The best way to identify a fact is to see if it stands alone.
The next time you hear someone label anything in the family of “phobic” or “ist” such as “homophobic” or “sexist” take the time to ask a simple question (after you verify that it is a true statement): Does the statement stand alone? Or is it attached to a person?
A person can be racist, transphobic, or the like. But a fact cannot be. Just because a fact makes someone uncomfortable doesn’t mean we should label it as anything other than a fact. Doing so means we are lying to ourselves, and that is never the correct path to be on if you live by an honorable code (like we talked about here).
The more uncomfortable a truth is the more we often need to dig into our wells of courage to face it. Sometimes that means hurting our own egos to do so - and that’s okay.
It reminds me of when - for years - in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters would neglect foot locks and pretend like they weren’t a problem. But they were. And the people who actually addressed them and worked on them evolved faster than those who just labeled them “dirty foot locks” and ignored them. Labeling and ignoring a problem is not the proper approach to problem solving.
As good problem solvers we must commit to finding and facing truths - all of them. Let’s not allow truths be masked by labels.
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About the author:
Josh R. Ketry - Strategy and Systems Director - is an advocate for freedom, human growth, and human potential. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt and Academy owner. Growth Mindset student (for life). Entrepreneur. Writer. Philosophy fan. Long-time carnivore diet practitioner for autoimmune issues. Birder. Muskie fisherman. Photographer. No topic off limits. Thank you for reading!
Amen.
If you really believe that, and you know I respect your intellect: you would not use a term such as TRANSPHOBIC because the truth is that there is NO SUCH THING as TRANSPHOBIC. defined in 2022 terms as the following: having or showing a dislike of or prejudice against transgender or transsexual people: "bullying is commonly underpinned by sexist, homophobic, or transphobic attitudes. That entire sentence not only is NOT THE TRUTH.. it has no real place in the reality of human beings or biology. Trans which root word comes from Transformation which means changing from one form to another, loosely defined and traditionally understood to mean changing into a new form of being, which is not possible unless one is an insect. Phobic, well that would be an obsession or a phobia usually meaning dislike or distaste of an entity. I am sorry, I cannot let that pass. The TRUTH DOES NOT LIE IN WOKE DEFINITIONS which are attempting to rewrite the basic truths of biology and what it means to be a human being or the science of the biology of creation. Anyway, have a great evening. I won't address the racist part because I believe that a loving Creator God created all of us regardless of our skin color.. we are HIS creations for HIS reasons and none of those reasons include racism or trans phobism. I have not spent the past 60 years of my life studying this WORLD through the lens of my experience of a long life filled living a huge chunk of life: loss, loving, receiving and giving.. the whole gamut to be told what TRUTH IS on Substack regardless of my fondness for you. Take care. Isabella.