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Friday, January 27, 2023

manipulation

 


Something stirred my interest this week (though, it should not have) and finally I realized I had to write about it or it'd not let me go lol. I tend to be that way with a lot of things. If they are on my mind, I can finally go on, once I do whatever the feeling had me needing to do... even when I had other things to do that 'I' regarded as more important.

This one related to a 'trans' group in Norway that decided Aretha Franklin's song, Natural Woman was offensive to trans and they wanted it taken off Spotify, etc. For reasons beyond my understanding, the media picked up the story from what I gather was a 'new' group. The group doubtless knew that and hence tweaked it. The media is so easy to manipulate. I have no idea what Spotify, etc. did about it, but I know what they should have done-- ignored it.

Whether you are sympathetic to trans causes, are trans, this should have been ignored as it's not about trans at all-- not in its message or its timing (came out in 1968). I think they pushed it to get their group known. Maybe it worked and maybe not but wish it would not and wish our media would be less gullible.

I had to listen to the song again as though I remembered the melody, I'd forgotten the words. If that is your case, here's a link to hear it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jCFzreP1ng

Listen to those words and do you hear anything about a man becoming a woman? You do not, as back then it was far less a 'cause' than it has been recently. But if a man wants to become a woman, does he not want to be a natural woman? 

What the song speaks to is this woman finding someone who makes her feel all she hadn't felt before. She has found the one who brings out the female in her. Could not a trans-woman also feel that way when they had the 'right' person come along? It's about an emotional reaction to loving the right person and what it did to the writer's heartstrings. 

A feminist might disagree with that message-- feeling we should not need someone else (notice song never said male or female lover) to feel all our own inner strength and being. We should do it for ourselves as most recently Miley Cyrus sang about in her new song-- Flowers. I can do it for myself was her message. It is probably the strongest way to be when we don't need someone else, but when we do, is that bad when it's the right person? When other people bring out the best is us, isn't that a good thing?

5 comments:

Greybeard said...

What a mess.
"Gay"?
Hardly. Family of a person in my close circle had to hide all the sharp objects in their home hoping to prevent the suicide of their daughter, (now son). And that she/he is still a very unhappy individual, trying to "fit in" with our world today.
Will this situation improve as the trans situation becomes more and more normalized? I hope so.
But I believe the present militarization of the trans community is offending more than it is helping. Forcing something down the throats of others, to me, won't "win friends and influence people".
I'm glad I am old.

Greybeard said...

Mental illness?
https://instapundit.com/566818/#respond

ElizabethAnn said...

My grand child switched from she/her to he/him. Their parents are okay with that, figuring it is better to love their child as they are rather than as they wish they were. I don’t know how that will work out going forward, but I do think that as long as there is love and acceptance, things will be okay. My son’s roommate is trans, their mother is fine with it, as is my son (not a romantic relationship, just friends and roommates). I’m not keen on the militancy you describe though. I’ve had the washroom argument with my son (trans women should be allowed in women’s washrooms) and it goes nowhere, we just have to agree to disagree. Far different world than the one we grew up in!

Rain Trueax said...

Thanks for the link. It really is a tough time for kids and especially those suffering from other doubts about who they are and what they want. Tough on the parents too.

Rain Trueax said...

I think the big concern, ElizabethAnn, is when they are encouraged to take hormones and even surgical changes at a young age. Some of them later realize they were having typical angst with growing up or are suffering from other emotional issues, and some of those changes cannot be undone later. I think support is important but also encouraging them to look at other issues like depression as what some 'expert' is looking at for a quick fix. On the other hand, for some, it does seem to be a change they need-- just don't rush into what might lead to later health problems. It's complex