Years ago, when I was an undergraduate member of our Union board, I chaired a meeting at my university. Although I cannot recall the meeting’s purpose, I remember the “Rads” (short for radicals) barging in and disrupting the meeting. They proceeded to drown me out, carrying red flags and shouting so loudly that those sitting behind them could not hear a word from the platform. The meeting was a flop. The event took place during the Vietnam War, and as a college radical, I was initially taken aback. The experience changed me as I looked into their eyes, including those I had considered friends to see a kind of vacancy, even hatred. They knew how to hate with the same intensity as pro-war activists, and nothing has changed since then, only heightened intolerance and reduced willingness of university officials to denounce such demonstrations of intolerance.
A similar occurrence happened last year in Canada. I was speaking, and over 100 students formed a mob shouting “Shame on you” and chanting “Trans rights are not up for debate.” I was ushered out via a side door while students pelted me with flour. Such destructive intolerance is also coming from a senior secondary school educator who forbade a teacher from reentering the classroom and forced his retirement after he confirmed there were only two genders.
I do not believe that such a unified group of people exists under the label LGBTIQA+ because of deep discord. Today’s secular puritanism allows no room for differing opinions, leading to university officials’ reluctance to denounce such demonstrations. Recently, a conference on “wokism” was cancelled after withdrawal of approval from the intended host college because schoolchildren are taught that girls can be boys, and boys can be girls, with no negotiation. The college recommended the inclusion of transgender activists at a later date. Still, we felt that it would be akin to forcing Christians to present arguments for atheism or scientists for alchemy. Those on the opposing side want tolerance, but groups such as ours that advocate for a contrary view to theirs continually face suppression.
I only know a few people who have transitioned, and several good friends who are gay. I would never persecute or discriminate against them. I voted against same-sex marriage since I do not think the government should change word meanings, but I support recognizing gay partnerships. The demand that universities and corporations’ employees list preferred pronouns in all correspondence is beyond stupid; it’s abusive bullying. The overuse of the term “fascist” as a label for those with opposing views is insulting and trivializes the sufferings of those who endure misery and even death at the hands of actual tyrants. Politics are not a straight line of polarity from left to right, but a circle where extremists are found on either end.