I disagree with that comparison because it only explains half the picture and doesn't cover what society expects from your choices. It's more like feeling out of shape with skin color plus sexuality plus inherent cultural norms (Jewish? Like wearing head garb?). It's more a dynamic between your identity against what society has decided what demographic you conveniently fit in. People are less prone to kill themselves over lost hair or a beer belly because bald person or middle aged guy with dad bod is not a confusing stereotype/trait. Those joke threads about Rachael Dolezai or the british guy wanting to be korean is more analogous than a simple "style change" or surgery like a boob job. For trans it's deeper because in those anecdotes, the person in question can still pass as the original race they belonged to. For trans, they really don't want to switch back or feel out of shape doing so. So it's a mixed bag with these medical stories because some of that "comfortability" comes not only from themselves but also from the expectations of others in where that trans fits. From reading accounts of hormone therapy or drugs they take before surgeries, it's not a cake walk. They're usually in a lot of pain or frustration to commit to that process as being worth it. Honestly, some are already in a fragile state and I don't think any of this is a magic bullet. I guess it's still better than the alternative.
Sure, there are those isolated cases. There are many pediatric medical procedures (some drugs and many surgeries) that are not reversible. That was never the criteria for banning treatment options. Heck, some of these are even optional and some have little benefits vs risks or even more risks than benefits. We have almost always left it up to the patient (in one procedure that is very popular, the patient doesn't even have a said-so), doctor, and family to decide if and when to have those procedures. We typically step in when the medical community speaks up and suggest that something should be banned or even enforced (this has happened in court cases where the parent wouldn't treat their child based on their religious beliefs). In this case, it's not the medical community, it's a number of politicians. They have not established why we should do so, why we should this time listen to the words of politicians over the medical establishments' recommendations and standard of care. Below is an extensive document on the standard of care for transgender health from WPATH (established in 1979). Politicians, if they are honest and actually care about harm done to these kids, should find a credible medical body that provides evidence-based data and recommendations on why we shouldn't allow this type of care (or any portion of it) for transgender health. Standards of Care - WPATH World Professional Association for Transgender Health
I just bring up body modifications men typically do to demonstrate that a common reason for those modifications is some level of body dysmorphia, which is a common symptom among trans people. It's not really intended to be a 1 to 1 analogy as no analogy captures the full scope of what a trans person experiences day to day and the expectation others have of them vs a man that's insecure over a portion of their body and probably gets a pass even with their insecurity from most people. Instead it's more to say hey, if you've ever felt insecure over your body, you can probably relate on some tiny level to what a trans person experiences I imagine at least. I do agree that there is the expectation to fit in and be a certain mold that even with medical intervention, if a portion of society deems you unfit or that you don't "pass" for the gender you're most comfortable with, there's only so much you can do on your end. But I think that's the reason there's earlier age healthcare right? Besides trying these medical procedures to improve mental health, a trans person that goes through puberty without any sort of healthcare will mature into a body that they don't feel comfortable with and make it harder to "pass" right? And "passing" as the gender you identify as, can be part of that societal expectation. If you're a trans person that can successfully pass as a man or a woman, your integration and acceptance into society is probably greater than someone who struggles to pass. I still think a trans person that struggles to "pass" should be treated as they prefer because chances are, there were outside circumstances beyond their control to look and feel how they present themselves and if the bottom line in performing these medical procedures is to find greater acceptance among their peers while experiencing greater wellness mentally and physically in their own body, what is the personal harm you gain in accepting someone as they are? That's partly what I don't understand with the politicization of the transgender community. So my understanding for these sorts of medical procedures on teenagers is to lessen the body dysmorphia associated with being a trans woman with say an insecurity over having broader shoulders when you wear a dress out in public and being outed for your appearance when seeking acceptance or being a trans man with fully developed breasts that you'd prefer not to be on your body as it makes it harder to pass for a dude. I mean even biological women can be chided for being too fit if they possess a musculature that takes less of an hour glass shaped figure and more blocky instead. Or dude's that for whatever reasons are more pear shaped than the mold of a lot of super heroes with a V taper or whatever. So if the other half of the equation is how the general population perceives you earnestly, I would think that would be another reason for the timing of earlier medical intervention with medication like hormone blockers and hormone therapy before the onset of puberty which can do permanent changes to your physiology making it harder to pass as the gender you identify as. Probably more costly too for the patient, which is never talked about. Policies like these might also increase the healthcare bill of someone in need of medical care with delaying care until the age of 18. It's a complicated issue, one I'm probably making a lot of mis steps on in my best attempts to describe, but it's not one I think politicians or most people should really have an opinion over that's so strong it overrides the wants and needs of the trans community and the medical professionals that specialize in transgender healthcare. I would trust someone that experiences what it is to be trans day in an day out and medical professionals that treat patients who are trans day in and day out know better than some curmudgeons on a basketball message board citing articles and anecdotal interactions with a trans peer at the workplace or out in general public to formulate their own opinion.
