Guardian Article from 2012 about gender (Comments fascinating)

[Menstrualcycledisplayteam]

I was reading back some of the articles that the Guardian's new agony aunt (Phillipa Perry) had written.

This one ( www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/23/gender-dysphoria-tyranny-of-normal ) dates from 2012. I thought her attitude and the comments were fascinating, particularly given the direction the Guardian has taken since.

That WAS interesting! Lots to digest, particularly in the comments

Now that’s fascinating, OP.

Writing about gender dysphoria in children, Perry hopes transsexualism will become more accepted and recommends validating children by doing whatever makes them feel comfortable. She suggests that puberty blockers might ease their path.

But all the comments I read, ranked in order of most-liked, were opposed to the sex-stereotyping that makes a child think s/he may be the wrong sex. They were calling for children to be allowed to grow out of these phases, or to express themselves as they liked without thinking they belong in the other gender.

The kind of sane, compassionate but sensible views I used to expect in Guardian readers and writers.

Very different now.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

Now that’s fascinating, OP.

Writing about gender dysphoria in children, Perry hopes transsexualism will become more accepted and recommends validating children by doing whatever makes them feel comfortable. She suggests that puberty blockers might ease their path.

But all the comments I read, ranked in order of most-liked, were opposed to the sex-stereotyping that makes a child think s/he may be the wrong sex. They were calling for children to be allowed to grow out of these phases, or to express themselves as they liked without thinking they belong in the other gender.

The kind of sane, compassionate but sensible views I used to expect in Guardian readers and writers.

Very different now.

That's exactly what I thought - really calling out the gender stereotyping that passes for diagnosis these days.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

Now that’s fascinating, OP.

Writing about gender dysphoria in children, Perry hopes transsexualism will become more accepted and recommends validating children by doing whatever makes them feel comfortable. She suggests that puberty blockers might ease their path.

But all the comments I read, ranked in order of most-liked, were opposed to the sex-stereotyping that makes a child think s/he may be the wrong sex. They were calling for children to be allowed to grow out of these phases, or to express themselves as they liked without thinking they belong in the other gender.

The kind of sane, compassionate but sensible views I used to expect in Guardian readers and writers.

Very different now.

Even Mermaids used to take a similar stance pre Susie Green takeover.

A careful, measured approach to child welfare didn't used to be derided. It was the default stance of most people.

I think even more recently than that, the bulk of readers took a similar view. It's part of why more and more articles didn't allow comments.

@SmokedDuck

I think even more recently than that, the bulk of readers took a similar view. It's part of why more and more articles didn't allow comments.

I wondered whether that might be the case.