Much Ado About House Bill 2

[That one dude...]

I just saw a Facebook post by violinist Itzhak Perlman saying he cancelled a scheduled performance with the North Carolina Symphony because of the discriminatory law recently passed. Here is an excerpt of said post:

"...I have spent a lifetime advocating against discrimination towards those with physical disabilities and have been a vocal advocate for treating all people equally. As such, after great consideration, I have decided to cancel my May 18th concert in North Carolina with the North Carolina Symphony as a stand against House Bill 2."

This raised some questions for me.
1. Was he right in saying "those with physical disabilities"? I think transgenderism is more of a disorder. Something is certainly amiss if one is born with the wrong gender, but not in the same vein as paralysis, for instance.

2. Is the disability/disorder a physical one, or a mental one? Forgive me if this has already been addressed elsewhere, but if a person is completely functional physically as one gender and it feels wrong for them, is that more of a physical or mental issue?

3. Is this a nice gesture, or a blunder? His heart is in the right place, I think, because he is for equality and disagrees with the new law on principle. However, this concert was scheduled in advance and many people have already paid to see him perform. Now he cancels the day before, which is a letdown for both the audience and his fellow musicians in the symphony.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

To me, it sounds like he's being lazy. But, then again, I come from the world of metal, and we don't back down, we bark out "**** that ****" and raise middle-finger salutes (we also tend to be much more political than other genres). He's also failing on his obligation, and letting those in the orchestra down. They didn't pass the bill, and unless they took an official stance he shouldn't cancel his appearance because of what the state did.
And, yes, it is rather odd that he brought up physical disabilities, as it's not really a physical disability (not in the normal since anyways, even though it does revolve around the physical aspects of the body). I don't know what he was thinking, so I can't really judge on that part, other than he definitely should not have cancelled.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Perlman suffered from polio as a kid, is disabled from it and does disability rights advocacy so he wasn't even referring to trans people with that. Google is your friend. He's only one of the greatest violinists alive.

As for him not playing North Carolina, that's a personal choice and I don't judge either way. It's going to be thrown out by the courts, anyway.

 

[That one dude...]

To me, it sounds like he's being lazy. But, then again, I come from the world of metal, and we don't back down, we bark out "**** that ****" and raise middle-finger salutes (we also tend to be much more political than other genres). He's also failing on his obligation, and letting those in the orchestra down. They didn't pass the bill, and unless they took an official stance he shouldn't cancel his appearance because of what the state did.
And, yes, it is rather odd that he brought up physical disabilities, as it's not really a physical disability (not in the normal since anyways, even though it does revolve around the physical aspects of the body). I don't know what he was thinking, so I can't really judge on that part, other than he definitely should not have cancelled.

True, backing out is SO not metal. He did state the reason behind his actions was this North Carolina law, though, so it seems to be his own way of giving the middle finger and protesting it. I also left out the part where he said he'd return to North Carolina once the law is repealed. It seemed redundant to me.

 

[That one dude...]

Perlman suffered from polio as a kid, is disabled from it and does disability rights advocacy so he wasn't even referring to trans people with that. Google is your friend. He's only one of the greatest violinists alive.

As for him not playing North Carolina, that's a personal choice and I don't judge either way. It's going to be thrown out by the courts, anyway.

Ah, thank you! I wasn't aware of that. He mentioned "discrimination against those with physical disabilities" in one sentence and House Bill 2 in the next, so it seemed liked he conflated the two. I guess I misunderstood.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Ah, thank you! I wasn't aware of that. He mentioned "discrimination against those with physical disabilities" in one sentence and House Bill 2 in the next, so it seemed liked he conflated the two. I guess I misunderstood.

I would guess he was probably speaking from his own perspective and stating his reasons based on that. Or, at least I hoped I explained that well enough. It's something I tend to do where I'm only considering my own perspective when I talk, and it can lead to some puzzling statements if you don't know what exactly I'm talking about.

 

[BSM1]

Might be interesting to see what other venues Mr. P has boycotted in countries with even poorer human rights policies.

 

[Brian Schuh]

I just saw a Facebook post by violinist Itzhak Perlman saying he cancelled a scheduled performance with the North Carolina Symphony because of the discriminatory law recently passed. Here is an excerpt of said post:

"...I have spent a lifetime advocating against discrimination towards those with physical disabilities and have been a vocal advocate for treating all people equally. As such, after great consideration, I have decided to cancel my May 18th concert in North Carolina with the North Carolina Symphony as a stand against House Bill 2."

This raised some questions for me.
1. Was he right in saying "those with physical disabilities"? I think transgenderism is more of a disorder. Something is certainly amiss if one is born with the wrong gender, but not in the same vein as paralysis, for instance.

2. Is the disability/disorder a physical one, or a mental one? Forgive me if this has already been addressed elsewhere, but if a person is completely functional physically as one gender and it feels wrong for them, is that more of a physical or mental issue?

3. Is this a nice gesture, or a blunder? His heart is in the right place, I think, because he is for equality and disagrees with the new law on principle. However, this concert was scheduled in advance and many people have already paid to see him perform. Now he cancels the day before, which is a letdown for both the audience and his fellow musicians in the symphony.

2. Gender confusion starts as a psychiatric disorder according to the DSM Diagnostic Statistical Manual of psychiatry. I don't believe in the DSM nor do I believe in the APA, American Psychiatric Association.

At one time in past, SRS sexual reassignment surgery, was disabling and 9 times out if 10 it led to death from medical complications within a year. Now doctors brag that it is safe and brag that they can "create" female genitalia for a male that could fool a gynecologist. Nevertheless I don't pick fault with one who considers this condition a disability, if for no other reason than a "transgender" is treated like a leper in society.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

At one time in past, SRS sexual reassignment surgery, was disabling and 9 times out if 10 it led to death from medical complications within a year.

That has never been the case. One of the first patients to undergo SRS did die, but that is because she was also volunteered for experimental procedures, such as an ovary transplant which failed when her body rejected them.

Now doctors brag that it is safe and brag that they can "create" female genitalia for a male that could fool a gynecologist.

Actually, lots of guys having sex with post-op trans-women can't tell a difference.