This is invaluable advice for a maturing college student. I hope they listen.
“ You feel that frisson when you choose a person to commit yourself to knowing full well that any marriage may fail; when you bring children into a world where there are no guarantees of their safety or success. When you summon the courage to fashion a life, something that will remain after you are gone. When you speak the truth publicly—with care and lucidity. And when you say to the world: you cannot buy me with flattery. Purchase my colleagues or classmates at bulk rate. I am not for sale.”
And wow, I wish I had that command of the English language.
(I have read her book as well; I bought it the second I saw it hammered on Facebook. I can’t imagine being a parent and not being able to protect my daughter)
To claim your independence is what life in America is about. I have worked with and have friends of all ethnic and sexual preferences. I judge them by their actions and how they treat me, not some made up criteria. Freedom to speech is the most valuable commodity in America and should never be stifled no matter how much you disagree with it. Until you understand others, how can you know yourself? I will never acknowledge that which is fact, men do not get pregnant and men do have more capabilities in sports than women and Title 9 is now a joke. I feel bad for young women athletes who train so hard and develop that true sense of pride in their achievements only to be put at a disadvantage by a trans. All of those being led down the Trans path may be sorry when one day they say, what did I do? Yet no one will care as you have been used and no longer useful. I still do not think a young child should get to determine if they start alterations as they are easily influenced and can see it as a means to be accepted or special in a young mind. If they decide at a later age, then good luck to you. How about we just let kids be kids and stop using them as political pawns?
I work for a woke corporation and have held my tongue for far too long for fear of jeopardizing my career and losing out on advancement opportunities. I feel empowered reading this essay and its call for people like me to speak out despite the risks of being hated.
I'm scared to even write comments like this on Substack, fearing my co-workers might read it. The next opportunity I get to speak up, I hope I can summon the courage to be honest with how I feel. Maybe I'll get steamrolled. Maybe not. I'm fed up with being a sock puppet.
The real tragedy is those that find themselves on the ends of the physiological bell curve that define male and female, need to mutilate their bodies to conform to the societal view of what constitutes a male or female.
I don’t care. It’s a horrible affliction…no doubt very real for people, infinitesimally small group of people. The rest are mentally ill - and dangerous like the 60 year old man identifying as 6 year old girl.
GIRLS SHOULD NOT BE COMPETING AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MEN.
What led you to put a picture of sheep in Khinalig village, Quba region, Azerbaijan at the top of your post? I used to live near there and we’d go camping in the sheep meadows between Khinalig and Laza in the shadows of Mount Shahdahg. A very interesting and powerful article by Abigail Shrier, with a surprising photo.
Abigail - We live in very strange times and your speech at Princeton was wonderful and should be heard by so many more people.
I went into Barnes & Noble which does still not carry your book but has no problem with a book about Che Guevara. Sad and unfortunate. I will order on Amazon or find somewhere else. Thank you for your contribution to society.
Thank you for sharing and I hope and pray that you and your son both have a wonderful and most importantly a happy life.
I know he deserves to live a life free from discrimination as well. That may not be the case but know that the first that run up against current thinking have it hard. To that extent that is the case, we need to thank your son for his probably very difficult contribution.
I believe the Trans community would do us all a great service by just saying, what you stated, that not everyone has to believe they are the actual sex that they identify as and that everyone has the right to their opinions. Wishing you a very merry Christmas with your family.
Superb speech that states the obvious. That the writer is being chastised and attacked for her book is the sad and sorry state of progressive orthodoxy that our society now finds itself subject to. Millions of Americans are obese, that's a fact. And when compared to historical data, too many American teenage girls are proclaiming themselves transgender. Also a fact. Facts are facts. Numbers are numbers. There is, indeed, a problem here. Why is this happening? And Abigail Shrier is right in highlighting it. That she needs to be courageous as well in order to express it is the very antithesis of what a free and open society America is supposed to represent. ACLU - take note. You're on the wrong side of history here.
This started in the 90s with "2nd Wave" feminists and their "Man Haters Club". White men are out unless you went to the right Prep Schools or were gay. Silly and Tragic
What I struggle to understand is how Abigail's views are somehow (at least superficially) in the MINORITY. How is this possible? The only two explanations I can come up with are:
1. Her views actually aren't in the minority but just appear to be due to fear. Perhaps this is true of the older generations but I fear not true in the younger generations.
2. Her views ARE in the minority due to the quasi-religious phenomenon of Wokeness (a la McWhorter's Woke Racism).
No wonder. It was time when the correct views on Earth shape were in the MINORITY, whereas the believe that a tribe of humans with dog heads do exists, were in MAJORITY...
This is invaluable advice for a maturing college student. I hope they listen.
