It happens vanishingly rarely bc fuck those people, but sometimes I am able to rise above my visceral revulsion for these weirdos and actually feel sorry for them. This is one of those times. Like Evan, I've been watching a ton of the Olympics, but especially the swimming, diving and gymnastics, and the utter JOY it is bringing me, the awe, the admiration, the edge-of-my-seat-breath-holding WONDER of it all is so much damn fun. And them? All they feel is anger, meanness, contempt. I suppose those emotions could- bc they are so very twisted- bring them joy, but I actually doubt it. What miserable little lives they lead.
Oh my GOD I'm going to get back to the rest of the post but I had to come down here to say my piece about this trans shit because you guys. Possible medical TMI incoming but nothing too traumatizing.
Okay, so I (and a lot of women who were actually dactually AFAB and everything not that it is anyone's business) have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome. It is really pretty common. And a thing about PCOS that is super shitty is that it can cause you to overproduce testosterone. So even if you don't get the (screechingly painful) ovarian cysts, you might still get some really fantastic side effects like weird body hair in places you would prefer it not be and super irregular wack periods and nuclear-grade acne. Things that, when you are a teenager, really make you even more self conscious than you already would be and want to change in another time zone from your peers. Things that ignoramuses might point at and say "secret trans?" and might even make you get a blood test and then find too much testosterone in your system and say "SECRET TRANS."
Now, I am So Old and also was a band nerd in school so nobody ever put me through that personally, but I have no doubt it happens now, and it is disgusting. These people are terrible. They don't in fact care about girls or women at all other than how we might be better controlled by them. Launch them all into the sun.
PS Trans women are women and trans rights are human rights in case that wasn't clear. A person shouldn't have to be potentially misgendered by idiots to support this but it certainly does put it front and center in your mind.
I wish I hadn't read the bilge from Rowling. I loved the (original) Harry Potter books, and am greatly disappointed that she is such a....not even sure what. I guess I'll just have to put her in the same category as some other Sf/F writers, and ignore everything about her, except the books I've already read and enjoyed.
The first episode had me crying - an old, white, crabby ghoul of a lady. It was about DSD and women with it having to make the choice to have surgery or take medication to meet the requirements of some of the sports governing bodies. In it, they introduce Christine Mboma - a female hero in her own country - and how she was basically forced to take medication that lowers her testosterone level. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1216507596/tested-the-choice
Then later I saw all the disgusting b.s. about the boxing lady and it pissed me off so much I couldn't even explain why I was mad to my husband and daughter. I'll try again tonight (they've both already commented on all the ridiculous crap whining about the opening ceremonies - which we all loved).
The closest equivalent of “go fuck yourself” is probably va chier. Which funnily enough means something entirely different. “Go poop!” I betcha Google translate doesn’t know this offhand.
I asked Reddit, that's what the thread I found said.
Now would va chier be more of a Québécois way of saying? Or is there an even better phrase I should add to the lexicon for when I (I am only half-kidding) start another bonus Substack about languages?
You and Reddit are correct. I used that term frequently while spending a semester in France way back when. Never heard "va chier" and I had some pretty good tutors for swearing in that lovely language. The literal translation is "Go have yourself fucked."
Great piece, as usual. You know, I wonder if the dysregulated people who are crazy-enraged about "men" hitting women in boxing are in fact horrified at their *own* unconscious violent impulses toward women, which they have projected onto what they (think they) are seeing.
It happens vanishingly rarely bc fuck those people, but sometimes I am able to rise above my visceral revulsion for these weirdos and actually feel sorry for them. This is one of those times. Like Evan, I've been watching a ton of the Olympics, but especially the swimming, diving and gymnastics, and the utter JOY it is bringing me, the awe, the admiration, the edge-of-my-seat-breath-holding WONDER of it all is so much damn fun. And them? All they feel is anger, meanness, contempt. I suppose those emotions could- bc they are so very twisted- bring them joy, but I actually doubt it. What miserable little lives they lead.
