The ongoing discourse surrounding geopolitical conflicts and social justice movements has brought the principle of proportionality into sharp focus. Foundational to international humanitarian law,proportionality dictates that military attacks must not inflict civilian harm excessive to the anticipated military advantage. Yet, recent analyses suggest this principle is being systematically distorted, creating harmful narratives that affect multiple liberation struggles, most notably those of Palestinians and the transgender community.

At its core, proportionality seeks a balance, a harmony of multiple factors in conflict. However, a critical lens reveals how this concept is being weaponized, not to protect civilians, but to obfuscate and justify severe human rights violations. This distortion creates a “grammar of disproportionality” that echoes through public commentary, frequently enough employing logical fallacies to silence legitimate grievances and reshape broader public opinion.

Echoes of Injustice: parallels in discrimination

A striking parallel emerges when examining the treatment of Palestinians and transgender individuals. Both communities experience systemic discrimination rooted in a denial of symmetrical agency and self-determination. they face erasure and interpolation into dominant cultural narratives, undermining the legitimacy of their social and personal identities.

The denial of essential resources and opportunities threatens both collectives. This shared experience of marginalization, often exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts and cultural wars, highlights a deep-seated issue of dehumanization.When Palestinian and trans bodies are caught in the crossfire of proxy conflicts, their truths are downplayed, and their needs for sanctuary and security are unmet.

The macron-Owens Case: A Microcosm of Distortion

The recent defamation lawsuit involving Candace Owens and the Macrons has inadvertently shed light on this misuse of proportionality.While Owens’ claims about Brigitte Macron’s gender identity were widely criticized,the ensuing online discourse revealed a troubling confluence of transphobic rhetoric with expressions of solidarity for Palestine. Many commenters, while opposing the alleged misrepresentation, also employed transmisogynistic language, conflating the transgender community with harmful stereotypes.

This phenomenon is especially concerning because it distracts from the core issues at hand. The impulse to use transphobia as a cudgel against political figures or movements, even those perceived as adversaries, is not only strategically flawed but also deeply damaging.

Undermining Solidarity: The Perils of Divisive Tactics

The association of transphobia with activism for Palestinian rights is fundamentally non-strategic.It plays directly into the hands of those who seek to divide and conquer, stereotyping entire communities and diverting attention from the atrocities of genocide. Believing that disempowering the transgender community somehow strengthens the case for palestinian liberation is a dangerous fallacy.

Genuine solidarity requires acknowledging the interconnectedness of liberation struggles. The transgender community’s refusal to devalue lives targeted by prejudice mirrors the resilience needed in all movements for justice.To stoke the fires of liberation, we must focus our energy on dismantling systems of oppression, not on perpetuating new ones.

the Strategic Imperative of inclusive Solidarity

It is indeed disproportionate to generalize, scapegoat, or make casualties of innocent groups in the name of any political movement. This includes exacerbating the struggles of marginalized demographics who often possess unique networks of mutual aid and solidarity with Palestine. True allies understand that liberation is not transactional and does not require the abandonment of one group to support another.

When oppressors are shared,it is crucial to identify the true origins and stakeholders of oppression. Misleading others by creating false antagonisms only serves to perpetuate the cycles of injustice that harm us all. Embracing a politics of complex care and consistent respect for all identities is the only path forward for meaningful change.