When sitting down to pen this post, it originally began like this\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Executive Orders continue to be each incoming president\u2019s initial wave of action. In the 11 days of their January tenure, the Biden administration announced 25 executive orders, 10 presidential memos, and 4 proclamations, compared to 20 each for presidents Trump and Obama, 5 for G. W. Bush and 11 for Clinton. Let\u2019s discuss one order last week that diplomatically stated, stood out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n By the authority vested in him as President, Pres. Biden issued an order entitled the \u201cExecutive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.\u201d Sentence #1 stated that \u201cEvery person should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love.\u201d That\u2019s not the standing out part; that is sentence #2: \u201cChildren should be able to learn without worrying about whether they will be denied access to the restroom, the locker room, or school sports.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While the order doesn\u2019t explicitly address the scenario, the consequential question is the impact this has on the transgender athlete debate. Said issue gained prominence two years ago when tennis great Martina Navratilova issued a bold opinion in the UK\u2019s \u201cThe Sunday Times.\u201d How are we to handle the person who was biologically born male but identifies more with the female gender as an adult \u2014 and wishes to compete on the court now with women? We strive to honor all people, so how do we honor <\/em>all <\/em><\/strong>if we are fair to the transgender women but <\/em>unfair<\/em><\/strong> to the other competing women? There are factual, biological differences. Navratilova then called it \u201ccheating.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As with all issues which are challenging in comprehending the many no doubt nuanced angles, let\u2019s begin by asking questions. Let\u2019s ask questions of what we don\u2019t understand. Let us also be sure to honor those who agree and who do not \u2014 those who are passionate and those who are not. And let no one most affected by our opinions have reason to be offended by our actual words. Disagreement and offense are not synonymous.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s where my originally intended blog idea stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I realized that more than any even diplomatically stated issue, those last two sentences may be what challenges us the most: let no one most affected by our opinions have reason to be offended by our actual words. Disagreement and offense are not synonymous. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How we state what we believe is separate than what we actually believe. However, in ever increasing, cancel-culture-abetting circles, how we state what we believe seems to matter less than the actual holding of the opinion. In other words\u2026 Wow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Note what just happened there\u2026 And unity?! Why in the world would I even consider finding unity with someone who is so offensive?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And just like that we once more fall prey to what\u2019s lesser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Less noble. Less good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of that, we make increasingly less progress on meaningful issues. We have trouble discussing far more than whether it\u2019s fair and honoring to all people<\/em> for transgender women to compete in women\u2019s sports. We have trouble even starting the conversation \u2014 or even a blog post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n May we be wise enough, therefore, to discern the difference between disagreement and offense. And may we respect others enough to let no one most affected by our opinions have reason to be offended by our actual words. Let\u2019s state how we feel what we feel in non-antagonistic, honoring ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Such is noble. Such is good. Such leads to better conversation, sharpening, and maybe, just maybe, solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Respectfully\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When sitting down to pen this post, it originally began like this\u2026 Executive Orders continue to be each incoming president\u2019s initial wave of action. In the 11 days of their January tenure, the Biden administration announced 25 executive orders, 10 presidential memos, and 4 proclamations, compared to 20 each for presidents Trump and Obama, 5 … <\/p>\n
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\nYour mere holding of that opinion is offensive to me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\nIf I fall prey to the lure that the simple holding of an opinion is offensive, then I no longer need to engage with you. I don\u2019t need to listen to you. I don\u2019t have to entertain any other nuanced angle. I don\u2019t have to even admit that those angles exist. And don\u2019t get me started about any semblance of respect. No, not when you\u2019re so offensive\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n