This is another form of inter-generational abuse. Let's hope someone, somewhere can break free of the cycle and learn for themselves.
Oh my GOD I'm going to get back to the rest of the post but I had to come down here to say my piece about this trans shit because you guys. Possible medical TMI incoming but nothing too traumatizing.
Okay, so I (and a lot of women who were actually dactually AFAB and everything not that it is anyone's business) have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome. It is really pretty common. And a thing about PCOS that is super shitty is that it can cause you to overproduce testosterone. So even if you don't get the (screechingly painful) ovarian cysts, you might still get some really fantastic side effects like weird body hair in places you would prefer it not be and super irregular wack periods and nuclear-grade acne. Things that, when you are a teenager, really make you even more self conscious than you already would be and want to change in another time zone from your peers. Things that ignoramuses might point at and say "secret trans?" and might even make you get a blood test and then find too much testosterone in your system and say "SECRET TRANS."
Now, I am So Old and also was a band nerd in school so nobody ever put me through that personally, but I have no doubt it happens now, and it is disgusting. These people are terrible. They don't in fact care about girls or women at all other than how we might be better controlled by them. Launch them all into the sun.
PS Trans women are women and trans rights are human rights in case that wasn't clear. A person shouldn't have to be potentially misgendered by idiots to support this but it certainly does put it front and center in your mind.
I love Ledecky's response.
I wish I hadn't read the bilge from Rowling. I loved the (original) Harry Potter books, and am greatly disappointed that she is such a....not even sure what. I guess I'll just have to put her in the same category as some other Sf/F writers, and ignore everything about her, except the books I've already read and enjoyed.
We often have to separate the creation from the creator. That doesn't make the creation any less valuable.
I put her in the same category as Scott Adams. Once they lit up my life. Then they went insane and have wandered away from the fields I know.
I'm old and slow but listened to the first episode of an excellent podcast series on NPR - Tested (from NPR and CBC). https://www.npr.org/2024/06/10/1253921751/introducing-tested-from-npr-and-cbc
The first episode had me crying - an old, white, crabby ghoul of a lady. It was about DSD and women with it having to make the choice to have surgery or take medication to meet the requirements of some of the sports governing bodies. In it, they introduce Christine Mboma - a female hero in her own country - and how she was basically forced to take medication that lowers her testosterone level. https://www.npr.org/2026/01/01/1216507596/tested-the-choice
Then later I saw all the disgusting b.s. about the boxing lady and it pissed me off so much I couldn't even explain why I was mad to my husband and daughter. I'll try again tonight (they've both already commented on all the ridiculous crap whining about the opening ceremonies - which we all loved).
OMG Gaines with those soulless, vacant eyes! Makes Michele Bachmann look normal!
The closest equivalent of “go fuck yourself” is probably va chier. Which funnily enough means something entirely different. “Go poop!” I betcha Google translate doesn’t know this offhand.
I asked Reddit, that's what the thread I found said.
Now would va chier be more of a Québécois way of saying? Or is there an even better phrase I should add to the lexicon for when I (I am only half-kidding) start another bonus Substack about languages?
You and Reddit are correct. I used that term frequently while spending a semester in France way back when. Never heard "va chier" and I had some pretty good tutors for swearing in that lovely language. The literal translation is "Go have yourself fucked."
Perhaps "ve chier" is a French-Canadian thing
Nope. His term is the closest equivalent. It's a reflexive verb in this instance
FFS these people...
I can only speak for the québécois. Although I remember reading somewhere about Chris Cornell learning the term touring France. Apparently loved it.
Great piece, as usual. You know, I wonder if the dysregulated people who are crazy-enraged about "men" hitting women in boxing are in fact horrified at their *own* unconscious violent impulses toward women, which they have projected onto what they (think they) are seeing.
I've been to The Last Supper. I just can't remember which one...