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This book, “My Trans Teen Misadventure for Children. WTF???

114 replies

TheWorldisGoingMad · 07/03/2023 13:24

I know this post may offend and I'm sorry if it does. But I feel children need to be protected. If parents don't know what books may be in their school libraries, how do they counteract the information?

This book, “My Trans Teen Misadventure,” has been nominated for UK bookseller Waterstones Children’s Book Prize of 2023.

AIBU to think this is a dangerous book for children's mental health and body image. I find it seriously worrying that children have access to books like this from an early age. I feel sends a message to vulnerable girls that the answer to dis-ease in their bodies is irreversible medication and surgery.

OP posts:
Happylittlechicken · 07/03/2023 22:20

@GrammarTeacher what would you do if a girl came and told you she thought she was fat when she clearly wasn’t ? Affirmation, weight watchers and gastric band or gentle reassurance she wasn’t and follow up if you had any concerns?

lifeturnsonadime · 07/03/2023 22:20

RatSlave · 07/03/2023 22:07

It's Gay hysteria all over again and people on here are taking the roles their grandparents did "My child could catch the gay" has turned into "My child could catch the trans". History constantly repeats itself and it always seems that each generation thinks it's children incapable of thinking for themselves.

Gay children don't tend to have their bodies mutilated

Unless their homophobic parents have convinced them they must be trans.

Or they don't fit in to the 'gendered' ideal of what a girl or boy might be and are taught their body is wrong instead.

TheMarzipanDildo · 07/03/2023 22:59

RatSlave · 07/03/2023 22:07

It's Gay hysteria all over again and people on here are taking the roles their grandparents did "My child could catch the gay" has turned into "My child could catch the trans". History constantly repeats itself and it always seems that each generation thinks it's children incapable of thinking for themselves.

being gay doesn’t involve getting a double mastectomy at 16. Or getting your penis removed. Or taking experimental drugs. Or sterilisation.

Social contagion is a thing among teenagers. This is well known. But it wouldn’t really matter if a load of teens at a school decided they were gay and changed their minds later- sexuality is something that can be experimented with and discovered without anyone coming to harm. “Gender” is not.

Children are not “incapable of thinking for themselves” but you must admit that very few of us really know who we are at 14. Our brains aren’t fully developed and most of us do a lot of stupid shit.

AppleWax · 07/03/2023 23:40

If this had been around when I was younger I probably would have thought I was trans because
a) as an only child I was acutely aware that my parents may have wanted a boy b) I was a ‘tomboy’ climbing trees, grubbing about in the dirt, catching frogs etc. c) I had crushes on girls and boys with equal intensity d) I hated having a ‘woman’s’ body and was totally embarrassed at how it let me down (breast/period pains, hormonal fluctuations and irregular cycles) E) I thought being a boy would be easier and I’d be happier.

But around 16/17 my hormones started to settle and my cycles regulated. I began to realise that boys didn’t have it easier- they had their own adolescent problems to overcome and I began to feel more content with who I was - even though I didn’t want children or get married/settle down.

Then I married, had a child, divorced, became stronger, married and had another child in my 40s. This would have been denied to me if at 11/12/13 I had identified as ‘male’ and started hormone treatments and bodily mutilation like this book supports and promotes.

OMG12 · 08/03/2023 06:32

AppleWax · 07/03/2023 23:40

If this had been around when I was younger I probably would have thought I was trans because
a) as an only child I was acutely aware that my parents may have wanted a boy b) I was a ‘tomboy’ climbing trees, grubbing about in the dirt, catching frogs etc. c) I had crushes on girls and boys with equal intensity d) I hated having a ‘woman’s’ body and was totally embarrassed at how it let me down (breast/period pains, hormonal fluctuations and irregular cycles) E) I thought being a boy would be easier and I’d be happier.

But around 16/17 my hormones started to settle and my cycles regulated. I began to realise that boys didn’t have it easier- they had their own adolescent problems to overcome and I began to feel more content with who I was - even though I didn’t want children or get married/settle down.

Then I married, had a child, divorced, became stronger, married and had another child in my 40s. This would have been denied to me if at 11/12/13 I had identified as ‘male’ and started hormone treatments and bodily mutilation like this book supports and promotes.

Thanks for sharing, I think at least one of my friends would have been in the same position. I might have been too, although didn’t want to be a girl for different reasons, mainly being a bit of a second class citizen.

