The Neo-Liberal Creed on Gender and Sexuality

I was brought up as an Anglican, a member of The Church of Ireland. On Sundays, the church service included a recitation of The Creed, otherwise known as “an affirmation of the faith.” This began, 

            “We believe in one God,

            The Father, the Almighty,

            Maker of heaven and earth,

            Of all that is

            Seen or unseen.

            We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

            The only son of God,

            Eternally begotten of the Father,

            God from God, Light from Light, 

            True God from true God… (etc.)

Jack Underwood recites his version of a neo-orthodox Liberal creed throughout his discussion on gender and sexuality, in Not Even this (2021, London: Corsair.) He labours the points I quoted in my previous post, saying, for example, “Feminist theory also taught me to reconsider my own gender in relation to my body… I am sexed… This aspect of who I am is only considered significant because I live in a society which is already gendered and so politically prioritises such a division and rewards its upkeep, and punishes those already subjected to the violent erasures and brute reductivism of this peculiar obsession with this kind of difference, in the face of all others.” (p36) 

This statement is made with such assurance, in the absence of any corroborative evidence, that it must be regarded as an affirmation of faith. We should not forget that he is a senior lecturer in English and Creative Writing at Goldsmith’s College. Universities used to be havens (and advocates) for freedom of thought and expression, and of debate. Now they have become repressively dogmatic environments, fiercely policed to ensure everyone holds the correct views.  

Strange, that.