A Misreading That Reveals a Bigger Linguistic Shift
While watching a YouTube critique, the reviewer immediately interpreted the word “identity” in the original speaker’s sentence as referring to "trans‑identity". The original line was simply,
“I love him and those like him who are going through similar struggles with their identity.”
I agree with the overall criticism or "take-down" of the original video’s claims, but the reviewer was wrong to assume that “identity” automatically equals “trans.”
Troy, in his fake prophecy regarding who killed Charlie Kirk, was probably conflating the accused and his alleged "trans" lover but he didn't claim the killer was "trans". Troy said the killer struggled with his identity.
There are a myriad of ways one could struggle with identity that doesn't mean "trans". If the official story is true, the shooter was potentially a gay kid in Mormon Utah. Identity refers to the overall sense of self, not specifically gender identity. Reports say the accused is dating a trans fury woman in Utah! His roommate is supposedly his lover in other words. They could be married for all I know.
Is the accused killer gay or is he straight? Is his lover a boy or a girl? Is a fake girl a real girl? Maybe he struggled with how he saw himself so he became an assassin.
Identity refers to the overall
sense of self, not specifically
gender identity.
Why the Misreading Matters
- Clarity of communication – When “identity” is automatically read or heard as “trans,” speakers who mean “personal struggles,” “cultural background,” or “professional role” risk being misunderstood.
- Polarization – The shortcut can turn a neutral statement into a flashpoint, especially in comment sections where nuance is scarce.
- Erasure of other identities – Reducing the term to one facet marginalizes the many ways people experience and define themselves.
It's Anecdotal but...
Nobody in the whole wide world thought identity meant "trans" thirty years ago. Look how far we've come. Not only were trans not a threat when I was in high school, the concept didn't even exist in our psyche. We certainly didn't have furry.
An "identity crisis" didn't mean unsure about gender or sex or species. Imagine that!
I never saw any trans being bullied because I never knew it was a thing. Sure SNL made fun of people that were confused about Pat's gender, Pat didn't seem to mind. Sure Hollywood thought black men pretending to be woman was funny but the men didn't think they were women. Or a father pretending to be an old woman housekeeper to be with his kids after a divorce. I think the point was love will prevail or something not respect men that feel like old housekeepers. (Even if you catch them peeing standing up). Just didn't seem to be a big problem.
If I saw a man pretending to be a woman go into a female bathroom I might worry he might be a threat. But they would probably be fine if they just never do anything creepy. If they use the toilet and leave no one would ever know. I promise you I have never once examined any dude in a bathroom and found them wanting, so speak. Put a 1 in the comments if you have, The l's are the ones I will hopefully avoid!
My whole damn life everyone seemed to know their own gender and everyone else seemed to believe them. Sure kids made fun of each other for being stupid, smelly, short, ugly or having unpopular hobbies. Stuff like that. I don't remember a single time a kid was upset for being misgendered. Being misgendered was when a kid thought a guy was a girl because their hair was too long or something stereo-typically "girl like" or vise versa, Then they would apologize.
It wasn't about calling out the fakes after them demanding we respect that they tell us they are fakes all the time.
As far as l actually know 90% of every kid l actually knew were actually the opposite sex from what I thought they were, They must have been good at pretending. We didn't have a word like trans so we would know that it is fake while having to pretend it is real. We didn't have men in girl sports because we didn't have girl sports. We had girls in sports, and they sucked, but we put up with
it. They didn't seem to know they sucked or they were having fun and didn't care. No I am just kidding there was softball —boys didn't play that.
The point is identity doesn't mean "trans" exclusively or automatically. Of course l am joking ladies (if you are out there). I know there are millions of amazing female athletes just none were ever on my teams. They may have gotten better. Isn't it sad I felt I had to explain that?
And of course "trans people" existed for thousands of years.
I know because l just looked it up. I was just living under a rock my whole life which obviously explains why I never heard of it until 10 years ago maybe. I did hear of identity though.
Here is a cursory break down
Where the Assumption Appears to Come From
A Recent Timeline (≈ 2000 – present)
| Period | How “identity” was used | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Pre‑2000 | Psychological and sociological literature spoke of personal or cultural identity. | Gender‑diversity topics were largely confined to niche activist circles and academic journals. |
| Early‑2000s → 2010 | Online forums (e.g., early Reddit, Tumblr) begin to discuss gender identity as a distinct concept. | The phrase “gender identity” gains traction; the word “identity” starts appearing in headlines about trans rights. |
| ~2010‑2020 | Hashtags like #GenderIdentity trend; mainstream media covers trans‑related legislation. | “Identity” becomes a convenient shorthand for “gender identity” in many news pieces and social‑media posts. |
| 2020‑present | Corporate DEI policies, school curricula, and viral videos embed the shorthand. | The conflation feels pervasive, leading some to claim it’s a long‑standing cultural norm. |
Takeaway: The linguistic shift is relatively recent, not a timeless truth.
Why It Feels “Ancient”
- Retroactive labeling – Scholars sometimes apply modern terms to older texts (“they were talking about gender identity”), creating the illusion that the concept has always existed under that name.
- Cultural memory lag – Discussions that were once limited to small communities can take a decade or more to reach mainstream awareness.
- Media amplification – Headlines love “centuries‑old debate” framing; a single quote from an academic can be stripped of nuance and turned into a sweeping claim.
The way in which the critic leapt to “trans” illustrates how quickly a word can be narrowed by cultural habit. Yet the evidence shows that this narrowing is a development of the past two decades, not a millennial tradition. By keeping the term “identity” broad, we protect clear communication and honor the many ways people define themselves. After all, the struggles we face—whether around faith, profession, ethnicity, or personal growth—are all part of the same tapestry we call identity.
“Have you noticed similar shifts in language? How do you handle them in your own interactions?
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