Canada
In the article “Confessions of a social constructionist” (Quillette, Sept. 17), Canadian historian Christopher Dummitt admits that he made up certain parts of his doctoral thesis (sometime after 2002), and published a book and articles on his “findings” that “identity was a social construction. And that identity was all about power.” That is, gender is based solely in culture. He says that no one in the university questioned his thesis or suggested that he read countervailing evidence. He now regrets his writings in support of the social constructionist platform that has become so dangerous – medically, psychologically and spiritually – to those who have gender dysphoria, and their ‘enablers’ (very often parents). He offers his mea culpas, but does so from a tenured professorship in history at Trent University. (One wonders how his ‘confession’ has been received at that extremely “woke” university.) Dummitt does not describe the path that led him away from his radical position, but does note that he began to have doubts about his graduate school training. Finally he does admit: “I was making it all up. These were educated guesses I was offering. They were hypotheses … neither I nor anyone else thought to scrutinize what I wrote.” The article makes for fascinating reading, and is a telling indictment of academia’s failure to rigorously assess all work of students and the teaching faculty.
Air Canada is bowing to the gender dysphoria crowd. It has dropped its usual greeting to passengers: ‘ladies and gentlemen” and “mesdames et messieurs” in a bid to make the “gender fluid passengers” feel warm and included. Henceforth, the crew will use gender-neutral greetings such as “good morning everybody.” A company memo explains that “we want to ensure an inclusive space for everyone, including those who identify with gender X.” The directive will apply to gate attendants, flight attendants, and pilots.
Following Canada’s blood scandal of the 1980s where donated blood was tainted and subsequently infected thousands of Canadians with HIV or hepatitis C, blood services set out waiting periods following sex for gay men wanting to donate blood. In 2016, the same year that the deferral was dropped to one year (In 2018 it dropped further to three months.), a gay man – Christopher Karas – complained to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that the deferral was sexual discrimination and should be lifted completely. Recently, Karas’ claim was referred to a tribunal to be investigated. Canadian Blood Services is concerned that “men who have sex with men” is a high risk group which accounts for the largest proportion of new HIV infections reported in Canada.
United States
Republican Senator Ben Sasse (Nebraska) has slammed a new San Francisco ordinance which prohibits “city-funded travel to states that have enacted laws that prohibit abortion prior to the viability of the fetus, (i.e. at or after 24 weeks gestation when the unborn child can live outside the womb) and to prohibit City contracting with companies headquartered in states that have enacted such laws, or where work on the contract would be performed in such states.” In other words, companies in 22 states, including Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas, are denied the opportunity to bid on contracts for work for the city of San Francisco, and its city employees are forbidden to travel to those states on government business. The “City of Angels” is trying to shut down all conversation on the abortion debate and punish states that believe in the free expression of ideas. Sasse says that pro-lifers are always open to discussing topics with those with whom they disagree: “Pro-lifers aren’t out to silence the other side – we believe in persuasion. San Francisco progressives can throw a tantrum – Nebraskans will continue to act as grownups.”
On Oct. 11, U.S. Attorney General William Barr gave an outstanding talk on religious liberty at Notre Dame University. He highlighted “numerous measures of social decline in present-day American society – drug addiction, mental illness, and suicide – which are rising as religion recedes from public life. These outcomes are not random, but a calculated campaign against orthodox religious belief. He pointed to the major culprits – popular culture, the entertainment industry, and academia – led by secularists and their allies “using all the forces of mass communication.” He included state and municipal governments and the education industry as partners in the destruction of religious liberty. His comments about God’s moral law and a universal moral order resounded loudly. He said that Judeo-Christian moral values speak to man and fulfill him in his private spiritual life and in the public square. Religion helps to build moral discipline in society and mold a moral culture not by coercive power but by “teaching and training and framing society’s customs and tradition that reflect the wisdom and experience of the ages.” Barr warned that violating these moral laws has bad real world consequences for man and for society. The usual protesters were out in force to try to shut down Barr, just as the progressive social media panned his talk as religion trying to impose its values on American society. To his credit, the Dean of Law – G. Marcus Cole – issued a statement defending academic freedom. Barr’s talk may be viewed on YouTube.
Kellogg’s has just announced that it is introducing LGBT-themed boxes of cereal. It is a limited edition Variety Pack, with six individually-sized boxes inside: Corn Flakes, Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Frosted Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran and Rice Krispies. (It is unknown if Canada is included in this progressive program.) Now our kids can become indoctrinated while eating breakfast and be sufficiently “woke” for school. Grrrrreat!
