I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Conservatives should not give up on the war for language. The way that we talk about politically charged topics is a vital part of winning the hearts and minds of the American public at large. Nowhere is this need more apparent than in the battle over pronoun usage for people in transgender culture. You don’t have to be reading liberal Twitter feeds or even mainstream media to see articles where men are referred to by the pronouns “she” and “her.” Even well-known supposedly conservative news websites that fall far outside the mainstream have capitulated in the name of not being demonetized by Big Tech.
If even these outlets are willing to compromise, it should be no surprise that the quasi-conservative Fox News has completely gotten on board with the trans pronoun bandwagon. Even when doing segments supposedly critical of trans ideology, many Fox hosts will still use preferred pronouns rather than pronouns based in reality. With every line these commentators deliver, they undermine their own arguments. The lack of sincerity could not be more apparent, and that is detrimental to those of us that actually believe transgender culture is harmful to our society and our children.
To be an effective conservative communicator, you must master the art of speaking truth with confidence, candor, conviction, and a smile. Phyllis Schlafly was a pioneer at this. She was not afraid to call out radical feminists for their nonsense, but she never got angry about it. She was the ultimate happy warrior, fighting for truth with a rapier-sharp wit and an undying devotion to reality.
Using truthful language is not only the best path to political victory, but it is also the most compassionate thing to do for people who have fallen into the trap of transgenderism. To be unclear is to be unkind, and going along with the charade of preferred pronouns does a disservice to everyone involved. From commentators and pundits to grassroots activists, the conservative movement needs to get better about embracing reality in the language we use by rejecting the nonsense of preferred pronouns.
This post originally appeared at https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/family/lgbt/embrace-truth-reject-preferred-pronouns/