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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Dd ran away to be with trans lover and refuses to return

990 replies

Moomoola · 11/01/2023 08:15

Hi, I was posting in the teens section and got some good ad vice and a suggestion that I post here.
here’s a link to that thread www.mumsnet.com/talk/teenagers/4699011-sil-cancelled-visit-as-our-dd-wants-to-be-a-man?page=1
im using ‘dd’and ‘she’ to keep things simple.
basically dd at 15 decided she was trans and I took her to get some boys clothes and didn’t pay it enough attention. To my naive mind it’s not (or wasn’t ) an issue.
Shes now 17 and started to date a girl ( x) who is 17, who’s parents paid for male hormones since 15. That was some concern as obv. X will have been through a lot. Dd mentioned that x has some mental struggles, the mum hides vodka. Dd is pretty naive, has had a few challenges and can be gullible.
in the last 3 months dd was clearly struggling.
just befor Xmas I made her a cuppa and she had vanished. We tracked her down to x house which she refused to leave. It was ibvioly coordinated as there was a lot of phone alerts and the dad had obviously come to collect her.
I asked the mum to send her back as it was Xmas day and we were concerned. I get a text back from dd saying the mum doesn’t want to be involved and why did I deadname her.
The mum obviously didn’t need to show the text to dd. There are other red flags that the mum is stirring. We got texts from dd saying we are abusive transphobes. If we try and talk rationally that’s conversion therapy. We are concerned that dd is being encouraged to write these. The grammar is sometimes too good to be dds. Any ‘friendly’ texts seem to be late at night. Though I may be overthinking that.
live managed to see dd twice so at least we are talking, but it’s as if dd is hardening herself from us. She has decided to live with x and her mum and is in love and considering top surgery as she has dysmorphia. At least she is still going to school.
we registered it with the police who said this is happening a lot and it’s a pattern.
we are not concerned about the trans thing as such, though obviously that’s part of it, we are very concerned that since dating x, a seemingly happy dd got increasingly depressed and convinced we were transphobic to the point that she had to run to xs house where she feels supported, and we feel she is being love bombed, isolated from us and coerced into thinking she also needs hormones etc.
we are getting nowhere. I seem to be living in a dystopian world where everyone has fake smiles and suggests we call her by her new name and everything will be marvellous.
live contacted Bayswater group, and I’m posting here as suggested by a pp in case anyone can suggest anything else I can do. For dd but also Dh and ds. Dh obviously distraught the more he reads and ds is spending more and more time alone on his phone.
Many thanks.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
38
BreatheAndFocus · 22/01/2023 09:16

Moomoola · 21/01/2023 09:11

I thought I had, but as soon as the partner returned I got a text cancelling.

So now you know for sure that’s she’s being pressured and manipulated. It also suggests the partner feels insecure - they’re afraid your DD might see the light and go back to you.

Could you strategically send a text close enough to a meet-up at a time and send the text when you know the partner won’t be there? Make it a brief meet-up, say nothing about gender or her partner or family, keep it very light and friendly.

ScrollingLeaves · 22/01/2023 08:54

IcakedefargeIam · Today 01:06
The NSPCC are still signposting Mermaids!?

It's a war not a battle. Perhaps keep sending her affectionate texts, nothing to do with trans. Stuff that keeps her connected to the family. In jokes, stupid/ funny stuff dad/sibling/pet have done. Should you buy this top, this nail varnish. Not too OTT. Does she have ideas for ? birthday? The daffs coming up in the garden. Just....chat.

This is very good advice, I think. This is your treading water to keep afloat and hoping DD will do the same

Then don’t try swimming to shore against the tide (the deadly mother, the deadly girlfriend). Try getting back diagonally bit by bit. ( Keep sending neutral, pleasant messages. Offer little tempting outings. Doing nice things with others that she might think she’s missing out on. But don’t say anything overt about the mother and girlfriend.)

Delphinium20 · 22/01/2023 04:13

Moomoola · 21/01/2023 11:08

www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/media/2892/tnq-coming-out-e-use.pdf

just for interest. And I think how casually medical transition is mentioned is somewhat erm, well.

Not once, in this sea of definitions and guidance is "gender" ever defined.

IcakedefargeIam · 22/01/2023 01:06

The NSPCC are still signposting Mermaids!?

It's a war not a battle. Perhaps keep sending her affectionate texts, nothing to do with trans. Stuff that keeps her connected to the family. In jokes, stupid/ funny stuff dad/sibling/pet have done. Should you buy this top, this nail varnish. Not too OTT. Does she have ideas for ? birthday? The daffs coming up in the garden. Just....chat.

Moomoola · 22/01/2023 00:08

Yes, called the nspcc who suggested I talk to mermaids.
hope so. Could early do with specialised advice on how to deal with the odd text.

OP posts:
BearingFalseWitness · 21/01/2023 19:56

Is it possible to meet other parents through the group for support?

Thelnebriati · 21/01/2023 12:32

Ideally you should be able to talk to the NSPCC, but they've been captured.

Moomoola · 21/01/2023 11:53

Yes, I think you’re right. Have been looking it up.

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 21/01/2023 11:26

I thought I had, but as soon as the partner returned I got a text cancelling.

Isn't that evidence of pressure, which supports your claim she is being coerced or groomed? I think you should talk to a solicitor.

