Is anyone else finding being gender critical has affected their mental health?

Who would ever have guessed that one isolated forum board, ie MN, would be the only real outlet for pro science pro reality pro human and humanist views?

If you'd have told me that after the 70s as I broke the surface from the depths of religion to join the "real world" of science and logic based reality, entered the 90s where championing free speech was a badge of honour, the 00s where Billy Elliott represented the victory of gender non conforming individuals as accepted and celebrated, and a decade ago where equal marriage legislation was the apogee of the civil rights struggles from the 60s...to a decade later today, where we're reverting back to (neo) religious ways of thinking, gender non conforming is now gender stereotypes with impolite societal acceptance of irreversible changes, and gays at the height of victory of liberty over prejudice to not 5 minutes later be made invisible again...I would have said you were off your trolley...surely the likes of the left parties, the writers and artists, the philosophers and historians, the scientists and doctors, the journalists and ethicists, would not have given ground for even a moment.

And so here we are on MN, huddling around like we're the outliers, the revolutionaries, the aliens, the prejudiced, the illogicals, the anti humans.

What a world!

Yes I understand, Op and sending you much love and sympathy. Myself and my DH stick together with this as we have lost friends of many years because of this and are quite isolated because we could lose our jobs as well.(Captured public organisations). We are also in our social lives, in bands and without a doubt, have lost gigs and musical opportunities (I'm Scottish and have essentially been "blacklisted" from the scene so to speak because of my views). I do get down the more I read about much men hate us women. I think that is what I have taken from this horrible theory and movement. It makes me terrified for my children , especially my daughter. I have to take breaks from it often. Sometimes ,I go mad and go on a secret stickering session!😂 I think it is important to have breaks away from it all though . The likes of LOJ are so vile and nasty and seeing good women being vilified is horrible. So take breaks and come back to it ,fighting back stronger. Much love to you. You are not alone. There are so many good women with you.

I am so, so sorry. Is he young? I had phases of not talking to my father when I was younger, sometimes for a year or more - I always managed to find something, usually based in religion or politics and what I saw as his implacably dreadful views about a tonne of stuff.

I finally grew up in the late 1990s and we agreed to disagree on everything.

I've been to hell and back over the past year. My own child wants nothing to do with me because I don't agree that he is a woman and should therefore be accepted in all female spaces.

It's not a choice for me, I simply can't believe no matter how hard I try. There is no compromise with these people. You just have to let them go. It's very difficult.

Thanks, all. Luckily my prognosis is very good.

My God, this is beyond disappointing. Thankfully my CBT has been judgement free, and wholly supportive, practical and beneficial.
I would say don't give up, and seek a better experience. But if you've been burnt, maybe that won't happen.
I don't think I've seen a bigger example of group think/herd mentality/purity spirals in my lifetime, and after the toxic experience that has been Brexit since 2016, that's really saying something.

"NegevNights" that's terrible and although it makes sense that you'd never want to see then again, I would still complain as it sounds on the face of it like a clear breach of the Equality Act and for the NHS one, breach of their public sector equality duty.

They shouldn't be discriminating against you on the basis of your beliefs (per Forstater) - I would at least expect an apology and to be allocated a different 1:1 therapist. That's really awful and they should be supporting you, not discriminating against you. Jesus.

👆should say The NHS shouldn’t employ someone…

That’s awful! I think if you feel up to it, you should put in a complaint about the NHS psychotherapist who discriminated against you for a protected belief that was expressed in fucking therapy, for god’s sake. And get a copy of your patient notes with the justification that she used for cutting short your sessions. The NGS employ someone who thinks if you believe men aren’t women you need an “acceptance” intervention.

But since you are having treatment for cancer you most likely have enough on your plate. I’m sorry you were treated that way. Good luck with your treatment. 🌸💐

I’ve lost a friend of 25 years because I said I agreed with JKR’s first tweet. I was shocked how someone who knows me well over 25 years could just cut me off with zero discussion. Now I’m really cautious with friends and family. If they bring it up and their stance is twaw I’ll say what I think but in really vague terms like “I don’t really agree with that” but I avoid getting into any sort of debate. It’s a bit cowardly but I find it excruciatingly difficult to make friends and I just can’t afford to lose the few that I’ve got. I’d like to think that most of my friends and family would be happy to agree to disagree but this ideology seems to affect people in such an extreme way that it’s hard to know for certain until it’s too late.

Have I got this right NegevNights ? An NHS psychotherapist cut short your treatment as a patient with cancer because she wants you to accept the rights of men to invade your lesbian daughter's spaces? ?

