On the Death of the Schappell Twins

An illustration predatory nature of gender ideology.

There was sad news out of Reading this weekend when it was revealed the conjoined twins Lori and Dori Schappell passed away at the age of 62. The twins, who were joined at the head and could not be surgically separated, had been featured on talk shows, reality shows, and in documentaries well into the 2000s.

In their obituaries, Dori is referred to as George, and, we are told began, “living as a man” in 2007.

Of course, Dori was female because conjoined twins are identical twins, and identical twins are always the same sex. It’s easy to feel a twinge of discomfort at the assertion that Dori somehow wasn’t female. It’s inaccurate. However, we also get it. Dori/George had a difficult life, and she legally changed her name. According to reports, Dori/George told a British newspaper always knew she should have been born a boy.

We disagree that anyone should have been born the opposite sex, but we sympathize.

This was a human being who had every right to be uncomfortable with her body. She had a severe, unusual disability that limited her life. The more outgoing of the twins, she craved normalcy and social connection. Dori/George even tried her hand at a country music career, though she was naturally treated as a novelty act.

What should also be obvious is that gender ideology appeals to the lonely, the vulnerable, and those uncomfortable with their bodies.

Gender Ideology promises a magic fix for issues that are difficult and, in some cases, unfixable. Accurate statistics are hard to come by, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that suggests that people with mental and physical disabilities are particularly vulnerable to gender ideology and the magic cure it promises. It’s not unlike other cults, such as Scientology, which also promises to cure whatever mental or physical issue plagues a potential recruit.

We hope both Lori and Dori/George rest in peace, and we hope their story shines a soft light on the predatory nature of gender ideology.