Thank you for speaking out. I personally have some beliefs that are different than the author's. I have met some transgender people (men to women). I am adamantly against anything being done with children, meaning surgery or drugs, other than mental health services. I think if someone is serious about going through with such a life alter…
Thank you for speaking out. I personally have some beliefs that are different than the author's. I have met some transgender people (men to women). I am adamantly against anything being done with children, meaning surgery or drugs, other than mental health services. I think if someone is serious about going through with such a life altering situation it should be done as an adult after several years of therapy. I personally think over 25 years old. I think there are probably several trans people who would agree. We could be doing grave harm to countless numbers of children and young adults. Heck teenagers have enough to deal with just trying to figure life out.
And for people who truly are trans, that wait until they are 25 for medical transition I think would be made much easier if we as a society could just accept a greater degree of gender noncomformity among people who can't necessarily "pass" as the other sex but wish they could.
Obviously in some areas - like locker rooms or sports - the boundaries around biological sex can't be transgressed without harm to others. But in areas like how we dress and do our hair and refer to each other, perhaps being more open and compassionate to those who cross dress or present in a "queer" way could go a long way. And offering more gender "neutral" spaces as a third option for people who are gender non-conforming, so they can have spaces that feel safe for them without compromising the modesty and safety of others who prefer single sex.
Make it more socially acceptable to be "queer" when it comes to sex and gender, but respect women's spaces and keep medicalization away from children.
I feel like that sort of middle ground would be so healthy. It would help most people with gender dysphoria find a place in society, but without mutiliating them as children or violating women's spaces.
This is my favorite comment. I think a lot of this could be avoided by teaching kids that there are infinite ways to express your personality and none of them are specific to your biological sex.
The group “gays against groomers” speaks to this idea a lot. It really resonates with me.
Growing up in the 80s is seemed like there was so much latitude when it came to how you could dress and express yourself as a boy or a girl. This was especially true for girls - I spent my entire childhood with what would be considered a "boy" bowl cut today and in blue jeans and unisex T-shirts. And while boys have always had less latitude, think of how many male celebrities and music artists wore makeup and had long hair. No one questioned that I was a real girl and they were real men. Even intentionally androgynous artists like David Bowie or Prince or Annie Lennox were never mistaken for anything as men and women expressing their gender creatively.
Why can't we get back to that mentality and expand it? How is mutilating children in the name of "gender" expression progress?
Just maybe it's not many with cognitive dissonance. Maybe they were confused and insecure still trying to discover themselves. Not everyone fits into a neat bubble. I struggled all through my teen years with feeling awkward and different, not sexually, but in other ways leading to some insecurities.
I'm suggesting that many who transitioned and then struggle with their same problems which transitioning didnt fix and infact added a host of new ones, cant quite bring themselves to recognize they made a mistake in doing so - which is cognitive dissonance. I'm not suggesting cognitive dissonance led them to transition. Sorry if I was unclear.
Thank you for speaking out. I personally have some beliefs that are different than the author's. I have met some transgender people (men to women). I am adamantly against anything being done with children, meaning surgery or drugs, other than mental health services. I think if someone is serious about going through with such a life altering situation it should be done as an adult after several years of therapy. I personally think over 25 years old. I think there are probably several trans people who would agree. We could be doing grave harm to countless numbers of children and young adults. Heck teenagers have enough to deal with just trying to figure life out.
And for people who truly are trans, that wait until they are 25 for medical transition I think would be made much easier if we as a society could just accept a greater degree of gender noncomformity among people who can't necessarily "pass" as the other sex but wish they could.
Obviously in some areas - like locker rooms or sports - the boundaries around biological sex can't be transgressed without harm to others. But in areas like how we dress and do our hair and refer to each other, perhaps being more open and compassionate to those who cross dress or present in a "queer" way could go a long way. And offering more gender "neutral" spaces as a third option for people who are gender non-conforming, so they can have spaces that feel safe for them without compromising the modesty and safety of others who prefer single sex.
Make it more socially acceptable to be "queer" when it comes to sex and gender, but respect women's spaces and keep medicalization away from children.
I feel like that sort of middle ground would be so healthy. It would help most people with gender dysphoria find a place in society, but without mutiliating them as children or violating women's spaces.
A middle ground is impossible. Everything that is tolerated in adults gets pushed down to children eventually.
This is my favorite comment. I think a lot of this could be avoided by teaching kids that there are infinite ways to express your personality and none of them are specific to your biological sex.
The group “gays against groomers” speaks to this idea a lot. It really resonates with me.
Yes. This 100%.
Growing up in the 80s is seemed like there was so much latitude when it came to how you could dress and express yourself as a boy or a girl. This was especially true for girls - I spent my entire childhood with what would be considered a "boy" bowl cut today and in blue jeans and unisex T-shirts. And while boys have always had less latitude, think of how many male celebrities and music artists wore makeup and had long hair. No one questioned that I was a real girl and they were real men. Even intentionally androgynous artists like David Bowie or Prince or Annie Lennox were never mistaken for anything as men and women expressing their gender creatively.
Why can't we get back to that mentality and expand it? How is mutilating children in the name of "gender" expression progress?
I can agree but I do think it is very important to wait. There are some examples of people who went trans and later realized they made a huge mistake.
I met such a person back in the mid-90s. He was very honest about his experience. It made a huge impression on me.
I think many who do not publically wish they hadn't transitioned are grappling with cognitive dissonance.
Just maybe it's not many with cognitive dissonance. Maybe they were confused and insecure still trying to discover themselves. Not everyone fits into a neat bubble. I struggled all through my teen years with feeling awkward and different, not sexually, but in other ways leading to some insecurities.
I'm suggesting that many who transitioned and then struggle with their same problems which transitioning didnt fix and infact added a host of new ones, cant quite bring themselves to recognize they made a mistake in doing so - which is cognitive dissonance. I'm not suggesting cognitive dissonance led them to transition. Sorry if I was unclear.
Thank you for clarifying. I agree with you.