I was watching a debate between the late Charlie Kirk and a woman about what defines a woman. Here’s what I like about Charlie Kirk. He was engaging with the woman, matching wits, listening to her arguments and presenting his. Sure, he was trying to “win” the debate, but the point was, anyone watching got to see her side as well.

Here’s what I else I liked about it. The woman was articulate and well spoken. He did not pick someone to debate who could easily be talked down. Kirk was very good at debate and clearly enjoyed being able to match wits with someone who could hold her own. In fact, the video was shown in a feed with the title of how that woman “got” Charlie Kirk.

I had two reactions to it. The first reflected what my mother always said. “Ninety percent of all arguments are semantic.” That is, there was no substance to the argument, just people trying to agree on the meaning of the word “woman.”

Charlie was saying that one’s biology is what defined one as a man or woman. The woman was saying that there is a biological gender, but then an individual might not feel that and that is what defines gender.

See? There is no action item in that debate, it’s simply arguing the definition of the word “woman.” We already have the words needed to shape whatever discussion we might want to have on the topic. These are the terms “biological gender” and “gender identity.”

These terms can be used to then shape a discussion and substantive debate about bathrooms and the like. We can argue whether or not bathrooms should be segregated based on biological gender, or gender identity. There are reasonable arguments to be made on both sides, all having to deal with people’s level of comfort. Either way, there will be some people put in situations that make them uncomfortable. Compromises need to be made.

But it’s meaningless to shape the argument about the semantics of the word “woman.”

Thinking about the substance of the issue I came up with an analogy.

What if someone was born and raised in Boston, and yet, from an early age, liked the Yankees? What would it have been like for such a kid to grow up and go to school here? How would the other kids in school react to him? Should he wear his Yankees hat to school?

When he goes to games should he sit with those from Boston? Would they reject him for being a Yankees fan? Or with the New Yorkers, who might reject him for being from Boston?

How should he be treated? Should his schoolmates and the fans be tolerant? Or should they just beat the crap out of him?

And how should us liberals in Massachusetts treat the Trump supporters among us? With respect? Or distain? And how should liberals be treated in Oklahoma?

Dennis is retired in Shelburne Falls and can be contacted through his website: denniscmerritt.com.