“ You feel that frisson when you choose a person to commit yourself to knowing full well that any marriage may fail; when you bring children into a world where there are no guarantees of their safety or success. When you summon the courage to fashion a life, something that will remain after you are gone. When you speak the truth publicly—with care and lucidity. And when you say to the world: you cannot buy me with flattery. Purchase my colleagues or classmates at bulk rate. I am not for sale.”
And wow, I wish I had that command of the English language.
(I have read her book as well; I bought it the second I saw it hammered on Facebook. I can’t imagine being a parent and not being able to protect my daughter)
To claim your independence is what life in America is about. I have worked with and have friends of all ethnic and sexual preferences. I judge them by their actions and how they treat me, not some made up criteria. Freedom to speech is the most valuable commodity in America and should never be stifled no matter how much you disagree with it. Until you understand others, how can you know yourself? I will never acknowledge that which is fact, men do not get pregnant and men do have more capabilities in sports than women and Title 9 is now a joke. I feel bad for young women athletes who train so hard and develop that true sense of pride in their achievements only to be put at a disadvantage by a trans. All of those being led down the Trans path may be sorry when one day they say, what did I do? Yet no one will care as you have been used and no longer useful. I still do not think a young child should get to determine if they start alterations as they are easily influenced and can see it as a means to be accepted or special in a young mind. If they decide at a later age, then good luck to you. How about we just let kids be kids and stop using them as political pawns?
I work for a woke corporation and have held my tongue for far too long for fear of jeopardizing my career and losing out on advancement opportunities. I feel empowered reading this essay and its call for people like me to speak out despite the risks of being hated.
I'm scared to even write comments like this on Substack, fearing my co-workers might read it. The next opportunity I get to speak up, I hope I can summon the courage to be honest with how I feel. Maybe I'll get steamrolled. Maybe not. I'm fed up with being a sock puppet.
An amazing piece. Thank you for your insight and bravery, Ms Shrier.
The real tragedy is those that find themselves on the ends of the physiological bell curve that define male and female, need to mutilate their bodies to conform to the societal view of what constitutes a male or female.
Bravo!
I don’t care. It’s a horrible affliction…no doubt very real for people, infinitesimally small group of people. The rest are mentally ill - and dangerous like the 60 year old man identifying as 6 year old girl.
GIRLS SHOULD NOT BE COMPETING AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MEN.
How did you derive that the rest are mentally ill?
I thoroughly enjoy your writing and thoroughly admire your courage.
What led you to put a picture of sheep in Khinalig village, Quba region, Azerbaijan at the top of your post? I used to live near there and we’d go camping in the sheep meadows between Khinalig and Laza in the shadows of Mount Shahdahg. A very interesting and powerful article by Abigail Shrier, with a surprising photo.
Abigail - We live in very strange times and your speech at Princeton was wonderful and should be heard by so many more people.
I went into Barnes & Noble which does still not carry your book but has no problem with a book about Che Guevara. Sad and unfortunate. I will order on Amazon or find somewhere else. Thank you for your contribution to society.
Thank you for sharing and I hope and pray that you and your son both have a wonderful and most importantly a happy life.
I know he deserves to live a life free from discrimination as well. That may not be the case but know that the first that run up against current thinking have it hard. To that extent that is the case, we need to thank your son for his probably very difficult contribution.
I believe the Trans community would do us all a great service by just saying, what you stated, that not everyone has to believe they are the actual sex that they identify as and that everyone has the right to their opinions. Wishing you a very merry Christmas with your family.
Superb speech that states the obvious. That the writer is being chastised and attacked for her book is the sad and sorry state of progressive orthodoxy that our society now finds itself subject to. Millions of Americans are obese, that's a fact. And when compared to historical data, too many American teenage girls are proclaiming themselves transgender. Also a fact. Facts are facts. Numbers are numbers. There is, indeed, a problem here. Why is this happening? And Abigail Shrier is right in highlighting it. That she needs to be courageous as well in order to express it is the very antithesis of what a free and open society America is supposed to represent. ACLU - take note. You're on the wrong side of history here.
This started in the 90s with "2nd Wave" feminists and their "Man Haters Club". White men are out unless you went to the right Prep Schools or were gay. Silly and Tragic
This is what courage and wisdom looks like.
What I struggle to understand is how Abigail's views are somehow (at least superficially) in the MINORITY. How is this possible? The only two explanations I can come up with are:
1. Her views actually aren't in the minority but just appear to be due to fear. Perhaps this is true of the older generations but I fear not true in the younger generations.
2. Her views ARE in the minority due to the quasi-religious phenomenon of Wokeness (a la McWhorter's Woke Racism).
No wonder. It was time when the correct views on Earth shape were in the MINORITY, whereas the believe that a tribe of humans with dog heads do exists, were in MAJORITY...
I listened to the speech on Honestly. Outstanding.