Gender Identity is a Rabbit Hole

with Mia Hughes and Exulansic

Here’s another Spectrum Street Epistemology (SSE) session from my February event with Mia Hughes and Exulansic. We kicked things off with a bold claim: Anyone of any age should be allowed to physically express themselves however they want. Naturally, this sparked a disagreement, and we dove deeper into the complexities of gender identity. I think this is a good example of how SSE helps people navigate polarizing issues with civility.

Remember the Canadian teacher Kayla Lemieux with the gigantic prosthetic breasts? He wore them only while teaching and not outside of school. Mia argued that his decision to do so was a sexual fetish and completely inappropriate in a classroom setting. Nick, a participant you might recognize from last week’s video, challenged that view. He asked whether children even understand what a fetish is and whether the teacher's expression causes any harm. This led us into a nuanced conversation about intent, perception, and boundaries.