Did I Harm Portland State University Students By Asking This Question?
After our Reverse Q&A at Brown University was cancelled, we decided to take the event to Portland‘s streets. This video was captured on May 11th, 2022 outside a Portland State University building that houses the department of social work. I was asking students a question about what it means for gender to be on a “spectrum.” Here’s what happened…
This was painful to watch. The smugness! But it was particularly funny when the girl admonishing Boghossian for calling the 'non-binary' person 'she' also used "she".
Further- perhaps they should seriously consider directing their efforts to supporting their friend in overcoming his/her cripplingly poor mental health instead of berating the rest of the world for being 'triggering'. If a person is so emotionally unstable that seeing the words "There are two genders" sends them into such a tailspin that they have to leave work for the day, then perhaps some serious pyschotherapy is in order?
All I keep thinking while watching this is "how are we EVER going to deprogram an ENTIRE generation (or two) from this cult?" The astonishing certainty, the total lack of reflection, the complete confidence in being among the 'Chosen' Group...they deflect any attempt at thought by invoking 'harm.' It's horrifying.