# "Gender identity" is mental illness

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-identity-is-mental-illness/667011>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [August 23, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-identity-is-mental-illness/667011 "2013-08-23T22:38:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 349

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**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\
**Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gender-identity-is-mental-illness/667011/349 "2013-09-03T16:34:51Z")

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> [@tomndebb](#):
>
> Noting that a point has been covered in previous debates provides one who was not involved the opportunity to take the time to look them up rather than forcing one’s opponents to re-enter all the same information a second, (third, fourth, etc.) time.
> 
> Since there are a number of topics that come back to this forum repeatedly, there is really nothing wrong with noting that specific points have been addressed. Both sides could reduce the hostility, one side by providing links and the other by seeking such links through a search or even by requesting them. However, neither the failure to provide a link nor the failure to seek one validates the notion that previous discussions are irrelevant.

IMO, someone who wants to refer to previous threads as a shorthand is fine, if they actually link to the specific part of the a prior thread which addresses the specific point under discussion. What isn’t nearly as fine is what’s happening here, in which people - led by you, IIRC - have simply linked to a dozen or so prior threads (some or all of which are likely long and discuss many aspects of the issue) and said “hey read through all this stuff and you’ll see that you’re wrong”.

I mean, you can use the prior threads as an excuse for not bothering to debate the issue in this one. But I don’t think you can make a big deal or harp on someone else for his or her refusal to read a voluminous amount of material just because you claim that somewhere in that vast literature they will find the refutation to their argument.

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