Change of CEO at mermaids…

[backaftera2yearbreak]

mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/susie-green-leaves-mermaids/

Green, then an IT-manager, was utterly open about how she first knew her child was trans: “As a toddler, Jackie always headed for the dolls in toy shops.”

Green took pains to stress that being trans child went deeper than a desire for dolls. But how else would a four-year-old boy express a wish to be a girl other than through the medium of toys?

the child then known as Jack told his mother, “God made a mistake and I should have been a girl.

So when four-year-old Jack told her he should be a girl, Green felt “it explained so many things”.

How can she not see it???? She spent years telling her son that he must be a girl. Right up to denying that the issue, toy choice, even was the issue. It was merely an 'indication' of something else. Rather begs the question of why remove them all then??

Hadley has summed up the entire nonsensical premise with this paragraph.

Green says that as soon as her baby boy “got mobile” — ie, learned to crawl — “he was gravitating to things that you would think are stereotypically female”. Like what, tampons?

Quite. The BBC programme 'no more boys and girls' was very clear about how children are socialised, before they are even born, into following certain stereotypical patterns.

Because boys do play with dolls, too. Teddies, action man, GI Joe, all the numerous super heroes, etc. Just those designed with masculinity in mind appear a lot more acceptable.

the child then known as Jack told his mother, “God made a mistake and I should have been a girl.

Children aged 4 do not talk like this.

Thanks for the link Birdsweepsin, really good article from Hadley Freeman.

The main teacher in that programme, Graham Andre (who was on mn at one point) went on to be part of this charity https://thegec.org/

Initially it was exceptionally good - reading list for adults included testosterone Rex and other books now seen as faintly GC.

Then a couple of years ago I noticed it was transed, captured and deleted it's excellent book list focussed on stmashing stereotypes.

Now, as you can see, trans is very much on the agenda.

Including being teddy, hands down the most sexist book for eyfs.

I remember discussing the programme with you Datun (under a different name - I remember reassuring you it wasn't bollocks!) and also with Andre.

Such a shame that such an amazing venture has put sexism at its heart. Like a cuckoo's egg.

Was "being inclusive" part of the deal for funding?

First episode :
m.youtube.com/watch?v=wN5R2LWhTrY

Book list

thegec.org/books

Ffs ^WarriorN*. I bet he was deliberately targeted.

I do think people find it difficult to let go of their preconceptions about gender.

I rewatched that Ted X talk Green did the other day. She said that Jackie overdosed at 12 and then took 7 overdoses in 3 years. I don't know if that first overdose attempt is included in the 7 or if it's 8 in total but I would have expected significant input from mental health services with that level of repeated suicide attempts. Presumably Green took Jackie to A&E every time?

This illustrates how very captured the charity sector is.

Teachers will trust that site and include those books.

Oh my god. Why couldn't she just replace the bigot with a decent compassionate man , instead of trying to replace her little boy?

That is a great article by the ever-wonderful Hadley Freeman.

In a parallel and more sane universe that article was published years ago in the Guardian, where Hadley still works and is allowed to tell the truth.

Poor, poor Jackie.

It is beyond ridiculous that some people pigeonhole toy/job/activities etc in this way.

I grew up in the 70/80's and unlike my younger sister had no interest in dolls. I climbed trees, made dens, sometimes had short hair but it was never suggested I might not be female. I have spent the last few months digging out tree stumps on the allotment with an axe, a crow bar and a very large hammer. Again I am still 100% female. I rarely wear makeup and never wear high-heels yet I am happily married to a man (a proper, biological XY chromosome one) and we have had 3 children. By some peoples reckoning shouldn't I have started to feel a bit manly by now?

Our son constantly played with so called 'girls toys'. He pushed his teddy around in a pram and dressed teddy up in a nappy and a dress. He enjoyed the pink sparkles for a while because we didn't guide him one way or another. Did we think he was trans or gay? Of course not, he was a young child playing with whatever he fancied playing with. He is an adult now. He still doesn't like traditionally male things like football and he is a well balanced hetero male. If he had grown up to be gay I wouldn't have loved him any less than I do.

