To think that the majority of trans people are neurodivergent

Where do you see that? Who is doing the persuading? And how?

Mermaids and Stonewall where very active in the 'if your not comfortable in your body you must be trans' (paraphrased) towards teenagers.

I work with disabled kids and you’d be stunned at the number of these kids with a trans sibling.

I think some of those trans siblings are screaming out for attention and care they’re seeing their disabled sibling get.

it’s terribly sad and I can’t help but think those trans siblings have had to sacrifice an awful lot, be forced to be carers and accept mum and dad won’t be able to attend to their needs like they should.

And why can't we tell adolescents:

'It is NORMAL that you don't know who you are or where you fit in yet. It is NORMAL that you don't really like your body or feel comfortable in it. It is NORMAL that social situations are sometimes bloody awkward and hard work... this is adolescence. It isn't forever and it doesn't mean you wish you were born with or without various body parts.'

It's also normal for teenage girls to be horrified by their developing body and wish it wasn't happening. I remember that feeling well.

Mmm... I am in possibly an unusual position for this forum, in that I know a lot of trans people younger than me, and a fair number of my age or older.

Of the older ones (40's and up)... I'd say around 50/50 split between those clearly ND (not mentally ill...) and those not.

Of the young uns - every single one identifies as ASD. Most have also some form of mental health issues they publically discuss.

I do think theres something in that. Whilst I do believe a small number of people are genuinely born with a male brain in a female body/vice versa... I do not believe the numbers we're seeing now, are that.

I think it's a response to having a ND brain in a world that doesn't really suit that, in a world that increasingly demands us to be switched on, tuned in, doing a million things at once with zero let up from social pressure... to find our niche, be our authentic selves, find a solution and a label for everyfuckinthing...

And why can't we tell adolescents:

'It is NORMAL that you don't know who you are or where you fit in yet. It is NORMAL that you don't really like your body or feel comfortable in it. It is NORMAL that social situations are sometimes bloody awkward and hard work... this is adolescence. It isn't forever and it doesn't mean you wish you were born with or without various body parts.'

Exactly this

so-people can describe themselves how they like 1001%

BUT

they can't police how other people describe them'
right?

What has caused the sudden explosion of people "identifying as trans" though? If there's a genetic or otherwise biological aspect then why now? What's different now with genetics and biology that wasn't happening 50 years ago?

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/gGM1Dbzt1XD5nSut/

I find this very moving and sad.

@HermioneWeasley that's really interesting and I did not realise that. Thankyou

Exactly. It’s a homophobic slur being appropriated by straight people for their own benefit - claiming a victim hood and oppression that isn’t theirs.

Yes, I am aware of that 🤦‍♀️

Gay is certainly used as a derogatory term locally to me now by teenagers, and it was in the 90s too. Anything pink was referred to as "the gay pink..."

The idea of trans being a form of ND is something I’ve wondered about for a while

(I’ve always thought of that syndrome where people have a limb which for some reason is not integrated into their physical sense of self, and so they wish to amputate it – I don’t understand how either thing feels, but have wondered if there are similarities in terms of the experience and the underlying origins, i.e. that there is a neurological aspect to it, perhaps related to in utero exposure to hormones.)

@FrippEnos yes good point. Happiness and satisfaction is also difficult to objectively measure.

There has been a 4000% increase in recent years of teenage girls identifying as trans. If there was an inescapable biological cause then thousands of middle aged women would be coming out as trans now that society is more accepting. But that isn’t happening. Late transitioners are almost always male.

and there is no evidence that medical or surgical transition leads to better mental health outcomes and some evidence that it makes them worse.

Quite. Whereas it is often used in academic literature, for instance.

How many that are genuinely happy being trans are the same as those that say they are genuinely happy, yet are massively depressed?

Are these the same people that use the term "trans euphoria"?

Not said that - My post literally says, Cambridge dictionary recognises is in a positive way but acknowledges some are still offended by it.

Probably generational then. Words shift meaning through the generations

I think it's the term of choice for anyone whose partner identifies as gender diverse.

E.g. a heterosexual person whose partner is the opposite sex to them might feel they cannot use the word heterosexual of themselves because that would invalidate the gender identity of their partner, if that partner doesn't want to be thought of as belonging to their birth sex?

I don't imagine anyone who uses it positively has had traumatic experiences of bullying and worse using the word against them. It doesn't have the same status as the N word being reclaimed by some black people - if it was we would be saying "the Q word" and it would be offensive coming out of the mouth of anyone not claiming it for themselves.

It's clear this is partly a generational thing.

"Gay" was a really derogatory term at school in the 90s. I don't remember queer being used at all, in any sense, when I was a teen.

I appreciate queer has a traumatic resonance with an older generation. It's not a word my generation use at all, either way. But it has clearly been coopted in a new sense by a younger generation.

That's not the point I was making however. She can describe herself how she likes. But silence from others should not be interpreted as no one having a problem with a word that has an extremely painful history for many older gay and lesbian people.

Why are people alking about how "inclusive" their workplace is and how colleagues introduce themselves as queer?
I'd be quite confused if you introduced yourself as queer to me. What happened to "hello"?

I do not support medical or hormonal transition in children in any way. It's messed up. Adults - I don't know, but I see the problem. I'm unaware on rates on detransition.

Does anyone feel there may be the possibility there is a biological component at play? Something we have not yet discovered? Or do you feel that the statistics wouldn't support that? Have people possibly always felt this way in the past yet they didn't have the means or social/ medical opportunity available before recent times?

Some people seem to me genuinely happy and fulfilled having transitioned