You cannot reach people who disagree with you on the trans issue by mocking or demonizing children. Attacking high school boys in girls’ sports or making fun of teenage girls with blue hair who say outrageous things will never persuade anyone. Many Democrats, for example, voted against restrictions on males in women’s sports not because they hate women, but because they felt sympathy for the kids involved. And in truth, it isn’t the kids’ fault. They are being influenced by schools, peers, parents, doctors, and online culture. Demonizing them does not help our cause—it makes us look cruel and unfeeling.
If our goal is to change minds, we must stop targeting vulnerable young people and start questioning the adults who enable and encourage this. A 17-year-old is still a child—deeply impressionable, heavily influenced by those around them. They are being cheered on by adults, peers, and institutions. Public shaming should not fall on children, but on the adults leading them astray.
Young people need the opportunity to walk this back without being humiliated. That should be our goal. Instead of circulating images of confused teenagers, we should be shining a light on the school officials, activists, and medical professionals who profit from or promote this ideology. Their behavior is far more shameful.
Think of it this way: do you punish the prostitute or the pimp? The addicted drug user or the dealer? The opioid victim or the corrupt pharmaceutical company that pushed it? If we want change, we must address those in power—not those being manipulated. Nothing will improve if we attack the vulnerable.
We also need to dig into the deeper cultural forces driving this. Too often, boys see little future in becoming men, while girls see little hope in becoming women. Society sends the message that manhood is undesirable and womanhood is oppressive. No wonder so many young people are looking for an escape hatch. When I visited Thailand in the 1990s, I saw men posing as women because it was one of the few ways they could earn a living. For many, it was a business decision. In a similar way, boys and girls today are responding to what society tells them: that they will be more valued if they reject their sex.
If we want to stop the harm of gender ideology, we must go to the root. This article explains how society started pushing everything feminine at the expense of the masculine, and the narrative that being male or female is a burden to escape.
The way forward is clear: stop targeting children, and hold accountable the adults who are pushing, profiting from, and enabling this ideology. There is no wrong way to be a boy or a girl. Our responsibility is to stop the harm, and to give children the chance to grow into adulthood without shame or manipulation, and stop blaming the victim?
When my now adult son was a senior in high school he was given the girls science award. When his dad and I were invited to the assembly (only parents of those getting awards are invited) my husband asked specifically if the awards were given by sex. We had an older son in this same probate school so we were familiar that the awards were given by academic categories and by girl/boy. The head of the high school lied to my husband. He said this year the awards will not be "gendered". So we we to support our kid and were disgusted, embarrassed and angry that our son was given the girls award. I went out to my car and cried. I know for a fact other parents were very upset and I know they were talking about our son and us behind our backs. They were upset a girl missed out. I don't want my kid to be punished or ostracized by this occurrence. The adults made this call. They lied to us. And they deprived an actual girl of an award she deserved. I totally blame the adults for all of this debacle. The school talked down to us as parents, made us feel small, and all the while strongly cheered on the harm of the trans ideology for my son. It is completely the "adults". Or whatever the hell they are.
I agree, there are a lot of adults who are avoiding scrutiny of their often cowardly or sheep-like support for it all. Maybe I move in different circles, but I don’t really see a lot of mocking of trans children. My anger is squarely on teachers, doctors, psychologists, LGBT activists and corporate DEI teams.
As for the blue-haired teens, I save some of my wrath for them - they may be young idiots but they are powerful young idiots. They encourage others on their trans journey but in five years will be able to wash the blue out of their hair, start a family and move on with adulting.