Trans matters

Venturing onto any territory classifiable as a trans issue is to risk contact with the third rail of current discourse. For what it is worth, my own view is a kind of Sartrean sense that we should all be free to realize our authenticity in the way we deem best. If that quest involves body modification - or simply departure from conventional expectations - so be it.

That said. it does seem that there are two fundamental views in this realm. The first welcomes gender fluidity as a gift of reason and freedom - to us all and to society as a whole. The second view, espoused by many trans people themselves, is that early on they were subjected to a misapplication of the gender binary. Now they are seeking to affirm the gender that is properly theirs. They do not see themselves as espousing gender fluidity as such, though, if it provides an arena for their self-affirmation, that is good.