As befits a “news” organization with an unrepentant homophobe as managing editor, CNSNews.com gives a lot of space to people with anti-LGBT views. One of them is Ryan T. Anderson of the Heritage Foundation.
Anderson is an anti-gay activist who tends to rely on shoddy research and dishonest attacks to back up his work, and he get lots of right-wing press because he presents himself as reasonable, though he really isn’t.
Last July, CNS gave Anderson space to rant that, as summarized in the headline, “Biology Isn’t Bigotry: 5 Reasons Why Trans Accommodations Aren’t Compatible with Military Realities.” Anderson also promoted “my forthcoming book ‘When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment.'”
When that book came out earlier this year, CNS gave Anderson a lot more space. A Jan. 22 column touted the work of anti-trans doctor Paul McHugh, despite the fact that his work has been widely discredited. (Of course, that hasn’t exactly stopped that homophobic managing editor, Michael W. Chapman, from promoting McHugh either.)
Anderson’s Feb. 1 CNS column perfectly illustrates the faux-reasonable attitude he purports to bring to the trans debate:
Properly understanding sex, gender, gender identity, and gender dysphoria will continue to be pressing concerns in 2018.
A proper understanding is a prerequisite for properly forming people in the truth and properly ministering to people in need.
As new gender ideologies are promoted throughout America, their lies will impact not only those who suffer from gender dysphoria, but all children who need to mature in their self-understanding as a boy or girl, man or woman, a potential husband or wife, father or mother.
Anderson then claims that “My book provides a nuanced view of our sexed embodiment, a balanced approach to policy issues involving transgender identity and gender more broadly, and a sober and honest survey of the human costs of getting human nature wrong.” Given that he’s already dismissed anyone who disagrees with his viewpoint as liars, we doubt there’s much actual nuance involved.
Indeed, his Feb. 9 column huffed that “at the heart of the transgender moment are radical ideas about the human person,” adding: “A transgender future is not the ‘right side of history,’ yet activists have convinced the most powerful sectors of our society to acquiesce to their demands. While the claims they make are manifestly false, it will take real work to prevent the spread of these harmful ideas.”
Anderson’s Feb. 19 column huffed that “Parents in Ohio lost custody of their 17-year-old daughter Friday because a judge ruled that she should be allowed to receive therapy, including testosterone therapy, to identify as a boy” — he declined to comment specifically on the case, meaning he didn’t have to discuss the fact that the parents’ attitude toward their child was inducing suicidal feelings — then used that story to go on another anti-transgender rant.
Finally, Anderson’s March 9 column denounced sex reassignment surgery, citing McHugh once again and engaging in more faux reasonableness: “Thoughts that disguise or distort reality are misguided—and can cause harm. In ‘When Harry Became Sally,’ I argue that we need to do a better job of helping people who face these struggles.
Anderson’s anti-trans campaign has also gotten the endorsement of the folks who run CNS’ parent, the Media Research Center. Tim Graham and Brent Bozell’s Feb. 9 column touted Anderson’s book for making the right enemies in their eyes: “Anderson’s book is dismissed as ‘hate speech,’ and let’s not kid ourselves: The LGBT folks would like to ban a book like this, especially when he discusses that which they wish were silenced.
Graham and Bozell even used the book as an excuse to ignore President Trump’s history of immorality: “That’s a strong reason for the churchgoing conservatives to look past Trump’s ‘Access Hollywood’ braggadocio and affairs from before he became a politician and vote against the extremism — the evil extremism — that Hillary Clinton endorsed.”
Talk about demonizing people you oppose. No wonder CNS and the MRC love Anderson and his book.