WIth all due respect, how are racists an underdog?

@redbai we apparently aren't having the same conversation. I was speaking of Chappelle's passing comment dismissing transgender identity. Separate issue from racism.

@MikeInBatonRouge Please provide quote in context.

@redbai Okay, sure. In his show, he said a lot of great stuff, and he's Chappelle, so of course careful linguistic etiquette is never his aim. It was clear from the entirety of his show, as well as past statements, that he does care about inclusivity, and he does not hate trans people.

But his singular comments backing up Rowling and saying to count him as a T.E.R.F. was just ignorant and guaranteed to draw the protests from trans advocates. Lots of people, surely most, are confused by trans identity issues. Understandable, because it is complicated, even to queer people, ...even many trans people.

Like I said above, he confuses biological sex with gender. They overlap, for the most part, but they are separate things, and biology of gender is more than simple anatomy. It is hormonal, and it is brain chemistry. Trans people are dismissed as "choosing" to reject their "true" gender, and comments like Chappelle's and Rowling's pile on to that misconception and like it or not also are seized on my hateful people as justification for their bigotry. It is clear to thoughtful people who bother to take Chappelle's statements in context that it is not his intent. But it is the predictable outcome. Cancel culture police don't accommodate specific difference of opinion or nuance very well. If they disagree with a specific statement, then their public response is to demand that person's career be cancelled.

That specific T.E.R.F. endorsement from Chappelle was the only thing in his entire show I found objectionable, and that is where public conversation needs to happen, if people on various sides of a social issue are going to breech any gaps in mutual understanding.

Cancel culture police lack tolerance, perhaps because they have some justification in believing that statements from prominent public figures can translate into violent actions by, in this case, bashers itching for any excuse to justify murdering trans people. They are right to be worried and justified in feeling exasperated, even though they may fail to assess Chappelle by the entirety of his public actions.

@MikeInBatonRouge I'd like to point out that you did not quote him you explained what other people thought about what he said.

"But his singular comments backing up Rowling and saying to count him as a T.E.R.F. was just ignorant and guaranteed to draw the protests from trans advocates."

Yeah, and he knew that. And he knew that it would be the focus while ignoring everything else he said in the special about racism which was the other 95% of the special. The ability to quickly create such a narrative demonstrates that there are trans advocates which can get all this attention pointed at what they infer a single person says about trans issues but they can't muster these same resources when racism against black people is involved. Thus demonstrating the veracity of 95% of Chappelle's special which is totally being ignored - which is his point.

@redbai I didn't quote him only because I did not have his exact words printed in frpnt of me. But I watched his show myself, not relying on reporters or such. I referenced what he said himself. "Biology is a fact." "...then count me a T.E.R.F." etc.

@MikeInBatonRouge Please explain the "harm" of those statements. How does Dave Chappelle defining his understanding of gender roles "harm" as opposed to open a chance for dialog about the subject.

The irony is the term TERF was created a little more than a dozen years ago to define the lack of interest in trans women's issues in the feminist movement. What's the term for the lack of interest in the trans community for black issues?

@redbai I am no pro at coining terms. Perhaps you can come up with something.

The "harm" you ask about is that implying gender is biologically determined by one's biological sex(that is how I understood his implication when he stated "biology is a fact" ) helps erase trans identity as they are fighting for visibility and acceptance. And claiming momentary common cause with T.E.R.F.s is alarming. But maybe he is not aware of T.E.R.F history of actually campaigning against trans basic civil rights protections. When one is suddenly warmly praised and supported by nasty right-wing politicians, it ought to give pause to reconsider how progressive one actually is.

And before you say it, yes I know that was one small part of his message, although it seemed more like 20% of his talk, not 5%.