We live in strange times, when wrong is right, facts are not the truth, and questioning a narrative not based on science elicits  immediate condemnation — what's more commonly referred to as being canceled.  Since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic, not only is the overused meme "rely on the science" irksome, but, apparently, relying upon science applies only in certain circumstances.

While observing the scientific method in order to prevent the spread of a microscopic virus, science doesn't apply to the definition of biological sex.  In fact, the science of biology has taken a back seat to the bizarre thinking of male and female being interchangeable.  Anyone who dares to challenge the contentious transgender narrative is deemed irredeemable.  Two people keenly aware of their now canceled status are the widely popular children's book author J.K. Rowling and the greatest female tennis player in women's sports history; Martina Navratilova.  Their crime?  Both women expressed contrary opinions about transgenderism.

British author J.K. Rowling is, without question, the 21st century's most famous writer of children's literature.  Her fabulously popular book series about a boy wizard named Harry Potter, his friends, and the magical world of wizarding resulted in worldwide sale of 500 million books, in addition to the production of 8 blockbuster films.  She has also profited enormously from the Potter franchise via merchandising, not to mention garnering a huge fan base of both children and adults.  Her literary fame earned her millions of dollars, and she's reported to be a generous philanthropist, donating large sums of money to multiple charities.  

It's therefore sad — although, given the prevailing hyper-sensitive environment of cultural wokeness, not surprising — that Ms. Rowling's meteoric rise in popular culture plummeted almost overnight.  Despite her book-writing fame and leftist political views, Ms. Rowling's June 2020 public criticism of an online article mocked the author's assertion regarding "people who menstruate" instead of women.  Ms. Rowling tweeted, "I'm sure there used to be a word for those people.  Someone help me out.  Wumben?  Wimpund?  Woomud?"  In plain speak, Ms. Rowling dared to speak the truth based on science: men don't menstruate, regardless of if they think they are women.

Almost immediately, a storm of highly critical, degrading, and vulgar tweets erupted on social media.  In response, Rowling penned a deeply personal 3,600-word essay in which she declared her support for the transgender community but stated she will not distort the facts, which differentiate men and women.  In a subsequent tweet, answering her critics, Ms. Rowling wrote, "erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives."  Regardless of her beliefs based on science and despite her previous support of gender-confused individuals, J.K. Rowling earned the label of transphobe and was canceled — much like another woman, professional tennis champion Martina Navratilova, who dared to express concern about men competing in women's sports.

Czechoslovakian-born professional women's tennis player Martina Navratilova was the number-one tennis player in the world from 1975 through 2005.  During that time frame, she won 18 Grand Slam titles and volleyed herself into the national women's sports limelight.  In 1981, she became a naturalized U.S. citizen, relinquishing her Czech citizenship.  She was known for her aggressive playing style on the court and was at one time coached by none other than Dr. "Renée" Richards (né Richard Raskind), a man who presents himself as a woman, who earned limited success in professional tennis in the '70s.  Shortly after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1981, Navratilova gave a revealing interview to a sports reporter, outing herself as bisexual and naming the woman she was currently dating.  Several years later and in another interview, she stated she was a lesbian and in a committed long-term relationship.

Like Rowling, Navratilova leans politically liberal and has donated generously to animal rights, children's organizations, and gay rights charities.  After retiring from professional tennis, she became a political activist, supporting legislation for LGBT rights.  In early 2019, Navratilova spoke out against allowing men to compete in women's sports, saying that in some cases, it's not fair.  She immediately rejected being called a transphobe and condemned  transgender activists to denounce anyone who argues about transgenderism automatically being labeled a transphobe.  Navratilova went on to pen an article for the New York Times, reiterating her stance about fairness in women's sporting events.  She was subsequently removed from the board of an LGBT advocacy group, who claimed her remarks "are transphobic and based on a false understanding of science and data."  She was effectively canceled.

There are real physical differences between men and women, men having the obvious advantage in sports.  Navratilova alluded to male muscle structure, bone density, endurance, and strength.  To her, it's exactly why fairness is paramount.  Two notorious examples where body size dominates the debate is the male cyclist now known as Veronica Ivy (also known as Rachel McKinnon), who is much larger in size and towers over all of his female competition, as well as the pair of male Connecticut high school track and field high-schoolers who have easily outperformed their high school female competition because of their muscle structure, strength, and endurance.  Navratilova has been ostracized  by members of the LGBT community and supporters for pointing out the obvious.  And while she firmly believes in equality in all sports, to include athletes playing against members of the opposite sex, in August 2020, she and 300 other women signed a letter addressed to the National Collegiate Athletic Association supporting a law in Idaho that will ban men competing in women's and girls' sports.

Bottom line?  Men are not female, and men don't menstruate.  That's science!