In the exact way that every other country does it - using practical regulations to determine people's competence to handle firearms. It's not a "all or nothing" proposition. We can have tighter regulations that weed out crazy people without preventing upstanding responsible citizens from owning guns. Most people have…

But what is it supposed to mean, though? I'm familiar with the book, I understand the character, and this reference still makes no sense whatsoever.

"The Color Purple" isn't an actual answer to the question. When I heard the reference, I immediately thought of the Alice Walker book - but I've actually read the damn thing, know exactly who the character Harpo is, and the reference *still* doesn't make a damned bit of sense at all.

Do you think they boys have such extensive guidelines about what they wear? I'm betting NOPE.

A load of sexist horseshit. Because they don't do this shit to boys ever.

Yeah, after I went into the hospital complaining of appendix pain, the ER doctors did a ultrasound and told me I had gall stones even though I insisted it was my appendix. They drugged me up on morphine, convinced me I was okay and that I just needed another ultrasound a few days later, and sent me home. I was loopy…

Seriously, where is my fucking dragon?

Drones + flamethrower = homemade dragon. Hmmm. If I google that I'll probably end up on an NSA watchlist, I'm sure.

I so admire people like Angelina Jolie, who works with the UN to bring attention to this problems through diplomatic means.

But look at how easy it is to describe Laverne's communication skills with words that don't have a racially-loaded past attached to them... It's so easy to just reach for other words to say the same thing that we can avoid stepping in the problematic ones.

She bought it at the common sense store where the rest of us buy them. You should consider investing in one. It's a great way to make friends out of enemies and find some peace for your soul, too.

Sinead was actually in a Catholic run juvenile home for "wayward" girls (read: sexually active or even just outspoken) when she was young, so she had good reason to hate the pope. It is fascinating that she is still religious and CAtholic, despite that.

Here's something to point out to your boyfriend - The folks at the radio show "A Way With Words" have some strong arguments about the importance of respecting how people use language even when it's at odds with the dictionary. As they point out, there are hundreds of dictionaries, they all give different definitions,…

I gave up when Mulan left heartbroken and pining for Aurora. No more OUAT for me.

Ye, because we're talking about social gender presentation, not anything biological or medical. If, when he approaches puberty, he still feels strongly he is a boy, they can safely and easily use hormone blockers to put off puberty for a few years so he is old enough make a final decision - at 16 years or so. At that…

Now I want a little Laverne Cox to put on my feminist shrine next to Mary, Mami Wata, Durga, Kali and the female members of the Supreme Court.

Wait, you mean people in the Jezebel comments can tell the difference between the writer/actor and the character he plays onscreen? But like, only when the writer/actor is male, apparently. When it's Lena Dunham / Hannah Horvath, people assume she's playing herself and everything the character says is her personal…

Every single person arguing with you here on this thread is advocating that the people wait until the child is the age of agency in order to undergo HRT. No one is advocating HRT for children. That has been stated clearly and explicitly a number of times.

But the child *is* a transgender person. He's crossing across gender barriers in choices of gender expression. He's not taking hormones or having surgery, but those are not the "be-all and end-all" definition of "transgender."

This is the book you're looking for - Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children