What they don’t see
So why doesn’t Harrop see it? Why do all the “TERF”-bashers not see it? Harrop’s claim is that people can’t overrule or overcome their sexual preferences and they shouldn’t be pressured to. What if that inability and right not to be pressured about it apply to more than just sexual preferences? What if they apply to other kinds of inter-relating?
What if, for instance, gender critical feminists can interact with trans women as women in some situations but not all? What if we want to reserve the right to talk to other women – literal women – about some subjects, especially those that affect us as women, because we’re women, and don’t affect men the same way, because they’re men? What if that wanting is something we cannot overcome, any more than Harrop can overcome his genital preferences? What if we can pretend to overcome but not actually overcome, and what if forcing us to do the first in all circumstances is not fair to us? What then?
Of course it wasn’t until he realized they’re coming for him and his boundaries that he’s clued in that something’s amiss.
Two narcissists, out-vaining each other.
Please oh please let Harrop Peak Trans. That would be delectable. (I highly doubt it’ll happen though. Because of his narcissism, and also because of the sunk cost fallacy: he’s so heavily invested in his position at this point he can’t find a way to back out without embarrassing himself, even though digging in deeper will cause him much more embarrassment in the long run.)
This phenomenon of not understanding why curtailing autonomy is bad “until they come for you” has always befuddled me. They didn’t have to come for me to make it obvious why freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, etc. are important. What is the difference? Was there something in particular that I read, watched, or heard? Did my teachers happen upon some magic words that instilled in me basic understanding? Is it a failure of empathy, an inability to imagine oneself in another person’s position? Am I just so awesome that if I were an animated character, I’d always be accompanied by sparkles?
The world may never know.
I’m sure this is it – with all of us here, who all seem to have basic empathy.