Instagram/@megynkelly
Megyn Kelly has taken a firm stand on transgender issues, declaring that the truth is immediately coming out after so many years of mass deception. In an excerpt from her podcast, Kelly described her evolving views, stating that, in the beginning, few people spoke up for fear of getting bullied, while in reality, things have been “very, very different” from what we have seen.
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Kelly was unfiltered: “People were lying, much like Malcolm Gladwell, and just recently he came out and said that he knew it was bullshit and he lied.” She placed herself among many who at first tried to take a less threatening approach: “I think most of us are on the field where I was in the initial days of these things, which was I don’t want to be a bully. And I saw trans people as an extension of LGBT. And it was like, okay, you know, this is something they’re grappling with, a legit issue. We shouldn’t bully them.”
After this, her tone changed very erratically. “And it just turned out to be something very, very different than that. And I think immediately we’re seeing what’s real.” Then she gave a little nudge to the folks still in silence: “And if you don’t have the courage immediately, I have no time for you. I mean, if you don’t speak up immediately, there’s something wrong with you.”
The post sparked hundreds of reactions, an indication of the divided audience swiftly echoing Kelly’s sentiments and others pushing back against what was perceived as harmful rhetoric.
One commenter stood behind Kelly’s change of opinion: “Yes, we don’t want to be bullies but we need to start speaking up. Love your show Megan!” Many others echoed the sentiment that Kelly was bringing up a very valid point.
Another user attempted to place the course of events into a persisting context: “In 1993 Dr James Dobson predicted this on his radio show. Being accepted & not persecuted is not enough. They demand to be embraced & celebrated whether society likes it or not.” This sparked a sub-thread regarding actual examples of this dynamic occurring.
The user-addition-of-personal-serif: “an I know somebody.” I have been bullied by them. At work. I have also seen them melting down. Not pretty.” The firsthand experience brought a human angle to the otherwise very abstract political discussion.
Others proceeded to voice the frustration of a further grouping, that is, those who are opposed but should have acted earlier. “I like you Megan but we should have all been against this issue from the beginning. I was never supportive of it, saying you can change genders is obviously a complete lie!” This sparked a rather thoughtful reply about how views have changed as the movement has invaded the lives of children.
Then things got philosophical when one observed “Nobody should be bullied. It’s counterproductive to sustainable change But yes, things have been exposed and are out of control. We all need to keep the dialogue going on both sides to get to a place where we can all be happy, safe and most importantly children can be children and discover who they are without making a decision that could negatively affect them for the rest of their lives.”
Some voices did disagree with Kelly’s. One poured oil on the flame of the controversy at its climax when she said, “So much Bullying and Bigotry you perpetrate – it’s no wonder trans people live in fear!” These were higher criticisms of the tension between free speech and the protection of an already vulnerable community.
Perhaps the most nuanced view came from one who self-identified as transgender: “Just never throw us true transsexual folk who did transition, didn’t want to create waves, didn’t make our lives all about being trans and didn’t demand acceptance from others… please don’t include us with that insanity.” This comment drew attention to the fact that there are divisions within the transgender community and that some are frustrated that they are lumped together with more loud activist groups.
Kelly is indicative of an increasingly common phenomenon of earlier leaders abandoning prior views about transgender rights as the movement pushes on to schools, sports, and public policy. Her statement, “immediately we’re seeing what’s real,” suggests that what was cautiously accepted much of the early 2010s has immediately been superseded by a very much more virulent posture that strikes at the very core of the idea of transgender identity.
The heated reaction to Kelly’s statements is a testimony to how polarized that subject has become in American culture, with hardly any room in the middle between those seeing transgender rights as a civil rights issue and those seeing it as a child-endangering ideology or one that endangers women’s rights. With the upcoming strong waves of discussions being held in the media, schools, and legislatures, one expects voices like Kelly’s to play a role in shaping the public perception and ongoing policymaking relating to gender identity, as well.
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Additionally, Kelly has been known to make comments that spark debates, such as when she teased her interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene, which added fuel to the fire surrounding US foreign policy discussions. Another notable moment was when she threw shade at Meghan Markle while praising Gwyneth Paltrow, showcasing her bluntness and controversial stance in celebrity culture.
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