Summary

Representative Sarah McBride, the first out trans congresswoman, criticized Donald Trump’s executive order defining gender as strictly male or female.

McBride points out that biologically all embryos develop as female until the SRY gene activates weeks after conception.

The order, which ties gender to reproductive cells at conception, unintentionally categorizes all humans as female from conception based on biological facts.

McBride’s remarks highlight scientific flaws in the policy.

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[–] 221 points 2 years ago* (21 children)

Anyone who thinks this shit is funny is in for a rude awakening.

They do not fucking care. They will use this the exact same way that they would have used it if it was worded correctly.

You don't get out on technicalities in fascism; if the autocrat in charge wants to do the thing, he will do it. All of these things will be used as cudgels against perceived political enemies, and marginalized US citizens.

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  • [–] 70 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    I want people to try to be less pesimistic, the point is that technicalities like this will waste time. Every one of these exectuive orders is going to be challanged in court, and while the GOP controls the higher courts, these cases will start in the lower ones. With any luck, the lower courts will stay the order until things can get resolved. Every appeal, every challange takes time to process and judges are under no obligation to resolve things quickly.

    The goal currently isnt to try and overturn the order, thats just pissing into the wind. The goal is to waste their time for 2 years and hope the house flips, if it does, we can send 47 back to his golf course for the rest of his term because he wont be able to accomplish anything.

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  • [–] 24 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

    This. In much the same way an elder god doesn't give a damn about conservation of energy or the square cubed law, a dictator with effectively un-checked power doesn't care about wording of executive orders or LAWS. Be careful.
    Cthulu has woken from eons (4 years) of slumber (not being president) to ravage the planet, while looking like a moldy cheese puff.

    Edit: thankfully he's not nearly as powerful as this metaphor implies, but the point stands. The law won't stop him, I don't trust the Dems to stop him, the only thing that will is worker's might.

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  • [–] 15 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    He doesn't have fucking unchecked power, he has a slim majority in congress, a full diaper, and a constitutional deadline before he stops having any power. Don't give him an inch, make them fight for every grain of sand.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 years ago

    With this Supreme Court and federal judge stack? Who decides constitutional issues? Who’s going to challenge the Supreme Court legally? The majority GOP senate? Or the majority GOP house of representatives? He has all three branches of government. Who can challenge all three legally? Anyone with a chance (vast wealth) were sitting behind him at the inauguration. In the sense of “checks and balances,” he literally has unchecked power.

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    [–] 201 points 2 years ago* (19 children)

    Theres two possible interpretations due to the at conception bit I think. Either he made everyone a woman, or he abolished gender all together. Either way this EO make Trump the single largest gender changer in history as he just changed the gender of either ~150 million or ~300 million people.

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    [–] 134 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    I'm not sure what is more disconcerting. That the people in charge truly are a bunch of fucking idiots.

    Or that those idiots have outplayed and outsmarted the Democrats at damn near every turn for 20+ years.

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  • [–] 46 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    The President in particular is very much a figurehead — he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.
    – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

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  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago

    One team is trying to govern, and the other team is trying to win.

    If Democrats lied constantly, denied science, sowed fear and hatred, and used the law to enforce their personal religious beliefs... They'd be indistinguishable from Republicans.

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    [–] 114 points 2 years ago (21 children)
  • [–] 74 points 2 years ago (8 children)

    You've heard of non-binary gender, get ready for its upgraded form: unary gender

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    [–] 87 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    I think the bigger issue is hiding in plain sight:

    a person belonging, at conception

    Personhood does not begin at conception.

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    [–] 59 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    Trump: "You must identify with the gender you were at the time of conception."

    Science: "Everyone starts out as women and don't become men until 6 weeks after conception."

    Trump: "That is exactly what I meant. Everyone who knows science must identify as a girly girl."

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    [–] 50 points 2 years ago

    At least McBride can now use the women's restrooms in the Capitol. And so must all the other politicians!

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  • [–] 35 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Does this make him officially the first woman president? So progressive.

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  • [–] 35 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Donvict and his supporters (yeah, I know, don't blame the precious voters!) don't really understand science.

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  • [–] 34 points 2 years ago (27 children)

    Bad headline IMO, she's more so pointing out more flaws in it which is different than laughing it off

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  • [–] 48 points 2 years ago* (26 children)

    "This is logically flawed because " won't really bother a bunch of Young Earth Creationists. You're arguing with people who will retreat to the baseline argument "because God said so" in a pinch. Getting into the messy details of embryonic development won't save you, because that's not how their nominations to the FBI, the DOJ, or the Federal Judiciary are going to interpret any of it.

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  • [–] 39 points 2 years ago (23 children)

    Actually it being poorly written helps a lot with court challenge. That was one of the reasons why so much was overturned in his first administration. There was a fear that this time he'd sign better written executive orders that would survive challanges instead we're getting a lot of them like this

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago (14 children)

    The truth is, they don't care how poorly written it is, they're just trying to flood the zone with stuff, and they win no matter the outcome. If it's not challenged, they have policy, if it is challenged, it occupies time and resources and most importantly, if it's challenged unsuccessfully, they have legal precident.

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  • [–] 16 points 2 years ago* (12 children)

    it is challenged, it occupies time and resources

    It also takes up their time and resources to which I say: good. Slow it all down

    They'd rather be able to steam roll through it all. Make them waste time defending everything so they can't sue as much about things they do care about or move on to putting other things in effect

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  • [–] 34 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    Its so stupid that the government of one of the world's most powerful countries is occupying itself trying to restrict people's healthcare and bathroom usage based on some poorly understood and arbitrary rules about zygotes. Meanwhile, the planet burns.

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    [–] 15 points 2 years ago

    So this means we did get the first female president! Yippee

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    I KNEW IT!

    I'M A LESBIAN!!!!!

    I've known my whole life and it's a relief to FINALLY to be able to come out officially.

    THANK YOU PRESIDENT RUMP!

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Haha this is so awesome, she should tell that one to a trans person being denied healthcare.

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