These are the kinds of stories teenage girls need to hear, not chop off your boobs, if your parents don’t understand come and talk to this man on a skirt holding his erect penis.

Im horrified at least one teacher on here thinks that’s a “fantastic” message. I am looking forward to the day when the people who push this on kids start to get their asses sued, it’s going to be PPI all over. “Did you go to school in the 2020s? Did you have stories of bodily mutilation pushed on you and normalised? Were past traumas and clearly presented mental health conditions covered up and neglected? Were you forced to read books which misinformed you about the use of drugs? Were you encouraged to ostracise your parents from conversations round your sex? If so claim now against your teacher and school”

if I was a teacher being forced to spout this harmful shit. I would be recording myself telling every class that this was an ideology I was forced to discuss and should be subject to careful critical thinking. I would ensure all my assets were protected. Actually I’d just leave the professionals my conscience wouldn’t allow me to collude in the sterilisation and grooming project

OneTC · 08/03/2023 09:16

If I'm honest I don't actually have much hope for the book but has anyone posting on here actually read it?

One of my favourite books is anti-racist in message but contains a page of hand drawn signs containing racist slurs and threats against the lives of PoC. If you picked that page and a couple's of passages as an example of the whole book then it would appear to be a book about racism.

I read the free preview part available on line and that particular panels seem extreme.

I just hate going off on something I haven't read because I think that behaviour is the preserve of morons.

OMG12 · 08/03/2023 14:51

OneTC · 08/03/2023 09:16

If I'm honest I don't actually have much hope for the book but has anyone posting on here actually read it?

One of my favourite books is anti-racist in message but contains a page of hand drawn signs containing racist slurs and threats against the lives of PoC. If you picked that page and a couple's of passages as an example of the whole book then it would appear to be a book about racism.

I read the free preview part available on line and that particular panels seem extreme.

I just hate going off on something I haven't read because I think that behaviour is the preserve of morons.

I’ve read the free kindle sample and it’s enough to gauge the tenor of the book. So far it’s clear, school is hell (literally covered in flames) mum is out of touch, popular girls are all hair swishes and snogging boys - these are the stereotypical girls, girls with brains are boring snd no one likes them.

Children know they’re trans from an early age. If you try and stick with your sex everyone thinks you’re the opposite sex anyway cos it’s that obvious. If you can’t be your true self it’s so bad you will wet yourself. I also don’t like the narrative of your future self coming back saying it will be fine - there’s no way we know this about an ideology which is still in experimental stage

FrostyFifi · 08/03/2023 14:58

If one were to extrapolate the message from that book to one about anorexia, the ending would be a celebration as the protoganist receives their longed-for bariatric surgery.

OneTC · 08/03/2023 15:02

Yeah like I said it's not really a message I agree with, if the message is as clear as the limited bit I've read seems to make it but at the same time I've been a lifelong reader and reader of comics and have read some very very subversive ideas when I was younger.

Comics, particularly teenage and young adult comics have always been pretty wtf, people that grew up reading early 2000AD, Crisis, Toxic, even more mainstream and non comic publications like NME and melody maker contained many elements that people would have been outraged by had they been more widely known but their niche place in the market protected them somewhat from censorship.

So yeah the GC part of me is saying yes keep it out of schools, the Brasseye-aware part of me feels more conflicted though

FrostyFifi · 08/03/2023 15:06

OneTC the panels I've seen read more like a religious comic aimed at teens though, one of those born-again Christian publications. Not subversive at all, just a crude, uncool indoctrination attempt.

slamfightbrightlight · 08/03/2023 15:30

OneTC · 08/03/2023 15:02

Yeah like I said it's not really a message I agree with, if the message is as clear as the limited bit I've read seems to make it but at the same time I've been a lifelong reader and reader of comics and have read some very very subversive ideas when I was younger.

Comics, particularly teenage and young adult comics have always been pretty wtf, people that grew up reading early 2000AD, Crisis, Toxic, even more mainstream and non comic publications like NME and melody maker contained many elements that people would have been outraged by had they been more widely known but their niche place in the market protected them somewhat from censorship.