Trans cult (and make no mistake, they are a cult), nasty vile toxic people… Enter the cult, all love! Leave the cult, speak out about your personal experience, attacked, bullied, vitriol spewed at you… Why does the trans cult behave the way they do? https://elizamondegreen.substack.com/p/phobia-indoctrination Twitter thread Vilifying and attacking detransitioners as traitors and existential threats to the community, thus demonstrating to current members of the trans community *exactly what will happen to them* if they step out of line or—god forbid—leave. Let's be clear about this: *No* healthy, open, supportive community seeks to terrify and control its members like this on such flimsy pretexts. These are the marks of a manipulative group exercising destructive influence over its most vulnerable members. A healthy, open, supportive trans community would not look or sound like the trans community we've got. It would be honest about the risks trans people face, rather than wildly inflating those risks to instill fear. It would foster resilience and self-sufficiency in gender-questioning youth, rather than telling kids that anyone who disagrees with their worldview hates them or that exposure to "misgendering" or “dead-naming” can lead to suicide. A healthy, open trans community would accept that transition doesn't work for everybody and that there are legitimate reasons to detransition and exit the community. A healthy, open, supportive trans community wouldn't seek to drive a wedge between gender-questioning youth and their family members or friends who sincerely want the best for them but question whether transition is the right answer. A healthy, open, supportive trans community would invite ethical research into transition outcomes and alternatives—rather than trying to shut down inquiry—because trans-identifying people deserve the best care available, not just the most ideologically-compliant 'care.' And a healthy, open, supportive trans community would encourage young people to explore their questions and doubts openly—recognizing transition as a serious undertaking—without fear of censure or expulsion from the group. These toxic dynamics aren't contained within the community either, spilling out into the public sphere whenever any issue that touches gender identity is discussed. It's always struck me as curious that the trans community does not share the needs that every other (actual) civil rights movement has: the ability to speak freely and clearly and to be understood. Just the opposite, in fact. When it comes to gender identity, no one must speak freely. Everyone must speak in a language that constricts thought and expression alike. The truth of situations must be obscured, not clarified, wrapped in shadows, not brought into the light. There's no desire to make the public understand, only to make people comply. In fact, the less the public knows and understands the better. Generally speaking, if you have a cause that matters to you, if you have something to say, you want to speak as clearly as possible and to be understood. The last thing you want is to wring meaning from language. You can’t afford to confuse people. Unless your cause's claims don't add up, that is. I learned this lesson in my personal life first: People who want to be understood try to speak clearly, even if they struggle to find the right words. But sometimes, people—and causes—benefit from being misunderstood: We just need to pee. Nobody is medically transitioning kids. Rights aren’t pie. Healthy communities don't behave like this. Civil-rights movements don't behave like this. They don't terrify their members by spinning lurid fantasies out of thin air and what would be politically convenient if true. They don't hound peaceful critics into submission. So, what is the trans movement, exactly? Why does it behave the way it does?
I don't think this is specifically coming from the "Biden Administration". It is the standing policy that the requirement is for people "born" male. I'm sure there are people who aren't happy about that in particular, but then the policy is inherently discriminatory to start with.
That sounds like what Trump does. Speak the truth and he will turn the party against you. Dare to testify at the hearings and you will be blackballed. Plead the 5th. Don't speak. Hmmm, sounds a lot like the right wing tactics the GOP uses for their White Nationalist talking points. Cult?
A leftist minister in Germany from the Green Party now recommending puberty blockers to children like cough drops, on an official government website. (the Greens are also the party that had lots of issues with founding members openly being pedophiles, etc.)
I think parents should listen to the doctors and psychiatrists evaluating or counseling their teen, and not base any decisions on other people's viewpoints. Nobody knows better than the parents and doctors when it comes to weighing the risks, based on the seriousness of the situation. Every teen and every situation is unique. You can't lump every case into one category. Opinions of others don't mean squat. I don't get why you are so obsessed on this subject. How does if affect you or your family? There are much bigger battles that affect everyone that bother me much more than this. Then again, I don't hate gays, trans, or people not like me if they aren't doing anything that hurts me personally. I know gay and trans hate is real. People just hate to hate, whether it's race, culture, religion, or politics. Sad.
What Trump does and says affects me if he is stirring up the GOP party to follow his lead and repeat his lies, hate and propaganda. His attempt to overturn an election is a threat to Democracy. His stealing top Secret documents is a threat to our nation. I don't expect you to understand that, since you are new to this country. I don't want to be run like Russia, Germany under Hitler, or any other corrupt and dangerous regime. Whether someone is trans or not don't affect my life one bit. IYes, you have seem obsessed with this subject, and my question was how it affects you and your family.
Not any more or less than you or others posting on this thread. I really don't care very much about this topic. Just amuses me how some from the left are obsessed with it.
I'd say the right politicians are obsessed with it. They go out of their ways to make stupid comments like kids using litter boxes and crap and are hell bent on making laws to tell parents and doctors what they can't do. They are obsessed with hate towards trans people. The left just wants people to quit telling others how to live their lives. They don't try and incite and recruit radical Christians, White Nationalists, and hate groups to join in on the bashing. Now you have politicians in the GOP saying they will make gay marriages illegal.
Do you agree on assault weapons bans? Do you agree with help for Veterans? Do you agree with affordable healthcare for all? Do you agree with hurricane relief for states that you don't live in? Do you agree with lowering costs of insulin? Just curious, because the majority of the GOP votes no on all of them. Actually, when it comes to helping most people in need they vote no. I know you didn't put into social security or medicare all your life like many Americans, but they want to take that away too. The whole new White Nationalist Christian stance is a bit disturbing to me as well. There shouldn't be a hierarchy based on race or religion, and certainly not made into law.
