[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. So, if you like what you read, please consider a paid subscription. And yes, I do speaking engagements.] This afternoon, conservative campus group Intercollegiate Studies Institute reached out to offer me $10,000 to debate Michael Knowles at the University of Pittsburgh on the validity of trans people. His scheduled event there has drawn significant controversy in light of his recent speech at CPAC calling for openly-trans people to be eradicated from the public square.
As a cis, white, old female (she/her) I am ashamed and horrified that you had to be exposed to such ignorance hiding in the guise of a "debate" of your right to exist happening on a college campus "the natural home for discerning ideas". As a retired academic the insistence that this would be a "discerning" event shows that this organization has no idea what the terms "debate" or "discerning" mean. Your reply is thoughtful and respectful, and you have shown far more humanity than you have received. I am no longer religious; I do believe in moral values and ethical values. I do know the New Testament gospels and epistles. What ever happened to love thy neighbor as thyself? I don't remember this being conditional. Thank you also for sharing this as we all need to keep in mind the hatred being hidden behind an "opinion" or a "position". It is hatred, pure and simple.
This is a brilliant response, Charlotte. The whole "debate me!" thing cultivated by right-wingers like Knowles operates on the premise that there is a "side" to debate - whether it's climate change, holocaust denial, or the "validity" of transgender humans. There is not. To accept that there is something to "debate" on these issues requires "alternative facts", let alone a level of intellectual dishonesty that defies rational discourse.
Your response was crystal clear perfection. Thank you.
Such a polite way of saying WTF is wrong with these folks. Have they lost their damn minds?! Glad you were classy in telling them to fuck off. And loved that part about how their inviting transphobe/ bigot extraordinaire to their campus is shitty AF to their trans and nonbinary students.
Brava. And the sign-off of "Ms Clymer" was beautiful. The audacity of believing it was ok to address you by your first name. I guess using the Ms was a bridge too far for that dude. Thank you for sharing.
Such a thoughtful and gracious response you gave, Charlotte. I’m so sorry you had to face that request today, but I’m grateful the LGBTQ community has such a wonderful human on its side. Shine on! 💫
You are an amazing woman, I admire you so much. If only more people lived their lives with the integrity and grace that you do, what a better world we would live in.
Thanks for providing the most succinct explanation as to why these people should not be engaged with.
As an uncouth straight man in my 50s, I've answered to people like this with "who cares if so and so is transgender? How does that affect you?"
But I realize that my answer is woefully inadequate.
I care.
We should all care. Especially as we see those on the right more than willing to pass laws and restrictions in an attempt to erase the existence of those whom they deem underserving of existing.
And, shame on the University of Pittsburgh for allowing itself to be used in this way.
My first thought when I read their email was “you are asking someone to debate their right to exist?! WTF!?” So I was curious as I approached your response how you would handle that. Let me say it was with far more grace and calm, rational, logic than I could have mustered in a similar situation. My response might have been more along the lines of “F off you self righteous little prick.” So you are a far better human being than I.
Your response was measured, polite, educational, logical, and professional. The implied tone was a thing of beauty. Polite on its face, seething with an “you’re an asshat vitriol” to anyone doing a close read. The nerve of hosting an event like this, bringing that despicable man to campus, and framing it as an important social issue debate as they invite you to participate, implying YOU are the problem if you decline is unmitigated gall.
Congratulations to you on your class, intelligence, writing style, and grace when faced with an insult to your very right to exist. You are a role model.
Thank you for declining to debate. And your response to them was brilliant, heart-warming, eloquent to the moon and back, and so much more than those disingenuous ass-hats deserved.
What a clear, beautifully written, powerful response! This event was clearly a set-up. It was generous of you to detail your rationale so that even the (clueless? intentionally cruel?) person inviting you to debate could understand. Thank you, Charlotte
As a cis, white, old female (she/her) I am ashamed and horrified that you had to be exposed to such ignorance hiding in the guise of a "debate" of your right to exist happening on a college campus "the natural home for discerning ideas". As a retired academic the insistence that this would be a "discerning" event shows that this organization has no idea what the terms "debate" or "discerning" mean. Your reply is thoughtful and respectful, and you have shown far more humanity than you have received. I am no longer religious; I do believe in moral values and ethical values. I do know the New Testament gospels and epistles. What ever happened to love thy neighbor as thyself? I don't remember this being conditional. Thank you also for sharing this as we all need to keep in mind the hatred being hidden behind an "opinion" or a "position". It is hatred, pure and simple.
This is a brilliant response, Charlotte. The whole "debate me!" thing cultivated by right-wingers like Knowles operates on the premise that there is a "side" to debate - whether it's climate change, holocaust denial, or the "validity" of transgender humans. There is not. To accept that there is something to "debate" on these issues requires "alternative facts", let alone a level of intellectual dishonesty that defies rational discourse.
Your response was crystal clear perfection. Thank you.
AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME response to a thoroughly tiresome and insufferable invitation.
Such a polite way of saying WTF is wrong with these folks. Have they lost their damn minds?! Glad you were classy in telling them to fuck off. And loved that part about how their inviting transphobe/ bigot extraordinaire to their campus is shitty AF to their trans and nonbinary students.
Brava. And the sign-off of "Ms Clymer" was beautiful. The audacity of believing it was ok to address you by your first name. I guess using the Ms was a bridge too far for that dude. Thank you for sharing.
Such a thoughtful and gracious response you gave, Charlotte. I’m so sorry you had to face that request today, but I’m grateful the LGBTQ community has such a wonderful human on its side. Shine on! 💫
Brava, Charlotte.
You are an amazing woman, I admire you so much. If only more people lived their lives with the integrity and grace that you do, what a better world we would live in.
Thanks for providing the most succinct explanation as to why these people should not be engaged with.
As an uncouth straight man in my 50s, I've answered to people like this with "who cares if so and so is transgender? How does that affect you?"
But I realize that my answer is woefully inadequate.
I care.
We should all care. Especially as we see those on the right more than willing to pass laws and restrictions in an attempt to erase the existence of those whom they deem underserving of existing.
And, shame on the University of Pittsburgh for allowing itself to be used in this way.
This are sad, scary times.
Be safe.
My first thought when I read their email was “you are asking someone to debate their right to exist?! WTF!?” So I was curious as I approached your response how you would handle that. Let me say it was with far more grace and calm, rational, logic than I could have mustered in a similar situation. My response might have been more along the lines of “F off you self righteous little prick.” So you are a far better human being than I.
Your response was measured, polite, educational, logical, and professional. The implied tone was a thing of beauty. Polite on its face, seething with an “you’re an asshat vitriol” to anyone doing a close read. The nerve of hosting an event like this, bringing that despicable man to campus, and framing it as an important social issue debate as they invite you to participate, implying YOU are the problem if you decline is unmitigated gall.
Congratulations to you on your class, intelligence, writing style, and grace when faced with an insult to your very right to exist. You are a role model.
Thank you for declining to debate. And your response to them was brilliant, heart-warming, eloquent to the moon and back, and so much more than those disingenuous ass-hats deserved.
What a clear, beautifully written, powerful response! This event was clearly a set-up. It was generous of you to detail your rationale so that even the (clueless? intentionally cruel?) person inviting you to debate could understand. Thank you, Charlotte
👏🏻 🙌🏻 🥳🤸🏻♀️
Amen!❤️
Brava, Charlotte. I admire and respect your response to this insult masquerading as an invitation. No amount of money could make this OK.
I hope they learned something from your response. Like giving reprehensible characters like him a platform of any kind. Good grief!