GC: How do you respond to this post by Ana Mardoll?

submitted by levoyageur718293 from self.GCdebatesQT

I can't stand Ana Mardoll. I think she - though apparently it's actually he now - is the absolute epitome of the cutesy, precious, "quantum physics means anything is possible, people should stop being mean!" pseudo-woke libfem phenomenon. She's written basically an entire book about how to portray TRA in fantasy fiction, and if this post gets a positive response, I'd be happy to archive-link them for further dissection. But let me share my "favorite" of her works.

https://web.archive.org/web/20190916225132/http://www.anamardoll.com/2019/05/transcending-flesh-boys-shall-not-pass.html

Let me summarize - Mardoll is basically discussing sexed dormitories in Hogwarts, and describing how destructive it can be for . (This was before JKR revealed her true thoughts.) In discussing how every possible solution to this problem is in some way hurtful for TRA students, Mardoll never once discusses the fundamental reason why the sexes are separated to begin with - to keep the boys from assaulting or creeping on the girls. It just goes to show where Mardoll's priorities are; the bona-fide need women have for safety is sidelined, always sidelined, by the need for trans affirmation.

Any thoughts on this, either in terms of what the essay says directly or in terms of what the existence of the essay says about our fallen world?

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[–]SilverSlippers 11 insightful - 3 fun11 insightful - 2 fun12 insightful - 3 fun -  (0 children)

I don't know what universe Ana lives in, but mixed sex school dormitories is never a good idea. Did she bother to look up that Hogwarts is largely based on real British boarding schools (i.e. the house system, prefects, etc)? Boys are never allowed in the girls dorm. Historically most schools were completely segregated by sex, not just the dorms. Even today most British boarding schools have houses completely segregated by sex, ie. if Hogwarts were a real school it would have 8 houses instead of 4 (a male and female counterpart to each).

[–][deleted] 7 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 0 fun8 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Any thoughts on this, either in terms of what the essay says directly or in terms of what the existence of the essay says about our fallen world?

Just an anecdote, which is sad because it's based on an actual event in Japan . . .

After a talk on the nature of reality and illusion by the Roshi, a Zen student went to meditate on the train tracks, convinced the train wouldn't harm her because it "wasn't real." You can guess the rest . . . and the Roshi and her fellow students were overcome with grief.

Reality, illusion, and delusion are distinct concepts. The internet has amplified this weird consensus that "anything is possible" -- but that isn't realistic or illusory. It's delusional.

"Anything" is possible on the level of imagination (as far as the imagination can conceive it). Outside of the imagination, all realities operate according to fundamental laws. Even at the quantum level.

Sorry to wonk out on the philosophical, but I see a lot of these delusional patterns with the "anything is possible" crowd, and I'd sincerely hate to see them test out that nonsense on the train tracks . . . or convince or bully others to do so.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I feel like they're already on the train tracks - I see that in the medical experimentation of trans children.

[–][deleted] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Exactly. I feel the same.

[–]DistantGlimmer 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

I've noticed how the arguments TRAs make are so detached from reality Male violence is a real problem and fear for women and girls it's not about some hypothetical thing in Hogwarts.

On the other hand the idea of portraying TRAs in fantasy fiction is kind of interesting. I can certainly think of portrayals that would not be flattering for a TRA allegory. You'd have to be subtle about it in the current climate though.

[–]questioningtw 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Exactly! Like sorry, but I WOULD feel extremely uncomfortable with a male person in the bathroom/locker room. Nowe I would be totally fine with say NAtalie Wynn or Blaire White...because they transitioned! They aren't really male anymore.

[–]worried19 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I think this person is too far gone for rational discussion.

After coming out as genderqueer in 2015, Ana prefers xie/xer pronouns. [xie ("zee" or /ziː/), xer ("zur" or /zɜr/)]

I really hoped the author was like 15 or something, but they appear to be an adult. Doesn't this kind of stuff stress them out? I don't see how it could be healthy for them to obsess about fictional worlds and whether fictional trans people are allowed into certain dormitories in those worlds. They're obviously born female, too. It's interesting there's not even the slightest awareness that sex-segregated dormitories are also for girls' safety.

[–]levoyageur718293[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

AFAIK, Ana Mardoll's pushing 40.

[–]worried19 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Wow, that's like an entirely different generation. I don't know how someone gets to be almost 40 and is still consumed by this stuff.

[–]levoyageur718293[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Mardoll has a lot of physical disabilities that prevent her from holding down a normal job or participating in offline society, so I guess she's stuck inside her own head.

[–]tamingthemindradfem (GC) 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

AFAIK, Ana Mardoll's pushing 40.

Jesus, she describes herself as a trans "boy." WHY.

[–]theblackfleet 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

TBH, I'm not going to read another man's long, whiny screed about how he wants to violate women and girls. I don't really want to waste time on it. I know it's going to be some long-winded whine about seahorse Daddy Mom's and some other shit about amoebas and blah blah blah, so that means he's a woman now. POOF!

All he's doing is projecting his fetishistic fantasies onto everyone.

[–]Spikygrasspod 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Is this satire? The author objects to spells that detect gender on the basis that Luella, who is a boy only on Thursdays, will run afoul of them.

Male violence against women isn't mentioned as a possible problem that we might want to avert. But being 'girl-gendered' on non-Thursdays is.

[–]levoyageur718293[S] 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh nay. Mardoll is deadly serious.

[–]questioningtw 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Oh god...I remember when she got offended about a cookbook because it said Chili is a religion in Texas. Also sense she is not in anyway trans, how can she possibly write a good trans character? Hogwarts is totally fiction and should never be used in an argument...EVER. It is ok to use real, life dormitories though and I am perfectly fine with them being separated by sex. Trans people are an extremely minuscule segment of the population, and they can change dorms during transition.

[–]levoyageur718293[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Two years later, and Mardoll is in big trouble. Haha!