The Misunderstood Nature of Tolerance
Or why you should be virtuously intolerant.
Many people misunderstand tolerance. Tolerating everything is as sure a route to anarchy and chaos as is liberty unfettered by the limit to do no harm.
The phrase "zero tolerance" gained popularity during the New York Police reforms of the 1990s, inspired by the "broken window theory." This theory posits that visible signs of disorder, like broken windows, lead to higher crime rates. Implementing zero tolerance for broken windows made neighbourhoods appear more orderly and safe, instilling pride and reducing crime. Thus, intolerance can have its place.
The Connection Between Identity and Influence
Just as broken windows correlate with higher crime rates, there is a direct link between individuals identifying as transgender and children adopting this identity. This social contagion aspect is based on testimonies from hundreds of parents who describe the psychological and physical harm their children have experienced.
The Limits of Tolerance
Some advocate for tolerance towards those who identify with a 'gender identity' different from their sex. One such example is the “Acceptance without exception” campaign run by Stonewall. However, I argue for intolerance toward such identities.
As a liberal person, I have historically embraced a 'live and let live' philosophy and despised authoritarianism. During the 'New Atheist' movement of the early 2000s, I criticised religion for its dishonesty and authoritarianism. While my views on religion have softened, I still oppose its coercive aspects. For example, I am against obliging women to wear religious coverings.
Intolerance and Extremism
Islamism's intolerance has corrupted many countries, the Muslim Brotherhood has ruined Egypt, the Revolutionary Guard has oppressed Iran, the Taliban has done the same in Afghanistan.
Nassim Taleb, in his book ‘Skin in the Game’, describes how an intransigent group will influence the behaviour of a flexible group. The relevant chapter is published on his Medium page ‘Incerto’.
The Virtue of Intolerance
"The minority rule will show us how all it takes is a small number of intolerant virtuous people with skin in the game, in the form of courage, for society to function properly."
Women, in particular, have led the charge against gender ideology, protecting spaces reserved for females. It is hard to imagine any other group having more skin in the game than parents of children who think they are transgender. Taleb points to courage as a means of becoming similarly invested. Such courage is very well exemplified by Graham Linehan.
The Importance of Truth
Truth is paramount. "Legal fiction" is just a euphemism for lies. Gender identity ideology is built on lies, and the quickest way to protect adolescents and women is to expose these falsehoods. Honesty is a virtue, and we must be intolerant of lies.
Aristotle believed virtue stems from reason, while Kant argued that morality relies on truth.
Reasoning is simply the deduction of new truth from existing truth. Failures in policy formation always stem from an absence of sound, complete reasoning. Hence, it is immoral to defend unsound policy.
Legal and Societal Reforms
Our children are being harmed. The Cass Review may have slowed this process but it hasn't stopped it. The societal norms that led us into this mess, driven by the #BeKind brigade, need to be challenged. The gender identity movement succeeded through vicious intolerance while pretending virtuous tolerance, and we must learn from this. Social flourishing occurs when there is one set of norms for everyone. Such norms must be based on sound reasons, not airy-fairy beliefs. The Gender Recognition Act is perhaps the greatest example of tribal beliefs overriding reasoned logic in British legislative history. Hansard exists as testament to that claim. Its repeal cannot come soon enough.
Legal Missteps and Remedies
The protected characteristic of ‘gender reassignment’ must be removed from the Equality Act 2010.
The legal protection for gender reassignment began with the European Court of Justice (ECJ) case P vs. S and Cornwall County Council (1996), which amended the Sex Discrimination Act. This decision was a mistake, as it conflated transsexualism with sex.
Discrimination can be valid if it achieves a legitimate aim. We must question whether 'gender reassignment' deserves protection as a characteristic. We could argue that hair colour or musical taste deserve more protection.
A potential solution is to replace protected characteristics with the concept of 'unmerited discrimination,' ensuring protections for the disabled and oppressed minorities without explicitly recognising gender in law.
Upholding Truth and Integrity
Our entire legal system needs improvement. Better laws, better interpretation, and less discrimination are essential. Advocates for change must demonstrate clarity, logic, and a virtuous intolerance of harmful policies.
We cannot accept the status quo. Laws must change, and compromise is unacceptable. How many regretted mastectomies are tolerable?
Freedom from harm and lies is a fundamental human right. Our position is one of liberty, not religious orthodoxy.
Conclusion
It is virtuous to be intolerant of lies and harm. Therefore, we must be intolerant of laws, actions, and behaviours that facilitate them. Be virtuously intolerant.