So yeah the GC part of me is saying yes keep it out of schools, the Brasseye-aware part of me feels more conflicted though

I don’t think the NME or MM were ever explicitly endorsing any of the controversial things they published though. I guess the one that stands out most for me was Richey Edwards “4Real” self-harm, which NME did publish photos of. But while there was a portion of MSP fans who do seem to have fixated on self-harming behaviour, it’s pretty clear most others involved were horrified by it. Steve Lamacq’s recollections of the event and after are here. I think there’s a difference between reporting, warts and all, and endorsing a fantasy version of reality stripping out the complications in the way this graphic novel appears to (I also haven’t read it but haven’t heard anyone refer to any pages talking about complications from surgery or cross sex hormones, for example).

Mommymoments · 22/03/2023 17:20

This is shocking. The big pharmaceutical companies are beind alot of the trans groups. Once a child or adult is on transitioning hormones they're on them for life. Huge money to be made not to mention the surgery side of things.

ProbablyDogNappersHunX · 22/03/2023 17:48

Mommymoments · 22/03/2023 17:20

This is shocking. The big pharmaceutical companies are beind alot of the trans groups. Once a child or adult is on transitioning hormones they're on them for life. Huge money to be made not to mention the surgery side of things.

Bullshit.

I just went and looked up the NHS cost comparison charts for oestrogen. The amount spent for a 28 day supply of oestrogen varies from £1.19 to £10.93.

Even if you assume someone takes it for the next 60 years, that's approx £928 for a lifetime supply of the cheapest option.

By comparison, Zolgensma costs the NHS £1.79 million per dose.

This is a baseless conspiracy theory. If drug companies were shilling for extra money, they'd be putting their efforts into shifting more expensive drugs than estrogen.

This book, “My Trans Teen Misadventure for Children. WTF???
Mommymoments · 22/03/2023 17:53

Well the more that are brainwashed the more money they make hence the big trans cults out there & governments trying to bring it into primary schools. What's the agenda if its not money?

lifeturnsonadime · 22/03/2023 17:58

ProbablyDogNappersHunX · 22/03/2023 17:48

Bullshit.

I just went and looked up the NHS cost comparison charts for oestrogen. The amount spent for a 28 day supply of oestrogen varies from £1.19 to £10.93.

Even if you assume someone takes it for the next 60 years, that's approx £928 for a lifetime supply of the cheapest option.

By comparison, Zolgensma costs the NHS £1.79 million per dose.

This is a baseless conspiracy theory. If drug companies were shilling for extra money, they'd be putting their efforts into shifting more expensive drugs than estrogen.

And that's your take rather than horror that children are being brainwashed into believing you can be born in the wrong body, into believing mutilating surgeries and a lifetime of drugs is the answer?

Rather than saying that they are perfect the way they are and that it is impossible to change sex.

ProfessorFusspot · 22/03/2023 20:03

ProbablyDogNappersHunX · 22/03/2023 17:48

Bullshit.

I just went and looked up the NHS cost comparison charts for oestrogen. The amount spent for a 28 day supply of oestrogen varies from £1.19 to £10.93.

Even if you assume someone takes it for the next 60 years, that's approx £928 for a lifetime supply of the cheapest option.

By comparison, Zolgensma costs the NHS £1.79 million per dose.

This is a baseless conspiracy theory. If drug companies were shilling for extra money, they'd be putting their efforts into shifting more expensive drugs than estrogen.

Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy isn't the same regime as Hormone Replacement Therapy. It's typically a cocktail of drugs carefully calibrated to enhance the visible characteristics of the target sex, reduce the visible characteristics of the original (birth, biological) sex, and mitigate undesirable or unexpected impacts. The effects of testosterone and estrogen are very different depending on whether they're applied to a body that has been producing them since puberty and now has depleted levels (e.g., at menopause) vs a body that has never produced them. And the level of knowledge about cross-sex hormone use is far lower than about same-sex; many treatements are still experimental and there is big money in research.

As part of a full transition, a hormone regime is carefully monitored and adjusted, initially at least month to month. The raw materials are typically quite inexpensive (could be as low as $30-50/month* for everything you need); it's the ongoing expertise and damage control that costs. There's a lot of money in insurance coverage as well, for those who can afford it. Unfortunately, some transitioners forgo a lot of this, especially in countries where many people don't have medical coverage or it doesn't cover this type of treatment or they're too young to access it, and use grey market drugs/DIY.

