Helen & Lorenzo talk to author of surprise bestseller ‘Gay Shame: the Rise of Gender Ideology & the New Homophobia’

Gareth Roberts joins the chat; fireworks ensue

Below the fold, paid subscribers will find the three of us talking about Gareth’s new book (which I reviewed here) and how some of his arguments relate to Lorenzo’s in his two most recent essays.

Briefly, the response to the Cass Review from what Gareth calls “genderist” true believers represents a conflict between the traditional idea of expertise (Hilary Cass) and the modern sort of spurious expertise (various genderists). The latter group, among other things, has waved around a bunch of papers that don’t replicate—or worse—in an attempt to prove Hilary Cass wrong (or, failing that, a great big meanie).

How and why this took hold among the modern gay rights movement illustrates propagation, via the universities, of a form of higher superstition. Gareth and Helen—both GenXers—encountered this (lots of it, sadly) in the early 1990s. Lorenzo (a decade older, so one of the dreaded Boomers) did not encounter this phenomenon at all, despite his alma mater (University of Sydney) being famously fractious and divided over both political ideology and approaches to scholarship.

Although I normally make discounted subscription offers with our Chatham House chats, I’ve also decided to make an offer to go with this podcast. Go here if you’d like 20 per cent off an annual subscription. We plan to keep releasing periodic pre-recorded podcasts like this. We’re aware that North American paid subscribers are missing out due to Lorenzo’s Australian timezone, and this is one way to make it up.

The discount expires this Sunday May 26th.

One of my Aurora Borealis pics, taken Friday May 10th (from my bedroom window)