In Defense of DeSantis

Well, not entirely. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is right about one of his two points, John Fugelsang the other.

And Ron DeSantis is a fascist who "identifies" as a Christian. https://t.co/CpDbs5ykUp

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 19, 2023

Fugelsang correctly decries the Florida governor for putting quote marks around the word "identifies." Such an individual- whom I'll call "Chris"- really does identify as a woman and is entitled to do so.

Nonetheless, immediately after the statement quoted by Fugelsang, DeSantis remarks "part of this is are we going to have a society that's rooted in truth?" Leaving aside the observation that DeSantis and "the truth" are generally not close acquaintances, the governor asks an excellent question.

And the truth is that while "Chris" can identify as a woman and one can call oneself a woman, a man, or a creature from the sea, that does not in and of itself make Chris (or a similarly situated individual) a woman, a man, or a creature from the sea.  Note that we recently had a President who, looking skyward, stated "I am the Chosen One." He never was, and claiming that as his identity, no matter how many of his followers think of him in that way, did not make him the Chosen One.

"Chris" can transition surgically to a woman, which often comes with considerable costs, be they physical, emotional, economic or any combination of the three. "Chris" then would be a woman and deserving the rights and responsibilities of being female. 

If government, acting upon the consent of the governed, chooses to extend sans surgery to "Chris" the privileges- not right- of a woman, it obviously can do so. But just as a free populace can do so, that same free populace owes itself the responsibility of acknowledging the truth.  And the truth is that a man is as biology defines him and a woman is as biology defines her.

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