25 Comments

Back door eugenics, definitely!

My youngest child was not diagnosed until aged 16 and only because she was self harming, depressed and suicidal. Then she was referred to the gender clinic.

She told me she did not want to pass on the autism genes. Changing gender is effectively sterilisation. Her older sister has autism so I understand her reasoning. So sad.

Being “trans” has become more fashionable than being autistic.

Expand full comment

Many of these arguments also apply to girls with ADHD, and on parent boards there are large numbers of parents with ADHD daughters who have declared themselves trans. The hyperfixation, the social rejection dysphoria, the inability to make friends easily - they all play into the likelihood of these girls falling into the trans cult as well. I've seen it with my daughter and it's so hard to watch.

Expand full comment

I was diagnosed with autism as an adult. I have had mental health struggles since my teens but since I am "high functioning" (a label I disgree with our doing away with), I passed as merely depressed and/or having anxiety. Nothing seemed to help - therapy never seemed to really address what I was thinking - in fact I would be told "no, that's not how you really feel" - and medications did little to nothing. Some made things worse. (Zoloft in particular shot my anxiety through the roof to the point that it would be 13 years before I would even consider trying meds again)

In January of this year, I told my doctor I needed to go back on something for my anxiety. I was struggling to make the most basic decisions and spent my days in a paralyzed fog unable to get anything done. And my eating was out of control. I knew from the past that wellbutrin helped with the incessant urge to eat. If nothing else, if I could at least get a reign on my PHYSICAL health... it would be something. It was huge for me to accept I needed something more than willpower to stop eating.

My doctor asked if I anyone had ever suggested I had ADHD. No, they hadn't... but she said I sounded like a textbook case. In WOMEN. That is presents differently in women. Around this time my daughter, who had been evaluated for autism before and found to have "just anxiety," was having problems in school again. And my oldest, who is diagnosed with a learning disability and has struggled in school since 4th grade, was having another horrible school year. While looking for someone else to evaluate my daughter (at the words of her therapist, autism presents differently IN GIRLS) I wondered if my son and I could both have ADHD - if we had missed something crucial in both him and I all these years. (I was a gifted brainiac in middle school who turned into a burned out underachiever in high school)

Turns out - my daughter is autistic. I do not have ADHD - but I am also autistic, with executive functioning disorder. And my son has ADHD, but they did not detect autism. I do think he has minor signs - but nothing like my daugther and I.

My doctor would have been willing to medicate me, but I felt like she was very locked into the idea of using the lowest dose possible and we weren't really getting anywhere. I wanted to see someone for psych meds, but they wouldn't see me without a real eval. Had I stuck with my doctor, I would still be saying "I have ADHD." It blows my mind how much variation there is in how much proof doctors require to treat - but based on my own experience I suspect a lot of girls with ADHD might actuallty be autistic.

My son has also expfressed gender variability... he "came out" several years ago as "agender, aromantic, and [one other thing]." Of note, in my own youth, I announced in 8th grade that I was going to be a nun. I was convinced I would never have a boyfriend. I thought it better to announce my intentions to everyone than to merely be seen as the girl who doesn't have a boyfriend. (in 8th grade! like it matters!) I suspect a lot of the ace/agender/aromantic/etc ideology comes about as covering for similar insecurities. I think dating and socializing is probably harder than ever for teens these days. It's OK to not be obsessed with sex or dating but it's drilled into these kids that you should be and I really think that whole thing is a response to this. My son has dropped one of those labels but I am not sure which one - a patch is gone from his backpack but I can't remember what the 3rd patch meant.

Anyway it's possible we are seeing this in ADHD. It's possible this is in some part all part of normal adolecent rebelling and finding their identity. But I think a lot of girls with ADHD might actually be on the autism spectrum and not know it.

Expand full comment

It is likely many women have undiagnosed autism, a genetic condition.

When I was told “all my three children are vulnerable” I asked for an assessment which suggested I have some autism.

I guess many “gender dysphoric” children are on the autistic spectrum.

Puberty is awful for a child who hates change. Both my daughters became anorexic at age 14 as did I. Adjusting to breast development was distressing. No wonder chest binding appeals. The bras commonly sold in stores are not comfortable for girls with sensory issues.

My youngest daughter now 22 and legally male had pneumonia twice probably as a result of the binding which she did in secret. The bras we spent many hours choosing were abandoned. Looks like she has since had a double mastectomy. Still have not found courage to ask her. The thought distresses me. Parents have no right to know. This looks like State funded eugenics.

Expand full comment

The more I'm finding out about the way girls present with autism, the more I'm wondering about whether my daughter is along the spectrum, too. It's going to be tough to get an assessment for her, though, because, so far, there's nothing that creates problems for others.

