Why “both sides” is the wrong frame for human rights
When the question is whether a group of people deserves dignity, there is no neutral middle to stand in.
We’re often told that fairness means presenting “both sides”. But some questions don’t have two legitimate sides. Whether trans people deserve to exist safely in public life is not one of them.
Manufactured controversy
A great deal of the “debate” around trans lives is manufactured — a small number of loud voices amplified far beyond their number, dressed up as a balanced conversation. Real balance would centre the people most affected.
When we let our rights be framed as an open question, we hand ground to those who would rather we disappear. Dignity is not a talking point.
A better question
Instead of “should trans people have rights”, ask: what do we all need to live full lives — safe healthcare, secure housing, to be believed when we speak? Those needs are shared. That’s the conversation worth having.