ACA and RR controversy

[Brian63]

Yesterday's episode of the Atheist Experience, a video put out by the Atheist Community of Austin (ACA), was quite unusual. Apparently there has been a very recent spat between 2 atheist groups, the ACA and Rationality Rules (RR). At about 15 seconds into the episode, Jamie Boone (president of the ACA) put out a brief statement acknowledging the controversy and saying they are working to resolve it, not saying much else. Many of us had absolutely no clue what was going on and no idea what controversy there was, as evident by many of the written comments as well (many were deleted because they try to only keep comments that are relevant to the current show, not outside issues).

There seems to be some matter with a recent guest co-host they had from the Rationality Rules show. He posts his own video giving a little more detail. It sounds like at some times he has made some comments that were (mis)interpreted or described as being transphobic, by the ACA. I do not know what those comments were, but there seems to be just a slight miswording or misunderstanding that has spiraled way out of control between these 2 groups. Does anyone else know anything about the background of all this? Hopefully they can resolve this internal fight and get back to advancing our common causes.



BTW: The very first call (about 3:40 in) of the Atheist Experience episode was a particularly loony one, and resolved in a quite funny way. If anyone can make sense of that guy's rambling spurt, please feel free to enlighten here as well.

 

[repoman]

The whole concept of competition in sport can be kind of cool, but when taken too far it is really lame especially for body destroying sports.

But if you are going to have this system of hypercompetition then trans women who completed male puberty do NOT belong in RANKED (gold/silver/bronze) women's sports. Especially for individual competition that relies on brute strength.

Why is this controversial? This is rock bottom fact, this is the woke version that is analogous to climate change denial. Blinded by ideology.

The only way out is not having ranked winners and losers.

Some aspects of sports can help with bonding and getting angst out. But some parts are a bit dangerous and dumb. "Oh, a naturally gifted athlete did better than a slightly less gifted one? Wow!" or "This guy did great in his career, but will live only to 65 and be in intense pain, hooray!"

I have stopped watching sports entirely.

I unironically agree with this guy, even fake wrestlers tear the shit out of their bodies and I feel guilt for imbibing this carnage.



This was just after Eddie Guerrero died from heart disease at 38.

 

[southernhybrid]

I'm curious as what Brian refers to when he says, "advancing our common cause". I don't mean it as an insult. I've been a member of various atheist organizations irl, for almost 20 years and one thing I've learned is that we don't have a common cause. People frequently say that getting atheists to agree on much of anything, other than the non existence of any gods, is like trying to herd cats. My only cause has been to demonstrate to theists, that atheists are no different than other people, when it comes to morality, relationships, finding joy in life, etc. What is this common cause that you speak of Brian?

 

[Derec]

ACA has been insufferable for their PC/identity politics stance since at least the Elevatorgate.

 

[repoman]

TJ Kirk after a long tangent gets RR in a logic suplex. When RR said that transwomen are women, TJ pushes that to the logical conclusion saying that they should be allowed in all women's sports. Sort of a troll's argument.

Transgender women may be women with respect to social niceties, but they sure as fuck are not women medically. Shrill, politically radical (not stable, non political ones that are also very common) trans people are henpecking the rest of us into this lie and it is wrong.




The best exchange in the comments is this

Insofar as the idea that trans women are women goes, I agree that if that is the case, we should be treated exactly the same as cisgender women. In my humble opinion as a transgender woman, however, I don't see myself as fully female. I would definitely prefer myself to be seen as a woman by my friends and society as a whole because I have gender dysphoria and I get the warm fuzzies when I am, but if I'm being honest, I am something different. I'm obviously not a man, but at the same time I'm obviously not a woman. I am speaking only for myself here, but to put myself in the same category as someone born with two x chromosomes, a vagina, etc. is disingenuous at best. I have a different anatomy and different experiences from cisgender women. In some ways that is difficult to accept. There's no way to reverse the hand I was dealt at birth, the hardships I've faced as a result of this, the societal stigma, and the implications of not having the life I wish I had (or could have.) At the same time though, I'm empowered by the fact that I'm something different, that I've decided to replace one of the most essential aspects of my being with what I believe it should be. It's interesting to know that I am, more than some, comfortable with who I am enough to risk losing friends, family, and opportunities in pursuit of being more authentic. This authenticity has actually benefited me in a number of ways and made me a much more humble, empathetic, and kind person. All of those things put me in a category outside of male or female, and in a sense and in certain company, I prefer being known as a "transgender woman" over a "woman." It follows that because of this, if I were interested in athletics, I would like to be in either a separate category or to compete against all people, male or female. I'm not athletically inclined, nor would I like to be, nor do I understand what transgender athletes would prefer, but to me that seems the most true to who and what I am.


Also: Definitely give Telltale, Mr. Atheist, and Holly Koolaid a watch.

You're not transgender if you deny a Lil that you're a female, that's not what transgender means, maybe you should de-transition.

ou don't get to decide what transgender means. A cursory glance at google gives the definition "denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex." I fit this definition. Despite your cordial suggestion to detransition, I decline.

Ok, the two best comments are these and I fully agree:

This whole thing is dumb...if u were born with a penis you were born a boy. If u want to be a girl go for it...but you're still biologically a boy...but I'll call u jennifer if that makes u happy

Fuck you. I am not choosing sides. I can respect their gender identities and the reality of biological sex at the same time. It's not that hard.

 

[ideologyhunter]

On a related note, the Museum of Cotton Candy Machines has had a major row with the Association of Black Ferris Wheel Owners. More details as they come in.