I am not asking this to be transphobic or anything but I had this debate with myself at 2 o’clock in the morning and every time I remember it I can’t focus.
On one hand, it is what they want. Let’s assume it causes no harm to them or any unforeseen circumstances.
On another hand, it would erase their identity as trans people. At the extreme you could consider it a genocide, since turning them into what they want would mean there is no more trans people and their unique identity is erased.
So you tell them, preferably ask them, first. That’s why surgeons make you sign consent forms.
Surgery has risks, magic in this case does not.
If you modify the thought experiment slightly, it becomes an interesting trolley problem.
Let’s assume the spell you’re using is all or nothing - either it cures everyone, or no one. What if some subset of people explicitly do not consent? How many people would it have to be, or what percentage, before you would consider not doing it? Obviously if only 1 person doesn’t want it, who cares, greater good, but what if it was 99% of people? Where’s the line?
For me if even 1 person wants it everyone gets it. People who prefer to die can just kill themselves, people who prefer to live can’t choose to survive.
A utilitarian, in that case, would always choose to cure everyone. Greatest good for the greatest number.
If your morality is a bit more nuanced, things get very muddy very quickly.
The line is clearly at 50%.
Half live in harmony, half die.
Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
But its still not your decision to make. Would 100% of people use it? Probably. What do you lose by asking them first?
Because not 100% of people would agree, it’s that simple.
People are talking about this magic they literally just invented in their minds as if it can’t be made to also confirm consent before happening (E: or just be fucking optional! It exists, you take it if you want it 🤯)… 🤦♀️😂
Exactly.
What if you only have 5 minutes to make your decision?