The Power of Silence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7202/1110334arKeywords:
public education, professional obligations, misinformation, marginalized groups, transgender peopleLanguage(s):
EnglishAbstract
In conversation with Hortense Gallois’ recent essay on the importance of bioethicists participating in public discourse, I suggest that speaking up is as fraught as it is important. Focusing on the anti-trans movement’s misuse of expertise, I highlight the fine line between correcting misinformation and inadvertently causing harm through ill-timed speech. Drawing on the work of Eva Feder Kittay, I suggest that knowing when to speak up and when to stay silent starts with understanding the communities we speak about and the consequences that our words can have on them.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Florence Ashley
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