Liberal Carnival: Hand Wringing on Bullying that Never Happened

On a recent hospital visit, Denver photographer Steve Crecelius found out he was a woman. Now, this late in his life, he’s all worried about “bullying.” It’s another example of the empty thinking of liberalism that has infected our national discourse.

Mr. Crecelius is what used to be called an hermaphrodite, a person born with both sexual organs either external or internal. In Crecelius’ case inside him he has female organs while outside he has working male genitalia. According to the ABC News article, some 1,500 kids are born each year with some level of “intersex condition” — the new term for hermaphroditism. It is an interesting condition, though rare. One might expect that such children could grow up with some coping issues, of course. But, “bullying”? That is what Mr. Crecelius is suddenly all worried about?

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At the end of the article this is what ABC writes:

“I think of bullying, because I haven’t heard anyone talk about this. It’s important to talk about,” Crecelius said. “People need to be accepting and understand. I was born this way, and loving each other and supporting each other will always be the main factor in our household.”

Yet, nowhere in the article nor the accompanying video does Crecelius say he lived a life of being bullied. He does mention that once he was called a “queer” back in the 1960s or '70s, but why is he suddenly all about “bullying”? By his own admission he never even knew of his own condition until he reached his late 30s! The problem of an “intersex condition” is nothing to dismiss, granted. But is this a public condition, one that would draw “bullies”? The fact is, the only way such a physical condition would become open to bullying is if the person suffering the condition would make it public knowledge. After all, it isn’t something readily seen from a properly clothed individual! Additionally, it isn’t the sort of condition that is so prevalent that a public campaign is necessary. Additionally, the condition does not guarantee a challenge to emotional stability for the sufferer. The condition can range from only vestiges of a second set of sexual organs to full-blown dualism. Many suffers won’t have any problem at all living with their condition and will find it just one of the curious parts of their life and some may never even know they have the condition at all. On the other hand, some will have severe coping problems growing up with the physical condition. But here is the thing: it’s individual. It isn’t the sort of thing that a giant campaign against “bullying” would have any effect on. Yet, Crecelius stampedes straight to “bullying” as a concern. Why? Naturally, it’s because of the preoccupation that liberals have with social engineering. One person, in this case Mr. Crecelius, had some vague problem growing up so to liberals this means the whole of society should have an onus put upon it. Certainly every human should have the expectation that their physical condition should not be used as some sort of weapon against them. But this is a matter of general gentility. There is no need for campaigns touting the special needs of specific and rare conditions. As a society we should be teaching our kids to be kind to everyone. We don’t need to school them on hermaphroditism. It’s just unnecessary minutia, silly navel gazing that doesn’t do anyone any good. Worse, it’s just another way to separate people into classes. Now we have yet another special class to put people in: intersexism.