"Blanchard's Dangerous Idea": clarify the "words don't matter" remark

Alyssa was unhappy with this
(https://twitter.com/alyssamvance/status/1681441114384109568). I
probably should have hired a hostile prereader after all.

diff --git a/content/2023/blanchards-dangerous-idea-and-the-plight-of-the-lucid-crossdreamer.md b/content/2023/blanchards-dangerous-idea-and-the-plight-of-the-lucid-crossdreamer.md
index 55424d6..040bafd 100644 (file)
--- a/content/2023/blanchards-dangerous-idea-and-the-plight-of-the-lucid-crossdreamer.md
+++ b/content/2023/blanchards-dangerous-idea-and-the-plight-of-the-lucid-crossdreamer.md
@@ -656,9 +656,11 @@ In another post, I acknowledged my problematic tone:
 
 An a.f.a.b. person came to my defense: it was common to have mental blocks about criticizing trans ideology for fear of hurting trans people (including dear friends) and becoming an outcast. One way to overcome that block was to get really angry and visibly have an outburst. Then, people would ascribe less agency and culpability to you; it would be clear that you'd cooped up these feelings for a long time because you do understand that they're taboo and unpopular.
 
-The person also said it was hard because it seemed like there were no moderate centrists on gender: you could either be on Team "if you ever want to know what genitals someone has for any reason, you are an evil transphobe who should _die_", or Team "trans women are disgusting blokes in dresses who are invading my female spaces for nefarious purposes and we should burn them all".
+The person also said it was hard because it seemed like there were no moderate centrists on gender: you could either be on Team "if you ever want to know what genitals someone has for any reason, then you are an evil transphobe", or Team "trans women are disgusting blokes in dresses who are invading my female spaces for nefarious purposes".
 
-I added that the worst part was that the "trans women are disgusting blokes in dresses who are invading my female spaces for nefarious purposes" view was basically correct. It was phrased in a really dismissive manner. But words don't matter! Only predictions matter!
+I added that the worst part was that the "trans women are disgusting blokes in dresses who are invading my female spaces for nefarious purposes" view was basically correct. It was phrased in a hostile and demeaning manner. But words don't matter! Only predictions matter!
+
+(That is, TERFs who [demonize AGP trans women](/2019/Dec/the-strategy-of-stigmatization/) are pointing to an underappreciated empirical reality, even if the demonization isn't warranted, and the validation of a biologically male person's female gender identity undermines the function of a female-only space, even if the male's intent isn't predatory or voyeuristic.)
 
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