Sunday, May 04, 2014

Doug Groothuis on Transvestism


I have a not-so-secret sinful pleasure, which is reading Doug Groothuis's blog. The stupidity and lack of self-awareness of this "Ph. D." rarely fail to amuse. Here's his latest piece, which is about his displeasure on seeing a transvestite on TV.

Groothuis is disgusted by it, and finds it a "sinful sickness" that is "a sure sign of cultural decay, bone rot, disintegration and dissipation". But nowhere in his little rant does he explain why it drives him nutty.

Transvestism occurred and occurs in many different cultures; the idea that it is a "sure sign of cultural decay" doesn't seem supported by the historical record. It doesn't appeal to me, but then again, neither do tattoos, or heavy metal, or Christian fundamentalism. All in all, it seems pretty harmless -- certainly more benign than the dangerous nonsense that Groothuis routinely espouses.

I think Groothuis should examine his own feelings more closely. Why, precisely, is he so disgusted by the sight of a drag queen?

2 comments:

Steve Watson said...

I vaguely recall, um, reacting negatively to transvestism and homosexuality when I first encountered them. I think it's a combination of discomfort at having our customary categories challenged, and growing up in a society that encouraged that particular flavour of bigotry (I'm a product of the 60s and 70s). Of course, I got over it, and without too much struggle, either.

It takes a particular kind of arrogance to interpret one's individual hangups as a Law Of The Universe.

Diogenes said...

Uh, what's his Ph.D. in, I wonder?