Opinion/Life
By Sherian Berteau, 3-10-23
As a woman and mother of four adult children, I’m shocked that I even have to address something that is so clearly a common sense, widely accepted, and a provable fact is both disturbing and hilarious. The “Progressives” have so weaponized and propagandized the whole “ definition of a woman” issue, I feel it must be challenged. So, here goes.
When Jill Biden, the First Lady, on International Women’s Day, no less, gives an award that clearly should be intended for ACTUAL WOMEN heroines, to a biological Argentinian male (now a “transgendered woman”)- we should all be very alarmed. Talk about cultural appropriation! So the message is – men are even better at being women than actual women? What kind of message does that send? I’m not a rancher or a farmer, but I know bull——when I see it!
When a committee decides that a biological male posing as a woman now, can compete against female swimmers and weightlifters, effectively eliminating biological women, who have trained for years from achieving their goals and proper recognition, we all should be outraged. When people can change their genders and pronouns because they have decided “that’s how they feel”. When a Supreme Court Justice says “she cannot define a woman because she is not a biologist”-welcome to BIZZARRO WORLD! This is demeaning and insulting to all of us biological women, and it will not stand. Everyone knows that biological men are inherently stronger and have more muscle mass than women, that’s a fact-so this is absolutely not the equality in sports that we have fought so hard for.
Let me be clear: I am not a biologist either, but I have no problem defining what a woman is because I am not ignorant and I HAVE LIVED MY WHOLE LIFE AS A BIOLOGICAL WOMAN! My definition, which by the way, has been a universally accepted conclusion, oh, only since time began, is this:
Woman/Women are humans that are born biological women as named by God and by God’s perfect design. We have female hormones and attributes, i.e. breasts that are designed to produce milk and feed babies, ovaries that can produce eggs that will become babies, and wombs that, ideally, can carry a child to a term of 9 months to produce a healthy human infant in order to procreate. God endowed us with female hormones, that shape our bodies, personalities, emotions, nurturing instincts as mothers, and female sensibilities that distinctly set us apart from biological males. Viva La difference! Oh, and possibly a gene that allows women to more successfully multitask! (That’s a little humor for you…..)
Where in the world are all the Feminists of the 1970’s who fought so hard to get Title IX passed, which allowed women’s sports and female athletes to have their own categories, scholarships, and ability to succeed and become professional athletes?? My generation is the one that championed and succeeded in getting Title IX passed! This is just common sense, folks-not bias. Do any other women besides me, feel that the Left, for some unknown reason are actually trying to diminish and erase biological women? Or force us to pretend there is no difference between men and women? As for myself, I refuse to comply with their demands that we go along with the insulting, ridiculous premise that “transgendered” people are our new reality. That “men” can get pregnant or magically become women. God does not make mistakes. Period. It is out of our own human narcissism, and faulty temporary mental states, (by the way, interestingly, until a few years ago, “gender dysphoria” was treated as a serious psychological disorder and treated as such). But now it seems to be, disturbingly, encouraged by the Left and pushed as normal, and not an anomaly within a very small percentage of our population.
As long as you are a minor, and I’m not talking age 18- the issue of gender transforming surgery should be required to be postponed until at least age 25, and only after much therapy and consults from medical professionals. After that, as adults, they are free to make any decisions they like as it pertains to their own bodies. I believe in our own absolute autonomy as adults, unlike the current vax-mandating, job killing, economy destroying, Biden Administration. Any doctor that disagrees with minors being prohibited from gender surgery should be questioned and scrutinized. What happened to the doctors oath of “ first, do no harm.” Our brains, especially decision making, have been proven to not be fully formed until our mid twenties. As the mother of former teenagers, (and at one time being one myself,) I can definitely testify for that! So for an issue that will be as completely life-changing as gender surgery, this should be a huge consideration for our own protection. The idea that anyone thinks parents do not have a right to have a say in their minor children’s life altering decisions is absolute lunacy! I have to wonder what the real agenda is behind pushing these damaging ideas to our children by the Lefts culture war and some public school teachers- it’s just plain sick and disturbing. Please, allow our children to have a true happy, innocent childhood without pushing these adult issues such as queer theory, transgenderism, and drag queen story hours! Or insisting on sexual, pornographic, totally age-inappropriate books for our young school children! They have enough to deal with in this troubled world and are not capable of relating to or understanding theses adult sexual issues. Nor should they be forced to!
In conclusion, my siren call to all women is to push back, stand strong, and refuse to go along with this attack on women by forcing us to accept and rename what is a woman. They can try to change our language, but they cannot change the facts of life, biology, or our basic human rights, which are endowed to us by God- not the government! Know that the only authority any government has really comes from God alone- one that has been God-given to all humans-It’s called the Holy Spirit- our divine connection. It’s not a coincidence that the Left believes they have the final authority, because they seem to consistently deny God’s Authority and Commandments. Normal humans have a conscience, and a soul, which should be a moral compass for right and wrong, not political ideology. Have these also been surgically removed from the so-called “Progressives” (a word which is a serious oxymoron), as well? All indications point to YES!
Sherian Wilsher-Berteau is a 3rd generation native Floridian, who grew up in Fernandina Beach. Mother of 4, Gigi to 5-Former multiple business owner, now retired & enjoying pursuing my passions-writing, cooking, & travel!
The views expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Citizens Journal Florida.