Moomoola · 21/01/2023 11:08

www.lgbtyouth.org.uk/media/2892/tnq-coming-out-e-use.pdf

just for interest. And I think how casually medical transition is mentioned is somewhat erm, well.

OP posts:
Moomoola · 21/01/2023 11:04

www.bayswatersupport.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Safeguarding-trans-identified-children-and-adolescents-V1.1-master-1-1.pdf

a very well written leaflet, may be of use to someone. X

OP posts:
Moomoola · 21/01/2023 09:11

I thought I had, but as soon as the partner returned I got a text cancelling.

OP posts:
BearingFalseWitness · 21/01/2023 00:28

Can you tempt her out by doing something she really enjoys?

Moomoola · 21/01/2023 00:18

bearingfalse eloquently put. It's a horrible phrase. So agressive and different to ' change your name'.
DD agreed to see me and seemed happy about it... 2 hours later she has changed her mind. Coincidentally When the partner got back home.
DD seems to think it's a great idea to cut off her mates, cut off school, cut off us and get a crap job. She needs to ' work stuff through for herself.' I'd love to ask her if she's sure that's what she's doing.
Doesn't really sound like it.
Thanks all.

OP posts:
BearingFalseWitness · 20/01/2023 22:53

The name your parents lovingly chose for you is never your “deadname”. This is dangerous language as it implies that somehow who you were before you changed your name was totally different and now that identity and by extension your family are dead to you.

Some families are abusive but the majority are not and want the best for their child. They will be the people that are still here no matter what, even if teens and young adults want to treat them as an enemy.

Even the language used alienates a child from their loving family.

Moomoola · 20/01/2023 20:59

Hello, thanks all!
just to clarify, dd is 17. As pointed out, I’m calling her dd on here to keep things simple. I find talking and writing using they/them gets confusing quite quickly, especially if you are talking about more than one person who is also they/them/him, but a natal female.

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 20/01/2023 16:09

Please no one report that 'transphobic' comment. We're always being accused of transphobia, it would be useful to have some examples of what is considered to be transphobic.

TheClogLady · 20/01/2023 13:48

Highdaysandholidays1 · 20/01/2023 13:42

If you are concerned your child is being groomed, but the police deem it not a crime, then the best option is to keep your child close to you and bonded with their original family. If you use the name they are no longer known as this will alienate them further. Be clever, OP, don't set yourself up as the enemy, but as part of the solution.

Talking about the situation and directly addressing your (young adult) child are two different situations though!

I find a childhood nickname has the best effect in calling a wayward adolescent’s mind back to a happy/bonded time, whilst not consolidating/condoning the new cross sex identity nor pushing them away by using their dreaded ‘deadname’.

obvs this is a personal approach and other families may prefer other variations.

ScrollingLeaves · 20/01/2023 13:46

The OP is talking in private here on this site about her reality based in the experience of her own body and physiology. This is that she is the mother of a female child whom she gave birth to and whom she loves.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 20/01/2023 13:42

If you are concerned your child is being groomed, but the police deem it not a crime, then the best option is to keep your child close to you and bonded with their original family. If you use the name they are no longer known as this will alienate them further. Be clever, OP, don't set yourself up as the enemy, but as part of the solution.

lifeturnsonadime · 20/01/2023 13:35

Witlof · 20/01/2023 09:23

You do sound transphobe. Deadname, calling the kid daughter etc.

Why are you more concerned about pronouns than the safety of a child who is being groomed?

TheClogLady · 20/01/2023 12:34

Witlof · 20/01/2023 09:23

You do sound transphobe. Deadname, calling the kid daughter etc.

If you expand the definition of ‘transphobic’ to include ‘mother talking about the material reality of the female child she gave birth to’ then sure, ok, OP is a transphobe.

Meanwhile, over here on planet normal, OP is a woman who is talking frankly and openly about her own situation.

So in this context, on this thread, you calling op a transphobe surely makes you a motherphobe?

Besides, how can OP be deadnaming when no names are being mentioned at all?
Weird.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 20/01/2023 12:27

At 17, children can leave home and live away from their parents, though it's a bit ambiguous, as they retain some 'parental responsibility' but you can't force a 17 year old home legally, though social service may support a 16-18 year old if they have nowhere to live.

A 16 year old can also travel without parental permission, I have looked this up, this is the case in the UK but not in other countries.

So, you and the police can only do what is legal, not what is desirable. That's why softer approaches such as keeping someone part of your family even when they leave are better- even if you got her back at 17, she will be 18 very shortly and may choose never to speak to you again.

16/17 year olds hold a lot of cards, sometimes more than you think.

FaceLikeCattle · 20/01/2023 11:09

Witlof · 20/01/2023 09:23

You do sound transphobe. Deadname, calling the kid daughter etc.

But the kid is her daughter. When a woman gives birth to a baby girl, that baby is her daughter. Such a basic fact has been around since the beginning of time. The kid might not want to be a girl but you can't expect the mum to go along with this and now pretend that she has a son instead. There's only so much we can indulge our kids before we are forced to say, "look, I love you but I can't bend reality to appease you".

Witlof · 20/01/2023 09:23

You do sound transphobe. Deadname, calling the kid daughter etc.