There's major money in cosmetic surgeries, and often the total cost there will include lengthy consultations, hospital stays, anaesthetics, medication, etc. in addition to the actual procedure. Your basic penile inversion currently runs around $140K plus another $30K+ if you want a facsimile clitoris. The standard surgery for women wanting to transition to male is only about $125K but does not result in sexually functional results. So again, more huge money is in research - a new method which MIGHT achieve functionality for FTM has been proposed but the price tag is something like $1 million per operation.

But these are the rarer surgeries, at least for MTF transitioners - supposedly in the UK, only 10% of the applicants for a GRC have had Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) of any kind. Breast reductions, mastectomies, and breast augmentations are a lot more common, as well as all kinds of cosmetic surgeries like facial feminisation/masculinisation, narrowing or widening of hands and feet, sculpting of various areas of the body (similar to cosmetic surgeries available to anyone, but in this case with a specific goal of superficial masculinisation or feminisation).

There's also, of course, a big market in selling a completely new wardrobe, accessories, personal care, cosmetics, etc. to someone who (1) is convinced that a new "appearance" is needed and (2) is insecure and sometimes even frightened about being identified as trans, or as the original rather than the target sex. Not throwing shade here, but crossdressers (whether or not they consider themselves "trans", although Stonewall UK says all crossdressers are) have historically been notoriously attractive customers for retailers because the element of secrecy meant one single customer might buy and dispose of a new outfit and "look" on a weekly basis or even more often. Hair is another big one, whether its removal of facial and body hair and often the need to cover up male-pattern baldness for MTF transitioners, or the encouragement of facial and body hair if FTM. You get the idea - anyway, it's not just estrogen!

*My numbers are USD, sorry - the current mid-market rate is 1 USD = 0.84 GBP if anyone cares to convert.

Mommymoments · 22/03/2023 20:34

@ProfessorFusspot fantastic post. There's many companies profiting from the trans agenda.

ALLJ · 20/09/2023 13:16

Because it's not aimed at young girls, it's aimed at trans boys who are teenagers, not children teenagers.

Maybe read the actual book instead of just looking at this one page.

nothingcomestonothing · 20/09/2023 13:42

ALLJ · 20/09/2023 13:16

Because it's not aimed at young girls, it's aimed at trans boys who are teenagers, not children teenagers.

Maybe read the actual book instead of just looking at this one page.

Please define a trans boy?

OMG12 · 21/09/2023 18:02

nothingcomestonothing · 20/09/2023 13:42

Please define a trans boy?

Presumably teenage girls who for some reason consider they are boys despite their sex remaining female.

nothingcomestonothing · 21/09/2023 19:25

OMG12 · 21/09/2023 18:02

Presumably teenage girls who for some reason consider they are boys despite their sex remaining female.

Well that's confusing as PP said it's not aimed at girls Confused so I was hoping they were going to explain what a trans boy is and how they are not girls...

OMG12 · 21/09/2023 19:49

nothingcomestonothing · 21/09/2023 19:25

Well that's confusing as PP said it's not aimed at girls Confused so I was hoping they were going to explain what a trans boy is and how they are not girls...

I doubt they can without getting into somrOlympic gold medal gymnastics. So thought I’d clarify what a trans boy is to help them out.

WhichOfThePickwickTripletsDidIt · 22/09/2023 08:41

The argument that people who dislike this toxic, sexist, stereotype-pushing crap are the equivalent of homophobes from earlier generations is so obviously backwards, and yet it gets reiterated again and again and again.

Bottom of the barrel stuff.

DisappearingGirl · 22/09/2023 11:05

If this was a book about a teenage female saying I felt different, I struggled to accept my body, I didn't like girly stuff, and if you're like me that's okay - I would be okay with the book I think.

However a book for teens saying if you don't feel feminine then it's a good idea to have a double mastectomy and lifelong hormones - I am not okay with this.

StephanieSuperpowers · 22/09/2023 11:37

DisappearingGirl · 22/09/2023 11:05

If this was a book about a teenage female saying I felt different, I struggled to accept my body, I didn't like girly stuff, and if you're like me that's okay - I would be okay with the book I think.

However a book for teens saying if you don't feel feminine then it's a good idea to have a double mastectomy and lifelong hormones - I am not okay with this.

Indeed. And I'm dismayed that teachers think that it's appropriate to fling this stuff around. There are children who might be on that pathway and might find it helpful, but if there are, it should be their therapist that recommends such a book to them, not a teacher who is just not qualified in this area.

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