What an important conclusion! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about ideology versus people. Looking back on my life as a queer activist and human being immersed in queer communities, what I think about most are the people I’ve known and loved. What I think about only in passing are the labels they’ve used to describe themselves, some of which evolve over time.

Today when we see folks attacking trans people and other queer people, two major themes stand out. Attacks on ideology seem to come first. Misrepresentations of fact (like trans people are a threat to women in restrooms, or trans athletes unfairly strip cis athletes of accomplishments) come in a close second.

Correcting mistaken facts is important of course, but how important is it really to get in the weeds about labels and ideology? You can argue forever about feminism and identity, but put all that aside and you’re left with people who just want to live their lives and be treated like the ordinary human beings they are.