Recently, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been back in the news due to his comments on Donald Trump which meant some other things cropped up on my social feeds. His comments on this episode of Q & A highlighted the way Murdoch Press and others successfully reframed the issue of climate change. Making something that is a question of science, economics, and engineering about ideology or values. This approach means that climate change has become a debatable concept, an act that Turnbull points out has delayed action and contributed greatly to the current issue we now face. It really got me thinking a bit more about other issues especially those currently dominating the political culture wars like my own existence.

It is the same with Trans existence.

I can’t help but see parallels in how Murdoch and right-wing politicians have represented the trans community. Our existence is an observed fact throughout human history and predates the Abrahamic religions, yet we have recently become a topic of debate. This is primarily due to the success of right-wing media and figures able to represent us as a result of some radical ‘gender ideology’. This term used to talk about trans people not only distances the discussion away from the human experience but makes it a debatable concept rather than transgenderism being considered a ‘fact’ of human existence. Respected astrophysicists Neil DeGrasse Tyson discussed a similar principal in his conversation with Ben Shapiro, as he clearly states that ‘its real and it’s there, and it’s real because it manifests’. He goes on to explain that whether building our understanding of such things is a focus of biology, psychology, or sociology doesn’t make it less real. Perhaps the most significant point he makes is that research should not be the tool of political motivations as it leads to a restriction of freedoms, something that we have seen first hand with the Cass review and current events in the United States.

Yet, even though it is an observed fact, one that even a die hard like Shapiro is forced to admit in the interview, that people express themselves on a gender spectrum they will debate the existence of such a spectrum . These ‘gender critics’ paint themselves as the voice of reason, yet there arguments tend to ignore scientific research, history, and most importantly real life experience. Instead, it becomes a statement in fanatic belief. They don’t  accept it, understand it, or believe in it, so it isn’t real. Instead, our existence in their language becomes the result of disproven theory of social contagion, Radical onset gender dysphoria and brainwashing leading to some ‘woke mind virus’. Even if this was true in a society that values freedom as Tyson suggest the reasons behind transgenderism may be interesting but doesn’t actually matter as regardless we exist and are entitled to certain ‘unalienable rights’. We have history dating back to ancient Mesopotamia and the existence of no conforming identities in numerous indigenous cultures and our very lives stands as irrefutable proof that we exist regardless of this ongoing debate or any executive orders. Trans and gender diverse identities are a fact of life, not some debatable idea.

The purpose of manufacturing issues

The whole principle of these manufactured debates and reframing topics is to create wedge issues that protect the status quo. In the case of climate change, the continual delays in taking action have benefited fossil fuel supporters and mining magnates. This includes people like Gina Rinehart, who is not afraid to throw substantial support behind the Liberal party, which has presented a host of climate sceptics to the Australian people. Similarly, by reframing the discussion around trans existence, these groups are reinforcing gender stereotypes and traditional roles by encouraging women to be more feminine to avoid transinvestigators.

Additionally, this clever manipulation also allows candidates to campaign on these manufactured issues. Often, this involves a degree of fear mongering through things like suggesting action on climate change will cause price increases or blackouts, while trans people are represented as a threat to public safety. It means that politicians who have actively failed to address real issues like domestic violence and the cost of living can distract the population. They can then use fear to create division and whip people into a frenzy at a fictional enemy. Ultimately they are than positioned to present themselves as a hero for protecting the population from this made-up threat. Of course this can not be done without a well developed propaganda machine and an active role by media organisations. Murdoch may down play his influence but by feeding these representations through his media empire that controls hundreds of publishing outlets around the world all pushing similar messaging his reach is vast and inescapable. This in itself is a well practised  strategy, it has worked for numerous leaders from Hitler to Trump, so why would it be abandoned. The simple truth is it won’t until people stop falling for it.

The sad result of these non – issues

I wish that we could say stagnation was the worst result of these sort of manufactured debates. When employed for the sack of political campaigns, it leads to a whole range of negative consequences. One needs to look no further than our current example in the States. These tactics helped win Trump the election. While he has, of course, followed through on his threats against migrants and the trans community, saving Americans from nothing he has negative impacted their economy, damaged international relationships, allowed a billionaire free access to government data and so much more. Too late are many Trump supports waking up to what they have unleashed through their own culpability while other still feed from the ridicules lies being feed by fox news and the white house.

However, the damage can strike at the very core of society and outlive a political lifespan as they are based completely around dividing a population. Creating two sides that are dichromatically opposed to each other, an us and them mentality. By doing this, everything that is negative in society, all the problems we face can be blamed on the other group. It is how that campaign of fear works as it presents them as an ‘other’ that can be purged from society without harming the majority. Any such division creates the idea that one group is therefore right and better than the other and leads everyday people to attempt to enforce their perspective on those in the minority. This creates lasting damage to relationships and mental health that does not evaporative after an election. This is something the trans community knows all too well, as we are often left counting the cost for simply being ourselves because a friend or a family member doesn’t believe in it. A situation that often leads to horrific outcomes including abuse, suppression and suicide. This is unfortunately the world we live in thanks to the likes of Murdoch and his political allies.

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Imagine instead if all these news outlets just said this is these things are fact of life, it takes time to adjust but society can manage. How different would things be? However, the world is motivated by greed and power things that are much harder to maintain in a harmonious society. So the only way to change such things is for society. For the people to take back their power. To show that these tactics have stopped working, to show that humanity has finally learned and vote against those that would push such harmful twisting of facts. In Australia we will get chance in May to take a step in the right direction but it is going to be a long journey based on the current state of the world.

Read more about my thoughts on freedom of speech