The Real Women’s-Rights Campaigners

I once had a heated argument with Gloria Steinem at a costume party. I should probably mention that it wasn’t really Gloria Steinem, only my brother’s friend’s aunt, and I wasn’t entirely myself either; I had chosen to impersonate a figure of superior significance, Saint Queen Margaret of Scotland. Anyway, the subject of our disagreement was transgenderism.

“Gloria,” I said, “take it from me, a medieval woman, that what you’re saying” — men should be able to legally self-identify as women — “makes no sense.”