Before recently winning the NCAA women’s 500-yard freestyle swimming championship, Lia Thomas competed in the sport as a man. Should that matter? David French talks with Skye Jethani about the complexities of transgender rights, and why we need a more nuanced understanding of what “equal protection” means in the law.
Then, French says the real divisions in our culture and politics aren’t primarily between Republicans and Democrats, or between conservatives and progressives, but between a traditional understanding of liberalism and the dangers of illiberalism.
0:00 - Intro 0:48 - Trans athletes “What Do We Do When People Are Equal, But Not Alike?” (David French article) - https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/what-do-we-do-when-people-are-equal?s=r
34:28 - Liberalism and illiberalism 1:02:45 - EndHoly Post Patreon (now with book club!) - patreon.com/holypost
It’s always intriguing to see the crossover between sports and music, especially with athletes who’ve successfully transitioned into the rap world. The examples of rappers who played football really stand out, showing how passion and talent can thrive in two completely different arenas. Balancing the physical demands of the field with the creativity of music is no small feat, and it’s inspiring to read about these dual talents. This kind of versatility highlights how dedication and hard work can lead to success in multiple fields. Such stories bring a fresh perspective on celebrity culture!
wow....
Great episode as always. Loved the discussion on what it means to be liberal. Loved the discussion on what it means to be liberal.
I really enjoyed the conversation about liberalism - it finally clicked for me as to why I have been so uncomfortable in pretty fundamentalist Evangelical Christian spaces - because it tends to push out the vulnerable minority opinion.
I do think applying some of the thinking behind a why it’s important to have a “liberalist” approach to the topics of the day is worth discussing about how we apply our beliefs about trans people. The idea that we don’t know everything and are wise to approach discussions with humility (and even excitement??) that we might learn something new from hearing a different perspective can be brought to bear on the discussion around trans people. Much of my experience with the…
First of all, let's get our facts straight...the idea that Lia is drastically outpacing other women as some supposed proof that trans women have some unfair advantage is questionable at best: https://pinkmantaray.com/LIA . I sure have been hearing a lot of self-assigned biology experts and swimming competition experts weigh in without offering any real data and just expecting people to agree with sweeping generalizations about sex and testosterone and competition records.
Next, I think it's important to remember that not every trans person is trying to live their lives as a political experience. Their existence is not an open invitation to make them a beacon of debate. Maybe they just want to play sports and happen to be trans and…