Mick Hartley

The analogy of trans rights to gay rights does not work.

Recognizing gay rights did not involve taking away anyone's rights. Yes, there were people who were offended by the acceptance of homosexuality, but in a liberal pluralistic society, there is no right not to be offended as…

— Prof. Gary Francione (@garylfrancione) June 15, 2025

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Recognizing gay rights did not involve taking away anyone's rights. Yes, there were people who were offended by the acceptance of homosexuality, but in a liberal pluralistic society, there is no right not to be offended as long as one is not actually harmed in some way beyond being offended.

To the extent that trans rights go beyond the right not to suffer discrimination in the distribution of social goods (housing, education, employment, etc.) and recognize, for example, the right of trans-identified males to access women's private spaces or play on women’s sports teams, or require that people speak as if they accept, for example, that trans-identified males are women, then rights are being taken away from women (the right to exist as a sex class, the right to private spaces/sports) and, as a general matter, from all of us because we lose our right of free speech, which includes the right not to be compelled to speak.

That old "trans rights are human rights" slogan seen at every demo – when no one would actually spell out what human rights trans people are supposed to be lacking…they want you to understand that trans people are somehow being denied basic rights, suffering "discrimination in the distribution of social goods (housing, education, employment, etc.)", when in fact what they want is for trans people – trans-identified males – "to access women's private spaces or play on women’s sports teams, or require that people speak as if they accept, for example, that trans-identified males are women". That's why they never spell it out. It sounds good, but it's a con.