' to the initialism.
Huh. So, in other words, the huge funds being poured into this insanity... are not coming from transhumanists.
Hmmmm.