DAVID MARCUS: Referring to Rep. Sarah McBride as 'mister' is not a matter of disrespect; it simply reflects the truth of the situation.

It is widely acknowledged that when encountering a transgender individual at a social gathering or sporting event, one can navigate the use of pronouns without being disrespectful. However, a congressional hearing is a formal public forum, representing the official voice of our government, and it ought to convey an objective reality.

In this context, Self acted appropriately in that official capacity by refraining from endorsing a falsehood.

Over the past ten years, particularly since the cultural shift symbolized by "orange is the new black," our society has grappled with how to respect individuals who identify with a gender different from their biological s#x while also implementing public policies that safeguard women's rights.

However, this approach has always been misguided. Such concessions to the notion that individuals can fundamentally change their gender have inevitably led to the complexities we now encounter concerning women's sports and women-only environments, including prisons, shelters, and restrooms.

It appears that many Americans, including a significant number of conservatives, have been operating under the assumption, "This may be a façade, but we will accept it as long as no one is harmed."

The issue is that the mere acceptance of the belief that individuals can self-determine their gender has detrimental effects on many, particularly on children and young adults who are drawn in by the allure of seemingly transcending the natural order.

The following day on Capitol Hill, Independent Women Ambassador Prisha Mosley attended Detransitioners Awareness Day. At the age of 16, Prisha, who was convinced she was male, underwent a double mastectomy, a decision she now regrets and cannot reverse.

"It is due to the adults who validated the falsehood that I was born in the wrong body and required a transition that I now endure irreversible harm to my body," Mosley stated in an interview with Fox News Digital. "The truth is not transphobic. It is never compassionate to deceive."

This situation has arisen largely because well-meaning individuals, in their desire to be polite, have permitted the unscientific and frankly ludicrous idea that individuals can change their gender to gain acceptance, treating it as a matter of personal opinion. It is not a matter of opinion; it has never been and will never be.

Recently, in Calgary, I encountered a protest against the policy of housing men in women’s prisons. We discussed how, a decade ago, people were hesitant to question the quasi-religious trans ideology, even in private discussions. Today, we can speak the truth openly, and we should.

Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein compellingly argued that language is not merely a tool for expressing our thoughts; it shapes our thoughts. When we allow the terms "man" and "woman" to signify something other than what biological reality dictates, that choice leads us to the chaos and irreversible consequences we are witnessing today.

Perhaps our attempts to accommodate the falsehood of transgenderism over the past ten years have stemmed from genuine compassion and kindness. However, this does not change the fact that it is causing significant harm, and it must cease immediately.

Will the effort to restore reality on this issue result in uncomfortable and potentially explosive moments, such as those witnessed during Tuesday’s congressional upheaval? Certainly. Will those who uphold the truth be labeled as bigots? Undoubtedly.

Yet, when we hear stories like that of Prisha Mosley, along with countless others, it becomes imperative to confront these issues head-on.

At this very moment, a young individual is considering a transition, prepared to undertake irreversible surgical procedures or potentially jeopardize their own fertility in an attempt to achieve an identity that is unattainable. For their benefit, it is imperative that we cease the pretense and resolutely return to the firm foundation of biological truth.