The thoughtful and observant have likely not afforded much credibility to the “news,” breathlessly reported by the usual suspects, that about a quarter of young Americans identify as being in one of more of the LGBQIA etc., etc. categories. As with other obsessions of the smart set — see climate change, systemic racism, et al. — there is less here than meets the eye. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis, which was reported on in the conservative press but likely nowhere else, provides statistical meat for the conclusion that we’re dealing with a fad and little else. The percentage of people of the available sexual proclivities has probably not changed much over the centuries. And it likely won’t.

Those hopping on this fashionable bandwagon, no surprise, are mostly young middle-class white girls doing what’s cool at the moment and nothing more. Since the advent of affluence and the invention of adolescence in the middle of the last century, this lot, both sexes, has always done what’s cool at the moment. (Previously, there had been only two phases of life — childhood and adulthood.) The current fad does little harm, and the societal acceptance and granting of respect to gays, lesbians, and switch-hitters is a positive thing and overdue. The harm only comes when the temporarily enchanted reach for the hormones and the surgery, aided and abetted by grown-ups who should know better and are the real villains in this disheartening drama. I hope this fad has a shorter half-life than that of boys and young men wearing their baseball caps backwards or women getting tattoos. I was particularly amused to see confirmed what I’ve long suspected: that a significant percentage of those identifying as one or some combination of the new and cool sexual categories has never had sex with anyone of any gender or proclivity. About like me identifying as a cowboy when I was 10 and had never seen a dogey, let alone punched one.

George W. Bush, in his eight inarticulate years, rarely came up with a bon mot or insightful observation. (He was easy to misunderestimate.) But I did like his response during the 2000 campaign when journalists tried to gig him for his drunken, frat-boy behavior in college years. His spot-on response was: “When I was young and foolish I was young and foolish.” Exactly. So the young “identifying” with something they don’t begin to understand, and which they will abandon when the next cool thing comes along, get a responsibility pass on this one. But the grown-ups in medicine, journalism, politics, education, and entertainment who’ve aided, even promoted this fad, which does real harm when it reaches the surgical theater, will have a lot of answer for on Judgment Day. I don’t like their chances. (RELATED: Methodist Church Splitting Over LGBTQ Issues)

Of course Americanos have a perfect right to identify as something they plainly aren’t. And they should not be treated unkindly, unless they attempt to do what they have no right to do, which is to attempt to oblige everyone else to go along with the gag. And I have what I think is useful advice for the six-foot tall person with a Y chromosome, a five o’clock shadow at three o’clock, an Adam’s apple the size of a real apple, and a neck like a pilot whale who now goes by Heather. If you have too much eggnog at the Christmas party and get pulled over because you were driving erratically, I counsel against attempting to explain to the cop that you identify as sober. It won’t work

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History of a Bad Man With Good Manners

Progressive Party-Poopers at It Again — Lord, Give Me Strength

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