We raised both our sons as gender neutral as possible, with gender neutral clothes, toys, and language. While we did use he/him pronouns and others in their life called them boys, we did not call them boys, or even tell them that they were boys. We made all language gender neutral. In everyday reading of books or descriptions of people in our lives, we did not say "man" or "woman," we said "people." We thought we were doing the right and best thing, both for them and for the world. (...)
At around four years old, my son began to ask me if he was a boy or a girl. Instead of telling him he was a boy, I told him he could choose. I didn't use those words—I thought I could be more sophisticated than that. I told him, "When babies are born with a penis, they are called boys, and when babies are born with a vagina, they are called girls. But some babies who are born with a penis can be girls, and some babies born with a vagina can be boys. It all depends on what you feel deep inside." He continued to ask me what he was, and I continued to repeat these lines. I resolved my inner conflict by "leading" my son with this framework—you can be born with a penis, but still be a girl inside. I thought I was doing the right thing, for him, and for the world.
His question, and my response to it, would come back to haunt me for years, and continues to haunt me now. What I know now is that I was "leading"—I was leading my innocent, sensitive child down a path of lies that were a direct on-ramp to psychological damage and life-long irreversible medical intervention. All in the name of love, acceptance, and liberation.
Anyone who is suicidal should be instantly cured by just being informed that at the very least, he is not a slavish folllower of The Current Thing.
Watching my old employer drop mandates and beg us all to come back - that’s something, at least.
Wait, what? Mandates in Australia? Don't you guys have employee protection/privacy laws preventing that sort of thing?
But… It’s just not as simple as that. I wish it was.
I understand. But look man, your mind loves to play tricks on you. People have lived in misery that was unimaginable for you and me, and yet they persevered - even when there was no prospect of things getting better because they were medieval peasants. Modernity makes people sick.
Just gotta keep going and hope it eventually gets a tiny bit better, I suppose.
The best thing about a terrible situation is that it can only get better. I say go to the gym daily until it does.
Wait, what? Mandates in Australia? Don't you guys have employee protection/privacy laws preventing that sort of thing?
Assuming this is not sarcastic... Australians will love to tell you that we have "strong employee protection laws" and no "at will employment" here, but... From extensive experience, it really isn't that simple.
I, unfortunately, have only ever been employed either on a contract, or casually. Thus, while my hourly rate is technically higher than the full-time equivalent, you lack any of these protections. So it's incredibly easy to sack me with very little recourse on my part. I knew that even before Covid, and Covid only made that even clearer...
But I also know more "permanent" employees in my "industry" of the time (the Australian Public Service), who were also let go, when mandates came in.
You'll find that "employee protection" and "privacy" laws only apply, in Australia, when it's convenient for TPTB. In this case, everyone with power was on the side of "enforcing mandates", so therefore those laws were largely made moot. The courts wouldn't support workers. The Human Rights Commission ignored it. Etc.
It really just shows you how weak those laws are, in a place like this, in reality.
So yeah, I'm afraid that's just not how it panned out. Many big businesses do still in fact have those mandates, even after they have been officially dropped. Pretty sure I lied on my last job application about it, even, so that will be interesting, if it comes up at interview...
Assuming this is not sarcastic... Australians will love to tell you that we have "strong employee protection laws" and no "at will employment" here, but... From extensive experience, it really isn't that simple.
It's not sarcastic, I assumed Australia to be similar to Europe on the matter.
Here (at least where I am), the funny thing was that even establishments where you had to show a corona passport, were not legally allowed to ask their employees for vaccination. The justification for this is that you don't have to go to a bar to have a drink, but the employees rely on working their for their livelihood. And I was glad to have less nonsense rather than more.
I, unfortunately, have only ever been employed either on a contract, or casually. Thus, while my hourly rate is technically higher than the full-time equivalent, you lack any of these protections. So it's incredibly easy to sack me with very little recourse on my part. I knew that even before Covid, and Covid only made that even clearer...
Not sure this would fly. Even in cases where there is at will employment, like with temporary contracts, if you can demonstrate that your contract was not extended due to something illegal (like requiring vaccination), you could sue for damages and/or reinstatement. At least, that's how it works here.
You'll find that "employee protection" and "privacy" laws only apply, in Australia, when it's convenient for TPTB. In this case, everyone with power was on the side of "enforcing mandates", so therefore those laws were largely made moot. The courts wouldn't support workers. The Human Rights Commission ignored it. Etc.
Yes, that is unfortunately fairly universal. However, employee protections are so well-established in Europe, that they are upheld even when they go against the interests of TPTB.
Many big businesses do still in fact have those mandates, even after they have been officially dropped. Pretty sure I lied on my last job application about it, even, so that will be interesting, if it comes up at interview...
Incredible. The gall of these people to interfere with such matters. Assuming you're not working with 90-year-old patients with diabetes...
Her article about this affair.
Anyone who is suicidal should be instantly cured by just being informed that at the very least, he is not a slavish folllower of The Current Thing.
I really wish your last sentence were true…
Does feel somewhat “nice” to be vindicated about some of this stuff, though, I guess…
Watching my old employer drop mandates and beg us all to come back - that’s something, at least.
But… It’s just not as simple as that. I wish it was.
Just gotta keep going and hope it eventually gets a tiny bit better, I suppose.
Wait, what? Mandates in Australia? Don't you guys have employee protection/privacy laws preventing that sort of thing?
I understand. But look man, your mind loves to play tricks on you. People have lived in misery that was unimaginable for you and me, and yet they persevered - even when there was no prospect of things getting better because they were medieval peasants. Modernity makes people sick.
The best thing about a terrible situation is that it can only get better. I say go to the gym daily until it does.
Assuming this is not sarcastic... Australians will love to tell you that we have "strong employee protection laws" and no "at will employment" here, but... From extensive experience, it really isn't that simple.
I, unfortunately, have only ever been employed either on a contract, or casually. Thus, while my hourly rate is technically higher than the full-time equivalent, you lack any of these protections. So it's incredibly easy to sack me with very little recourse on my part. I knew that even before Covid, and Covid only made that even clearer...
But I also know more "permanent" employees in my "industry" of the time (the Australian Public Service), who were also let go, when mandates came in.
You'll find that "employee protection" and "privacy" laws only apply, in Australia, when it's convenient for TPTB. In this case, everyone with power was on the side of "enforcing mandates", so therefore those laws were largely made moot. The courts wouldn't support workers. The Human Rights Commission ignored it. Etc.
It really just shows you how weak those laws are, in a place like this, in reality.
So yeah, I'm afraid that's just not how it panned out. Many big businesses do still in fact have those mandates, even after they have been officially dropped. Pretty sure I lied on my last job application about it, even, so that will be interesting, if it comes up at interview...
It's not sarcastic, I assumed Australia to be similar to Europe on the matter.
Here (at least where I am), the funny thing was that even establishments where you had to show a corona passport, were not legally allowed to ask their employees for vaccination. The justification for this is that you don't have to go to a bar to have a drink, but the employees rely on working their for their livelihood. And I was glad to have less nonsense rather than more.
Not sure this would fly. Even in cases where there is at will employment, like with temporary contracts, if you can demonstrate that your contract was not extended due to something illegal (like requiring vaccination), you could sue for damages and/or reinstatement. At least, that's how it works here.
Yes, that is unfortunately fairly universal. However, employee protections are so well-established in Europe, that they are upheld even when they go against the interests of TPTB.
Incredible. The gall of these people to interfere with such matters. Assuming you're not working with 90-year-old patients with diabetes...