In this episode of Heterodorx, Nina tries very very hard not to say “y’know,” because Corinna no longer edits out her verbal tics. As a result, she speaks unusually slowly, thoughtfully, and almost as sarcastically as Corinna. Thus disciplined, the two dutifully slog away at conversation, discussing Dave Chapelle, the definition of misogyny, power, corruption, “respectability politics,” “conservative humor,” media gaslighting, and wearing “male garb” at the Rennaissance Faire. It’s worth a listen, y’know?

The Dorx welcome lively philosophy professor and author Andrew Pessin, whose recent satirical novel about campus culture, Nevergreen, humorously conveys the horror of getting cancelled. This inevitably leads to discussion of the Anti-Defamation League’s “Pryramid of Hate,” which, by the end of the episode, Nina deftly synthesizes with the USDA’s Food Pyramid. Corinna asserts, “universities are in the business of transferring wealth from students to administrators,” and repeatedly declares he is NOT JEWISH, unlike Andrew (a Zionist) and Nina (not a Zionist), who blithely argue about Zionism the way only a couple American Jews can.

The Dorx interrogate MIT Professor Alex Byrne, to find out what the heck happened to academic Philosophy. But first, Corinna identifies as some brand of chocolate. Alex illuminates Feminist Philosophy, differences between philosophers, and the mental aspects of his beer, while Corinna asserts the immutability of sex and mens’ eagerness to eject their “feminine” brothers from the male sex class. Finally, Nina detransitions from humanhood and re-identifies as a Martian.

Alex Byrne’s course Philosophy: Minds and Machines: https://youtu.be/DfgCJR7xKQ0

Alex Byrne’s paper, Are Women Adult Human Females? https://philpapers.org/rec/BYRAWA

After a 3-week hiatus, Corinna and Nina discuss the book Cynical Theories by Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay. Nina takes a more nuanced approach to Judith Butler, discovering something she said that isn’t utter nonsense. Corinna questions “misogyny” and “patriarchy,” and challenges Nina’s “feminist lens,” after which Nina tells Corinna to f__k himself. It’s good to be back!

Just one week after interviewing someone else with the same first name and last initial, the Dorx chat with the totally different, not-to-be-confused-with Grace Lidinsky-Smith: writer, female detransitioner, and President of GCCAN, the Gender Care Consumer Advocacy Network. Because both Grace and Corinna were assigned nerd at birth, they talk about Renaissance Faires, including Corinna’s Victor-Victoria-esque plan to wear “male garb” at his next one. Then Nina becomes a jock because both nerds regard her as one. Grace asks if Nina is “naturally high-T,” and Nina realizes she’s never had her hormone levels tested, but she praises menopause and disparages youth. Corinna introduces Heterodorx Poetry Time by reading Little Abigail and the Beautiful Pony by Shel Siverstein. The mood remains light even as Grace talks about having her nipples put back on lopsided after her double mastectomy, because people who have been through heavy shit use humor to cope.