Guardian long read by Shon Faye about trans children

[Booboobadoo]

I couldn't find a thread about this already, thought would add:
www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/24/shaky-acceptance-transgender-kids-families-fight-for-inclusion?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

In this context, “denied access to healthcare” seems to mean “is not granted immediate access to elective cosmetic surgical procedures on the NHS”.

Welcome to NHS waiting lists. And the concept that surgery to treat acute medical conditions are sometimes higher up the priority list.

I know just two people who were able to undergo surgery in early 2020 lockdown, and one of those was a transman having elective procedures. They’ve had multiple elective ops over the last few years, all on the NHS. ‘Healthcare’, even under the specific TRA definition, is definitely being made available.

Why do they need 'healthcare' for something that is not a medical condition according to them?

Two people who had any kind of surgery in that early pandemic period, I mean. The other was an emergency ambulance admission for life saving heart surgery.

@Tibtom

Why do they need 'healthcare' for something that is not a medical condition according to them?

Just copying a comment I made on another thread in answer to a similar question.

You'll never get an answer to that. It's one of those unanswerable questions along with: why do children need treatment at puberty if they identify as trans, but it's OK for an adult male who identifies as trans to have no medical treatment and just declare that his penis is now a female organ?

Is there any evidence about early affirmation having an effect on dysphoria at puberty?

If you're affirmed as the opposite sex from an early age, would it make it even more distressing when your body starts developing in a way that makes that identity suddenly further away?

Yes that’s a great point PermanentTemporary

If as a kid you’re told yes, you ARE the opposite sex and it’s so amazing, and you are affirmed and convinced of such from a young age, there will be even less resilience to deal with the reality of their actual puberty.

This is such a missing piece of their treatment, grounding it in reality.

“Yes you feel like a girl, but you realise you can’t actually be a girl? We can help you accept that reality.”

“Yes the thought of puberty distresses you, but you realise it can’t be avoided if you want to be healthy as an adult? We can help you accept that reality.”

Adults who help children deny such realities should be ashamed of themselves.

This is the reason why they are determined it is not a medical condition, not like body dysmorphia. Because for that treatment is ERP which has been shown to be effective, and the last thing you should be doing is accommodation (affirming) it. Accommodating BDD just makes it worse. Same with OCD. They are desparate to separate Gender dysphoria from these conditions because their is effective treatment.

What's ERP Tibtom?

@PermanentTemporary

What's ERP Tibtom?

Exposure Response Prevention, commonly referred to as ERP, is a therapy that encourages you to face your fears and let obsessive thoughts occur without ‘putting them right’ or ‘neutralising’ them with compulsions.

Exposure therapy starts with confronting items and situations that cause anxiety, but anxiety that you feel able to tolerate. After the first few times, you will find your anxiety does not climb as high and does not last as long. You will then move on to more difficult exposure exercises.

I thought it was the least well argued bit of diatribe I’ve read in ages.

As a mum of gender non conforming children who are totally fine as the sex they are whilst enjoying some stereotypical opposite gendered toys/clothes etc I’m constantly prettified someone will decide to plant a stupid idea in their heads. One of my little boys came home telling me “only girls like pink”. He has ASD. So in his mind it the means either he can’t like pink or he must be a girl. Thankfully he has a totally biological understanding of what being a boy is (that’s the most protective bit of knowledge you can give your young child). But he was left upset because some adult still feeds kids this crap.

I told him that old fashioned people still think that but they are wrong and we should feel sad for them.

Trans children to my mind are a result or either parental or societal toxic gender stereotyping and so medicating them is insanely regressive and dangerous.

I dont believe the author of this article who claims that children have some deep, unchangable idea of gender which is neither biologically nor stereotype based. If they are a male child and gender is neither based on their biological sex (ie they have a willy) nor on stereotypes they’ve been taught or picked up - then what the heck is it? I have yet to read anything remotovely convincing. Is IS about stereotypes and they don’t want to admit it.

What a joke then for a progressive newspaper to spout it without engaging their brains.

@NotBadConsidering

Yes that’s a great point PermanentTemporary

If as a kid you’re told yes, you ARE the opposite sex and it’s so amazing, and you are affirmed and convinced of such from a young age, there will be even less resilience to deal with the reality of their actual puberty.

This is such a missing piece of their treatment, grounding it in reality.

“Yes you feel like a girl, but you realise you can’t actually be a girl? We can help you accept that reality.”

“Yes the thought of puberty distresses you, but you realise it can’t be avoided if you want to be healthy as an adult? We can help you accept that reality.”

Adults who help children deny such realities should be ashamed of themselves.

Totally agree with this. Parents have to help children develop resilience so that they can eventually function and flourish in the harshness of the “real world “.