The transgender community and many on the right often have a relationship that I can describe as vehemently oppositional if I’m putting it lightly. The two have never mixed well for various reasons. If you were to look back over my own writing history, you would see that I’m generally on the front lines when it comes to battling transgender activism.

Except for yesterday.

Yesterday, I was covering the case of trans activist Jessica Yaniv through several articles. To refresh or catch you up, Yaniv is a man identifying as a woman who uses his status as a protected class in Canada to file lawsuits against innocent women for not touching his junk during waxings.

(Read: “The West Is On The Cusp Of Seeing State-Sanctioned Sexual Assaults Thanks To Transgender Activism“)

Looking into Yaniv’s past also shows predatory and pedophilic behavior. Some of the things this guy has allegedly said in text messages are disturbing. This has caught the eye of many a commentator, including trans activist Blaire White, who falls to the right politically despite being transgender.

White, a biological man who has had chemical and surgical procedures to look and sound just like a woman, released a video discussing Yaniv and just how messed up of a person he is. White made many a good point, and I decided to cover the video, highlighting the things White pointed out. I found it an interesting take given the fact that White is trans and has insight most of us don’t.

(Read: “Video: Conservative Trans Woman Blaire White Makes Very Interesting Points About “Trans” Activist Jessica Yaniv“)

And then all hell broke loose.

Many conservatives didn’t like the fact that I was referring to White as a woman and that I was caving to some sort of politically correct feel-goodery. They also didn’t like that I was referring to her as a conservative. In fact, my article got the attention of Right Scoop and The Blaze’s Steve Deace, who proceeded to send out multiple tweets about the way I described White.

So "conservative trans woman" is a thing now in my feed, eh? Damn, I mean I have no clue at all why we lose to the Left every time on every front. Really, I'm totally mystified here.

— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) July 24, 2019

Let’s just go ahead and rally behind “conservative” drag queen story time, too, just they’re reading kids old Buckley columns. Except the ones that talk about God, of course.

— Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) July 24, 2019

I’ve got some things to say about this.

Deace’s tweets come off as unnecessary gatekeeping, and I disagree with him vehemently. I’ll toss out the fact that conservatives “lose to the Left every time on every front” because looking around, I’m not seeing that at all. We lose a few battles here and there, but the right has never been more strong than it is now. Even with our disadvantages in tech and the arts, conservatism has never been more understood or accepted, at least in my lifetime. I’m not sure where he got that.

My problem is that Deace decided that White doesn’t qualify as a conservative because White is transgendered, and apparently, inviting someone like White into the fold will collapse conservatism. I find this a bit odd seeing as how LGBT members have been a part of the Conservative movement for some time now, and we’ve yet to devolve into gross displays of homo-eroticism at our events or make homosexuality a central issue. We haven’t seen any attempts at a conservative drag queen story hour either. In fact, many of the LGBT members within the movement are highly respected individuals who contribute quite a bit to the cause.

Deace and other conservatives not accepting White as a conservative because of the transgender factor doesn’t make White any less of a conservative.

From what I understand, conservatism is about the keeping of ideas behind the founding of America. That all men were created equal, and we all respect the right to and pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. It was my understanding that conservatives held the position that any person could come here and live freely however they want to so long as they don’t force their fellow countrymen to obey their whims and wishes.

From what I’ve seen so far, White keeps to these ideals but can’t join our club because of the trans factor? Why? The whole reason the trans community and conservatives are constantly at odds is due to the fact that they continuously try to force their beliefs on us.

White has made it clear in videos that biological sex is a reality and criticized those who react overtly to being “misgendered.” White, unlike many trans activists I’ve spoken about in the past, doesn’t attempt to force anything on anyone and can shrug off disagreement with a live and let live attitude.

To me, that seems far more conservative than what I’ve seen from the gatekeepers trying to keep White out. I’m not seeing any loss of soul for recognizing and respecting that.

Then there’s the main issue, and this part’s a personal opinion of mine.

I have no problem acknowledging that a transgender person is biologically the sex they were born as while showing that person personal respect by calling them the gender they want if I feel they deserve it. White, in my opinion, is someone that I haven’t had a reason to dislike, and in fact, have generated respect for. Because of this, I have no problem referring to White as female despite the fact that “she” is biologically a he. We might not agree on everything, but oh well.

You’ll notice in my article about White’s video that I refer to White as a “she” but to Yaniv as a “he.” This is because Yaniv hasn’t earned my respect and I have no compunction to label him as the gender he says he is. My default position is that you’re the sex you were born as, but I’m not bothered by calling you something different if that’s what you prefer and your character makes me want to treat you that way.

My approach to transgenderism is realistic but fair as I describe in this video.

As a Christian libertarian-minded individual I disagree with the LGBT community about what it considers good, but I’m not his or her boss. People are going to make decisions about their life and all I can do is offer my advice and care. What they do with it is their decision.

I have no problem chatting about my stances and how my Christian beliefs play a part in various lifestyles, but at the end of the day, I gain nothing by turning my nose up at people. I was, after all, called to love, not to dictate.

The LGBT community runs afoul of me when they try to force Christian churches to marry them or Christian businesses to cater to their LGBT specific needs. Thing is, while the right was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, it is not a Christians only club. It’s also not a straights only club. It’s the “big tent.” Everyone is welcome so long as you don’t deviate from the principles of liberty we hold dear.

It’s not my job to tell others what they can and can’t believe, only what they can and can’t do and only when what they’re doing twists my arm or takes money out of my wallet without asking.

White and other trans individuals who believe and follow conservative principles are conservatives. You can disagree with that fact, but just like biological sex, denying doesn’t make it any less of a reality.