Unbelievable that these people believe themselves to be "on the right side of history" while displaying the insight and empathy of Pol Pot. 😡

Well, the kind of "evidence" people have given me is that my lack of an inner sense of gender is proof that I have one(!) and that it must be so perfectly aligned with my biological sex, which is why I never notice it. This seems to be a the predominant view of non-trans people who identify themselves (and me) as "cis", and, from what I can work out seems to be what many people in my circles are basing their belief that they have a "cis gender identity" on.

I've also had trans people tell me that my lack of gender identity makes me "cis" as I'm so privileged I've never had to consider my gender identity as distinct from my body.

And then I've had trans gender ideologues tell me that my lack of an inner sense of gender identity definitely means that I'm agender.

And then I've had some non-binary people tell me that they, too, have a lack of an inner sense of gender identity and that it's clear to them that I'm non-binary.

So I'm not sure that talking things through with gender ideologues actually makes what they believe any clearer!

Perfectly put. 👏🏻💐

I would so love to meet someone who did believe in GI and was prepared to discuss it - unfortunately so far, it’s either been abuse or a tacit agreement to not talk about it for fear of upsetting them. As far as I can see, GC is the only position which makes any sense. I would generally want to test my position with robust debate, but sadly, that’s not an option here

I couldn't agree more.

One of my biggest "OMFG!"/epiphany moments was about a year ago reading a blog from a class based analysis socialist feminist who reduced TRA not to a cherished minority to be protected, but one of the most toxic mens rights moments of all time.

That socialism had all but lost its way with the fall of Berlin Wall, capitalism and globalism had won the Cold War, and socialism had to adapt or die.

It did one way via Tony Blair Third Way...and it did another via radical leftism embracing identarian and intersectional analysis.

And guess what one of the most toxic outcomes was? We're seeing it today. Women who were pretty much sidelined in the old leftist world (making the tea and sandwiches at union and Labour Party meets in the immediate post war period all way into 80s, looking after the extended family as the men put the capitalist world to rights, tending to the broken limbs after Orgreave etc), are sidelined again, as the "new" leftist men are in the ascendant, putting the trans minority at the top of the "to do" list, the women now not just relegated again to the kitchen, but relegated full stop as their identity is redefined and redrawn.

"A person who holds a 'gender critical' belief recognises women as adult human females and men as adult human males and that it is impossible for a person to change sex which is determined at conception. "

I don't understand how anyone can be anything other than GC. I'd have to question their intellect.

The mental health aspect of this and the harm that being bullied for one's philosophical or religious beliefs causes is presumably part of the reason these kinds of beliefs are a protected characteristic under the Equality Act - because it obviously has a negative effect to be bullied by people around you for not being a Christian or Muslim or labour-supporter or gender ideologue.

I think people will be less brazen in denouncing people who don't subscribe to gender ideology once companies stop it. And the companies will stop, because it's going to cost them otherwise.

Also, I find it helps to explain to people that I don't believe in gender ideology rather than that I am gender critical- it's not like I invented a new religion and then insisted to everyone around me that it's real. By saying I'm gender critical, it frames the whole thing as if I have converted to a new set of beliefs, when I did nothing of the sort.

I really find it helps a lot to think of it in terms of a belief system as it makes it so much easier to navigate, just as I would if a family member or friend converted to Buddhism or Islam. Or as if they've joined an MLM and are constantly pestering me to sign up under them.

It's certainly been a cause of confusion. Being a socialist I've always supported women's rights, minority rights gay rights and trans rights .

This last has never included believing that I can literally change sex by speaking some words or signing a form. Many socialists - and indeed liberals, conservatives - are convinced atheists.

Therefore I find it impossible to square Self ID , gendered souls etc with socialist principles. The goal of which after all is to improve the material conditions of the less well off. Not purify their souls or punish their sins in thought , word and deed.

It annoys me no end when people , often but not always Americans , claim gender ideology is some left wing campaign or movement. It is Possessive Individualism writ large.

Sometimes @BluebellBlueballs I disable FB and Twitter for a few weeks. I binned Reddit altogether. No great loss. Perhaps a break would help? 💐

We're witnessing a neo religion in the throes of formation. Does it get called out within the next decade and wither on the vine? Or does it get it's legs and evangelical energy expands?

To all those losing friendships, and family relationships, my heart goes out to you. But humans really do make the worst choices. And we on this side of the GC divide can't make exceptions for those too feeble to make the right decisions for themselves.

Hard as that is to experience.

It's understandable that we find our mental health affected as this ideology literally challenges reality. It could have been so different with everyone working together to accept and celebrate difference. Sadly it seems to have turned into a demand that everyone accepts lies, untruths and fantasies with an unforgivable assault on women's rights and child safeguarding.

Stay strong OP but step away and protect your mental health whenever necessary.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command". George Orwell.