Banning ‘trans conversion therapy’ is a threat to gay kids - Bev Jackson

[IwantToRetire]

We are teaching a generation of children that if they do not conform to gender stereotypes they were ‘born in the wrong body’.

If a teenage girl consults a therapist because she says she is a boy, campaigners say the therapist must immediately accept (or ‘affirm’) her claim. And if she wants puberty blockers to stop herself developing into a woman, then the therapist must refer her to an endocrinologist who can administer the drugs. Later, she can be referred to a surgeon to have her breasts removed.

According to the gender ideologues, anyone who even questions how the girl arrived at the conclusion that she is a boy is not a good ‘ally’. Worse still, such people – whether they are therapists, teachers, priests or even parents – are said to be guilty of ‘conversion practices’ and should be punished.

Advocates of the ban have been very clear that they want to outlaw even the most mild of exploratory conversations. MPs have praised similar bans introduced elsewhere – such as the one in Victoria, Australia, where giving exploratory talking therapy to a person claiming to be the opposite sex can land you with up to 10 years in prison. As a result, therapists steer clear of children who are distressed about their gender and young people can’t get help. This is a disaster from every angle.

The ban on ‘gender-identity conversion practices’ seeks to outlaw essential exploratory conversations – not only with therapists, but also with other trusted adults. This is a pernicious goal.

https://www.spiked-online.com/2023/09/18/banning-trans-conversion-therapy-is-a-threat-to-gay-kids/

That Victoria legislation is absolutely mad! It's a mindf*ck to read, honestly. You have to remember:

Not harmful conversion practices:

using puberty blockers off-label to halt the puberty of healthy children/teenagers
destroying healthy endocrine systems with opposite-sex hormones
surgical removal of healthy breasts
surgically altering healthy genitals
sterilising children
destroying sex drive

all in pursuit of a same-sex attracted individual presenting as a heterosexual person of the opposite sex

Harmful conversion practices:

Anything that might delay or prevent any of the above

Excellent article. This 'conversion therapy ban' will result in the exact opposite: gay and lesbian teens being medically transitioned to 'straight'.
It's a complete horror show.

And what is so sad, well not sad but anger inducing, is that because of the TRA tactics of shoving everyone under the rainbow umbrella, it isn't possible to have a straight forward discussion about this with politicians.

They are more concerned not to upset the LGBTQI+ community than do the best research and proposals for a new law or guidelines.

"As a result, therapists steer clear of children who are distressed about their gender and young people can’t get help"

I don't blame them for not wanting to give therapy to children who could land them with 10 years in prison. But also, any good, as in decent-souled, therapist would never blindly ignore their profession to merely pay lipservice to a child and not actually give them the therapy they need.

I would also mention, we should still be researching this issue to see if we can increase the number of children that recover from gender dysphoria. In theory, I would think that's the best outcome for them.

I find it very difficult to believe, "Oh we already know that it's impossible, and no new therapy is going to come along in the future that works".

At least for younger children, yeah, the first thing to try, is maybe encouraging them to accept their actual sex.

As for adults, they should be able to try to "convert" themselves if they want and work with a therapist. Including sexuality.

You inform them about the level of evidence that exists for it working, or not working, and they can make their own choice as an adult.

If we can let people castrate themselves, yeah, I think we can let them try a little gay conversion therapy.

Are there any issues on which progressives are actually standing up for individual liberty? Maybe drugs? Or the liberty of minors to be on puberty blockers or remove their breasts.

If scientists can come up with endocrine altering drugs which prevent children from going puberty and mind altering drugs which can alleviate the symptoms of depression, I wouldn't have thought it was beyond the wit of man to invent a drug which alleviates the symptoms of gender dysphoria, allowing an individual to live a normal life without being distressed by their biological sex.

Nobody's found a drug that 'cures' say, bulimia. which I would have thought was a better comparison.

Have they been trying to find a drug that cures bulimia?

I think a placebo would do just fine for a child who believes they are in the wrong body.

I have seen someone say (they weren't happy about it) that an antipsychotic was making them doubt their trans identity.

Unfortunately, the side effects of that class would make it questionable to start experimenting with.

Why would they be unhappy about that if having gender dysphoria is so difficult and no one would choose it?

Well maybe if they think that their trans identity is their "authentic self"...

But if being on antipsychotic drugs makes them realise that being trans isn't actually their authentic self at all, wouldn't they breathe a sigh of relief that they can now have an easier life and enjoy "cis privilege", with no more existential crises about which toilets to use?

Oops I'm not sure exactly why my comment was deleted, as I'm pretty sure it was factually correct. Instead I shall just say that if an antispychotic drug provides relief, then it is quite possible that the condition it was prescribed for, was one of psychosis.