Trans man 'reading Ben Shapiro to filth' is the video we didn't know we needed (but do)

Right-winger Ben Shapiro when a trans man breaks through his "debate me, dude" nonsense and breaks down his deceptions.

The following video took place last year during election season, which is probably why it didn't get the full attention it deserves. 

First a little background. 

One thing I find annoying about some conservatives is the "debate me farce" they like to put on. That's when they go to college campuses purportedly to have "debates" with students, mostly liberals. They will have you to believe that it's a free exchange of ideas, when in reality they generally talk over the student, do a gish gallop, distract, misdirect and then later post a slanted view of the encounter online with some ridiculous title detailing how they "destroyed" said student. The narrative they push is how in a supposed free exchange of ideas, their conservative view is superior. It's basic bullshit which underscores the sad fact that a lot of times, debates aren't about facts, but about technique. 

The late Charlie Kirk was a master at this chicanery. Another conservative, Ben Shapiro, is on another level. However, in the following video, he met up against a trans man who frankly didn't have time the nonsense.

 Pink News from October 25, 2024:

Right-wing pundit and podcaster Ben Shapiro’s appearance on Jubilee’s Surrounded debate show didn’t go well for him. Each episode of the YouTube show Surrounded features a guest sitting in the middle of a circle with 25 people surrounding them. 

They all hold opposing views to that person – in this case Shapiro was confronted by individuals with broadly liberal and left-wing views. The circle members take turns to debate with the guest on specific points, but they can get stopped if more than half the circle hold up a red flag. Shapiro was confronted by a man called Shane, who asked the podcaster for his views on abortion and trans rights. 

 Shane told Shapiro that he was a trans who is adversely affected by abortion rights because he has a vagina, to which the podcaster replied that he had “no interest in your genitalia”. 

 Shane said: “Clearly you are. It’s kind of an obsession you guys have. In most of the content you have, you attack my community constantly and you don’t even realise that guys like me exist, who share a lot of similarities to you.” 

 That's the prelude. The entire encounter is below and Shane, as they said in my LGBTQ community, left no crumbs:

BOOM 💥 This is 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/SenLvskwCP

— Meidas_Charise Lee (@charise_lee) November 2, 2025

Afterwards, Shapiro's supporters made all sorts excuses for him. "Shane wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise." "Shane talked too quickly." etc etc.

That's not the point. The point is Shapiro and those like him play a rigged game, which unfortunately many of us take part in. We let them set the narrative, make the rules, then hope that we can "win" after we've given them all of the advantages. We simply have to stop that.

A more important point is how Shane spoke his mind. That's needed so much from all of us, including the trans community. It is my belief that a lot of the transphobia and attacks on the trans community (legislative and otherwise) lately is because there has been a deliberate attempt (even by some in the LGB community) to omit trans voices while elevating anti-trans voices. This has been happening in articles, on news programs, on social media, and so many other places.

It's bad enough when trans people are being dehumanized, but it's even worse things are being so rigged so much so that they can't adequately fight. That's why we should all take the lesson Shane gave us in his encounter with Shapiro. 

Be aggressive in telling your story and defending your worth. Don't apologize for refusing to let someone shut you up.  In the long run, it's not about defeating people like Shapiro in some silly debate. It's about defending yourself, your humanity, and your worth. And above all, telling YOUR story the way you want to tell it instead of allowing others (particularly those who have no interest in your safety or health) to tell it.