I received a question today from someone who didn’t know how to address a friend’s Facebook post celebrating transgenderism. The truth is, most people who promote these things are interested in doing the loving thing. They’re just wrong about what the loving thing to do is.
Consider this excerpt from the article “Here’s What Parents of Transgender Kids Need To Know” by Walt Heyer:
Studies indicate that two-thirds of transgenders suffer from multiple disorders at the same time, or comorbidity. The top three disorders evidenced in transgenders are depression (33 percent), specific phobia (20 percent) and adjustment disorder (15 percent). A child who states a desire to identify as the opposite sex has a two-thirds chance of having a co-existing disorder….
Your child needs psychiatric or psychological help, not a change of wardrobe or hairstyle. Anyone working with a transgender needs to look for, and treat, comorbid disorders. Biologically, it is impossible for a doctor to change a boy into a girl, no matter how much surgery is performed or how many hormones are administered. I know; they tried it on me.
I came into this world a boy. Starting in early childhood, I frequently cross-dressed as a girl. I thought I was born in the wrong body. A nationally-prominent PhD diagnosed me as a transgender with gender dysphoria. Eventually, I underwent the full recommended hormone therapy and the gender reassignment surgery and became the female Laura Jensen. I lived and worked successfully as a female transgender in San Francisco for several years until I was diagnosed with my own comorbid disorder.
With proper diagnosis and treatment with psychotherapy, I found the sanity and healing gender change could not provide. Trangenderism was my outward expression of an undiagnosed comorbid disorder, and gender-change surgery was never necessary. I detransitioned and returned to my male gender, like so many others do who regret changing genders….
As a child transgender myself, I can tell you I needed help. I did not need to dress as a girl at home and at school, with all the stress that would have brought. There is no doubt in my mind that if I would have been encouraged to go off to school dressed up as a female it would have escalated my anxiety and deepened my depression and my desire to commit suicide.
I suggested to the person asking me the question that he respond to his Facebook friend with something like this: "I really appreciate your desire to be gracious and help people. That’s a great motivation, and I share that with you. Since we both want to help transgender people, here’s my question for you: Hypothetically, if it were the case that people are actually harmed by denying their biological gender, would you still encourage them to do so?"
I think that’s a good way to move the conversation away from the fruitless “you hate them, but I love them” debate and onto the only question that matters: What will actually help them?
Here are a few more relevant links:
- Transgender Surgery Isn't the Solution – “When children who reported transgender feelings were tracked without medical or surgical treatment at both Vanderbilt University and London's Portman Clinic, 70%-80% of them spontaneously lost those feelings.”
- Don't Assume We Should Change the Body to Match the Mind
- Trouble in Transtopia: Murmers of Sex Change Regret
This is really good!
Posted by: Lucia | February 13, 2015 at 06:42 PM
This was very insightful.
Posted by: Jerome Danner | February 13, 2015 at 08:07 PM
I read Walt Heyer's books. He's got an amazing story. Unfortunately, the "pro-trans" side (I'm not sure if there's a better term) dismiss everything he says because he wasn't "really" transgender. Believe me, I've been around and around with folks on this. It's maddening.
But I am glad to see this issue being dealt with. Now that homosexuality has been completely mainstreamed, this is the new "in" thing to promote. It's everywhere, it's only getting worse, and it's being promoted regarding children even younger than five.
It's horrifying!
Posted by: Mo | February 13, 2015 at 09:38 PM
Mo, transgenderism exists because of homophobia, as many professionals have sought to "fix homosexuals."
Posted by: Jaqueline | February 14, 2015 at 05:57 AM
I believe these children need help .I know that Children from time to time throughout have devotion to each sex and if you focus on this time in a child's life you can do unfixable damage. So leave children alone and basically teach them right from wrong and they will be fine focus on things that are a phase and yo will cause
irreparable damage. Trans gender is a condition not a fact of life these children need help but not congradulations.
Posted by: Sharon Campbell | February 14, 2015 at 06:54 AM
@Jaqueline: you make the statement that "transgenderism exists because of homophobia"; would you show us where you got that information.
Thank you.
Posted by: Carolyn | February 14, 2015 at 01:22 PM
Amy: that is a really insightful and helpful question to ask. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Posted by: Carolyn | February 14, 2015 at 01:23 PM
@ Jaqueline
"Mo, transgenderism exists because of homophobia, as many professionals have sought to "fix homosexuals."
"Homophobia" is a made up term used to bully and silence anyone who dares disagree with or speak the truth about homosexuality and anything relating to it. (Such as same-sex "marriage".)
Can you show me the evidence of people speaking out on these issues because they are "afraid" of homosexuals or homosexuality?
Unless, of course, they are afraid of being labeled a bigot, having their personal information leaked, losing their jobs, or having their business sued. That's worth fearing, don't you agree?
Aside from that, can you tell me your source for this claim?
Posted by: Mo | February 18, 2015 at 04:12 PM