We haven’t covered University of Toronto psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson much, but he’s straddling that electrified third rail much like Charles Murray. When The Los Angeles Times did a reasonably unbiased piece on Peterson, it triggered poor Joss Whedon into calling the paper an “incel-courting fishwrapper” (incel being short for “involuntary celibate”).
Hate on Jordan Peterson all you want. But know that he's tapping into a frustration that feminists shouldn't ignore https://t.co/BUjWdErO3V (via @latimesopinion) pic.twitter.com/UeTdryJri0
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 2, 2018
In short, The Los Angeles Times put it this way: “… one of Peterson’s central themes is that men in the modern Western world are in crisis” and “Peterson sees a feminist assault on masculinity as a major culprit.”
So Peterson was not impressed when HuffPost decided to celebrate the end of Pride Month with a piece on a 10-year-old drag queen:
As Pride month comes to a close, Desmond Is Amazing, the ten-year-old drag kid from New York, is proof that the future is queer. ? pic.twitter.com/6rLhs9qlIz
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) June 29, 2018
I love drag queens, but this is not right.
If this were a little girl, @HuffPost would be calling it sexist & the fault of the patriarchy https://t.co/YKfWe7gfyr
— Dr. Debra Soh (@DrDebraSoh) July 1, 2018
If you don't see that this child is being exploited then ideology has possessed you to the core https://t.co/an7YtXmTIC
— Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) July 1, 2018
Of all people, Boy George of ’80s phenomenon The Culture Club chimed in with an opposing view:
What's not right about it. Kids have their own unique spirit. If he was playing with sports cars no issue. How amazing to discover aspects of your peacock nature so young! https://t.co/msZcryRSuI
— Boy George (@BoyGeorge) July 2, 2018
In what moral universe is it acceptable to encourage a 10 yr old boy to dress like an adult male mimicking a sexualized adult female, use that as a ticket to fame and then claim it as virtue? https://t.co/vmEoG9hXjt
— Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) July 2, 2018
So, which is it? Child exploitation or simply allowing a child to choose its own means of expression? The jury is split:
This makes me sick. https://t.co/x1feS62fL5
— bottom text (@TheFoolishOne97) July 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/JWOLF55068706/status/1013712028802748417
Still can’t get over it, this is not progress, this is madness https://t.co/aPvgXxbDsj
— Prime (@AranPourawal) July 1, 2018
This is child abuse to the max. The "parents" should be arrested. https://t.co/f8wGCg3QH2
— SaddleHouseSF (@SaddleHouseSF) July 2, 2018
Heartbreaking. Child abuse, plain and simple. https://t.co/4VypGFOZxS
— ChnGirl (@chngirl8606) July 2, 2018
The kids said he decided to do “drag” when he was two! LMFAO. This is child abuse in the sickest sense. Kid should be taken from his parents immediately. https://t.co/anEvm67zsj
— Martone (@DJMartone_obv) July 2, 2018
He certainly was young when he discovered his peacock nature. We mean, really young.
He keeps saying he’s being himself but he’s anything but. I’m literally sick to my stomach. https://t.co/xTG1c1XSLC
— Kevin Hamill (@Kevin_Hamill) July 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/Nilm2342/status/1013548025233305600
Or maybe this is all just child’s play?
This kid seems like they’re making a decision to dress and behave that way of their own accord. Are you opposed to this method of self-expression, or is there something I’m missing? https://t.co/Hctond8FII
— Icon, AKA “Big Dumb Idiot” (@Icon_Comics) July 2, 2018
Why so polar Jordan? Wouldn’t you agree the grey matter in life tastes a little sweeter? https://t.co/CqNZXSfK3P
— Austin Doty (@Austindoty) July 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/JohnQPublic30/status/1013678090537578496
It certainly doesn’t seem like exploitation to outlets like ELLE, that proudly featured an 8-year-old drag queen in a video segment — probably because they couldn’t find one younger.
Related:
Kids learn their drag queen names and more at library’s fabulous Over the Rainbow pride event https://t.co/Xz00q94Ygh
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 12, 2017
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