Europe
In July, the United Kingdom Parliament voted 328-65 to repeal Sections 58 and 59 of Northern Ireland’s 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which forbid both women and doctors from committing abortions, as well as to recognize same-sex “marriage.” On Oct. 21, Stormont, Northern Ireland’s assembly, failed to fully assemble in a last effort to block the two sweeping “reforms” imposed on Northern Ireland, resulting in abortion being decriminalized and same-sex “marriage” recognized in the province at midnight that day. The deadline was set by the British Parliament. Stormont has been suspended for two years due to party wrangling and they were unable to reach an agreement to reconvene by the deadline. Northern Ireland peer Baroness O’Loan circulated a petition to recall lawmakers to the assembly, and some lawmakers attempted to assemble at Stormont in hopes of beating the deadline. But after Social Democrat and Labour Party members walked out of the assembly and Sinn Fein boycotted the proceedings, there was no quorum to elect a speaker and the session was ended after just an hour. Eilís Mulroy of the Pro-Life Campaign said the antics of the SDLP and Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, “shines a spotlight on the barbaric and inhumane abortion law that will come into effect at midnight tonight,” and their “decision to abdicate their responsibilities and abandon expectant mothers and their unborn babies to the crass and callous abortion industry … The reckless disregard shown by both parties for the right to life will never be forgotten by pro-life supporters on the island of Ireland.” Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster lamented the outcome as a “shameful day” for Northern Ireland but vowed that they would “take every legal option available to us” to reverse the new status quo and “do everything in our conscience to protect the lives of the unborn.” Faithwire reported that in 2016 and 2017, there were 13 abortions in Northern Ireland, where the procedure was only allowed in cases to save the mother’s life. Pro-life groups warn that decriminalization will lead to widespread use of abortion. Liam Gibson, SPUC’s Northern Ireland political officer, told LifeSite, that because “abortion law is devolved issue” – meaning regional assemblies have historically legislated on the matter – imposition of abortion on Northern Ireland, “is a disgraceful abuse of power by Westminster.”
A movement has begun, in England, to assist those who have transgendered, to return to their birth gender. According to Charlie Evans, a 28-year-old female who lived as a male for 10 years, she has been contacted by hundreds of trans people who, like her, came to regret their decision. A recent study at Boston University School of Public Health has revealed that their 2015-2017 data show that “gender-minority” students (i.e. those who have transgendered) are “four times as likely to suffer mental health disorders as those whose gender identity matches their biological sex” (Breitbart, Aug. 24). In sum, 78 percent of students who identified as trans, non-binary or “gender-queer” met the criteria of the study for “one or more mental disorders.” But where can these people go for medical assistance? Laws are being, or have been altered to assist gender dysphoria persons to move to their preferred gender, with promises of financial assistance to do so. And doctors are threatened with sanctions up to removal of their medical licence, if they dare to assist these troubled people. Main stream media and popular culture have taken up the banner of the transgendered. Will they now be amenable to at least, affirm that, for some, they made a horrible decision and want to return to their birth gender?
In 1989, the drug Lupron was approved to treat prostate cancer in men and endometriosis in women. Then in the 1990s, the same drug was approved to treat high levels of testosterone and estrogen in young people. Now, Lupron is being used to stop puberty in boys and girls so they can begin the transition to the “other” gender, not the one they were born with. However, there is a huge medical problem. The drug is linked to over 6,000 deaths and almost 20,000 “serious” adverse reactions including heart attacks, strokes, sudden deaths, life-threatening blood clots, and the less serious conditions of osteoporosis, brittle bones, degenerative disc diseases and chronic pain – all this appearing in young people who have been given Lupron to treat prostate cancer and endometriosis, and high levels of testosterone and estrogen. Michael Laidlaw, an American endocrinologist, testified before the British House of Lords in 2019 on the dangers of puberty blockers. In an interview with National Catholic Register(Sept. 18), he outlined the devastating physical and psychological evidence for using hormone blockers. He said that “these drugs actually induce a known disease in previously hormonally healthy children.” He and another critic, British sociologist Michael Biggs, have both been banned from Twitter for their “transphobic” statements. The NCR article presents a detailed report of scientific evidence linking hormone blocker drugs with devastating results in people. It is well-written, well-researched and a good article for parents to read. (Note: When Life Site Newstook up the story, it was vilified by NBC Newsas “fake.” Michelle Crutella of the American College of Pediatricians said that, while Lupron is not given as the cause of death in the 2,000 deaths cited above, it is a fact that those who died were taking Lupron.)
France has introduced a new bioethics bill to lift restrictions on access to fertility treatments, so that single women regardless of sexual orientation will be able to avail themselves of in vitrofertilization and sperm donation. What makes this newsworthy (and especially important to family) is that huge demonstrations are being carried out throughout France in oppositionto the bill. The group organizing the protests – Manif Pour Tous– is the same one that rallied hundreds of thousands of French people to the streets in protest of gay marriage. The president of Manif Pout Toushas declared that passage of the bill will lead to “a merchandization of humans. Also, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally Party opposes single women and lesbians having access to fertility treatments and the party’s vice president said on French television that “there is no right to having children. Children have a right to a father and a mother; this law creates children without fathers.” Other Western nations view access to fertility treatment as the individual’s right to have a child. But, the French family is deeply rooted – traditionally and historically – as a pillar of the state and part of its national identity together with Catholicism, universal rights versus individual rights, and “parentage, patrimony, and inheritance – both familial and cultural.” But, despite the opposition, Macron is determined to have the bill passed. It looks like he will have his way.