To insinuate that someone is gay/trans based on the toys they play with as a child is puerile, retrogressive nonsense.

TBH with much of what I've seen of the modern trans movement I wouldn't be at all surprised to find it has firm roots in misogyny and homophobia.

Every “trans child” is the most precocious child ever. They have adult language at the age of 2 and can say “Mother, I seem to have a penis where I should have a vagina. Did something go wrong with the Müllerian duct while I was in utero as a fetus?”

Their precociousness continues throughout their lives, and apparently they have the ability to consent like adults at the age of 10 and up. They can predict their entire adult futures at this age and understand adult concepts.

It’s amazing how over-represented child geniuses are at gender clinics, surprisingly like autism, no one seems interested in looking into why these children have language to rival the made up character of Roald Dahl’s Matilda🤨.

@Datun quoting Hadley
Green says that as soon as her baby boy “got mobile” — ie, learned to crawl — “he was gravitating to things that you would think are stereotypically female”. Like what, tampons?

“What like tampons” should be the go to phrase to distinguish “stereotypically female” Because skirts, lipstick and pink does not cover it.

Brilliant post! 😆

Yet simultaneously when you see them on tv/you tube they are the most emotionally stunted , child like , self absorbed, incapable young adult you will ever see.

Where being able to so much as put on a load of washing or remembering to feed the cat is a huge achievement.

Both things can't be true.

And as you say no one ever answers the question

Why are we infantilising her?
And attributing all her actions to a man?

She was clearly the bigot who was driving the blockers and surgery

Well quite.

Susie Green seems to have gone from someone who is quite happy to obey her husband in getting rid of all her child's toys, despite the obvious trauma, and personal disagreement with the premise, to someone who is so convinced in everything they think and do, that nothing will sway them from their opinion.

the BBC programme 'no more boys and girls' was very clear about how children are socialised, before they are even born, into following certain stereotypical patterns

Wasn't this the programme that also observed that the way children of both sexes play - in terms of role play and 'gendered' play is heavily influenced by what they see at home. I.e boys will play at looking after babies and cooking/cleaning if they see their Dads doing it too.

I do find it extraordinary how perfectly normal child development is ignored or perhaps unknown by parents with children who then ascribe gender confusion to being trans.

Given the overrepresentation of autistic youngsters at gender clinics, I'd say linguistic precocity and emotional delay are not that unlikely a combination.

I also wonder if our heed as a society to pathologist everything now also has an impact.

Look at MN. Children are all either gifted or have SN. There are no mediocre simply average children on MN outside the teens who don't shower and are vaping. ( i have a teen myself i share all the concerns amd frustrations no judgement here i.assure you!)

Kids have an option that many of us didbt growing up due to family responsibilities and circumstances and just how things worked. And that option is failure. It is hard and I can see that in myself sometimes to think that something needs fixing because we didn't have this option so to see our children struggle with what seems simple sometimes can pose questions fir is as in "is this normal"

Its definitely us who need to change and not the children. And we need rid of those who seek to pounce and make their fortunes on seeing normal childhood development and feelings as a problem.thay needs solving with medication that stunts their growth akd development

It is actually true that gender non conformity in childhood is strongly correlated with adult homosexuality. That’s why transing children can be framed as ‘transing the gay away’.

It is actually true that gender non conformity in childhood is strongly correlated with adult homosexuality.

Do you have a source for that?

The word 'tomboy' used to be used for gender nonconforming girls. The fact that there was a name for them indicates how common this is. They don't all grow up to be lesbians - it's unlikely that even a majority of them do.

I would have to respectfully disagree that gender non-conformity is strongly correlated to homosexuality @Whattaboutit unless you can show some very robust evidence/research otherwise.

Lesbians are not all 'butch' and gay men are not all effeminate despite that being how popular culture unfortunately sometimes portrays them.

Lesbians and gay men have as varied personalities and interests as hetero men and women.