Childline using 'cis'

[Albadross]

Well, this is disappointing

Wow! This is like an advert for taking hormones and seems to encourage all young people to be trans rather than offering support to young people dealing with a really complex issue during a tough life phase.

Let me guess, GIRES and Mermaids advised?

I've only got halfway through but this is horrendous. I have nothing against the people in it, nor any wish to attack them, but it's so potentially damaging, especially given this is a Childline video. The line "I grew up with two older brothers...playing with toy soldiers, the kind of things most little boys do, but at the same time I felt I was female" is just infuriating. How on Earth can people not see how this is so regressive and cementing the artificial division between what's deemed "feminine" and "masculine"?

I hope the two interviewed in that are happy and that I'm not oversimplifying this, but isn't this kind of thing just encouraging any child who doesn't conform to what they're "supposed" to like as a girl or boy to feel they're trans?

[not female] honest i think this is a great video, gives good advice and the guy Alex is a quite popular youtuber who has documented his transition on youtube and has recently had top surgery, and i must say he has helped so many of his followers this is a good thing. link if you wish to see www.youtube.com/user/TheRealJazzBertie

I thought that was well presented and interesting -,they all came across well. Only issue was that it was too positive and made it seem like transitioning was no big thing and everything would be hunkydory when there is a lot more to it and a lot more negatives. It was all a bit sanitary considering all the negatives like suicide, murder, homelessness, prejudice, difficulty finding partners and jobs etc.

Top surgery, you mean a double mastectomy? Top surgery makes it sound like getting braces or something.

It's not such a bad video. It doesn't say that you need to take hormones or blockers. (though it doesn't mention any possible side effects of these either).

What I find very sad is that Alex and their partner Jake (who is also a youtuber) are having such radical and irreversible procedures as part of their transition - and at what appears to be quite a young age. Alex has had a double mastectomy. Jake who is a musician has lost their vocal range as a result of testosterone.

They are very lucky to have found each other and I hope they both continue to be able to find partners who are accepting of their trans identities and bodies. But (possibly they would both hate me saying this) they come across as lesbian, and remind me of so many young lesbians I have known. And it seems a shame to me that they have not felt this was an option for them.

I just felt it made it all sound a bit too easy. I would've liked to hear more about why Alex felt he wasn't female if, as he said, it wasn't about stereotypical things like toys. And why he felt he had to go overboard to 'prove' himself. Why is that necessary if it's not about gender stereotypes?

I don't think Childline should be using terms like cis - it makes it sound like it's a friendly accepted term.

Childline also have another video on that page with the notorious Mermaids-linked homophobe Fox Fisher featuring, though they appear to have removed Mermaids itself as one of the resources they used to link to.