Regarding eugenics - it is difficult to think otherwise. I'm about half-way through "Irreversible Damage", and combining the information I that along with other sources, the people susceptible to transing are society's historical bête noires - same-sex attracted, autistic, intelligent, and/or female. In many cases it is the ultimate hate target of society - intelligent non-conforming lesbians. Society has never had any time for clever women or ones that aren't interested in men - combined, they are the ultimate threat.

Expand full comment

sorry - just realized you are the same commenter with the 5yo twins. I wish you could edit comments here!!!

Expand full comment

No problem at all! Like you, I was relieved when I got my late diagnosis - it answered a lot of questions that I hadn't really asked, like why do I find it so difficult to remain in one job for any length of time? I don't blame anyone for missing it - neither autism nor Aspergers had really been described in English journals when I was at school between 1967 and 1978. I was just (one of) the slightly odd children!

Expand full comment

How old is your daughter?

I really wish I would have been diagnosed younger. It has been so bizarrely liberating to know what is actually "wrong" with me. It was this huge weight off of my shoulders in terms of fitting in and how I think and just ... I don't even know how to explain it. Just KNOWING was therapeutic.

I really can't say there is a single downside for me.

I am finding right now with the younger set, ADHD and autism are WEIRDLY trending, and similar to the trans movement, there is a huge risk of over-identifying in these categories... there is also a LOT of self diagnosis. Like people will feel the need to work it into conversations where it really isn't relevant. Incessant FB posts educating about "what people thing inattentive ADHD is - what inattentive ADHD really is" ... etc. I don't know how things would have gone in that respect had I been dx'ed younger. But being dx'd now... there are no downsides to me.

I was never much of a problem to other people.... a few oddball things I did as a kid but nothing that really jumped out as being that far outside the realm of normal kid stuff... but my difficulties with change and decision making have gotten much worse with age and have been a major problem in our family with me as a parent. Understanding where those issues come from - even if it doesn't solve them - has helped.

Expand full comment

I agree. You have to be determined to get your daughter assessed. Very difficult if she does not cause problems for others. I wonder if diagnosis is worth the effort. There is a risk she could become a “hate target” with that label?

I did not even try to get my son diagnosed because he is socially acceptable as long as he uses his autism to develop his musical obsession. Never had a girl friend. Music is his friend. As long as he can earn money society does not seem to care if he has “autism”. Girls however who have autism are targets for sterilisation

Expand full comment

Very good points - thank you. I'll think about them hard.

Expand full comment

I recognise a lot of what you say - diagnoses of mental illness, only feeling secure I n very specific environments, dislike of change - with my assessment as being "high functioning" autistic at the age of 56, three years ago. I insisted on a proper assessment after the birth of my twin children because I didn't want to adversely affect their childhood.

I know that I would have been vulnerable to trans thinking when I was a youth/young adult if it had been around then. My son, and possibly my daughter, have definite signs of autism, though getting them assessed is like banging our heads against a brick wall - covid has created such a backlog, they are dealing only with the most serious cases. However, I'm trying to protect them from gender woo by affirming that their bodies are exactly the right ones for them. "My Body is Me" by Rachel Rooney is especially good for this. Nonetheless, I'm feeling the pressure of time - the children are five-and-a-half, so it seems that I may have only the same length of time to build up their defenses. I'm fairly lucky in knowing how to secure their Internet access, but that only applies at home - sooner or later they will be finding things out from other children and seeing things at their houses etc. So far, as far as I can tell, there is nothing coming from their school, but I'm keeping a very keen eye on it. Does anyone have any suggestions to back up this course of action - anything I've missed or could do differently?

Expand full comment

Jeremy - good for you!. Forewarned is forearmed. Be very careful, autistic kids are SO susceptible to this nonsense. As a parent of an autistic gender questioning kid myself, I would home school if I had my time over but that is not practical for everyone.

I don't know where you live but this stuff is everywhere. Watch the school carefully - they may deliberately hide what they are teaching, and the grooming of kids, Abigail Shrier talks about this; https://abigailshrier.substack.com/p/how-activist-teachers-recruit-kids

They may also socially transition your kid without your knowledge. It is truly terrifying. https://abigailshrier.substack.com/p/should-public-schools-be-allowed

Scotland allows this for 4 year olds (?!)

The state may also come after your kids, again depending on jurisdiction; https://abigailshrier.substack.com/p/when-the-state-comes-for-your-kids

If I knew better when my kid was younger, I would make it a regular topic of conversation, and as they approached puberty explicitly point out the traps of gender ideology.

Some good resources are coming out.

https://genspect.org/meet-the-gender-giraffes/

Genspect is planning to release resources for older kids, so watch this space. but the gender giraffes should be perfect for your littlies.

When they are a bit older, this book is perfect;. It says teens but I have it and it would be fine from about age 9-10.; https://www.transgendertrend.com/sex-and-gender-new-book-teens/

The tide is turning, hopefully by the time your kids are teens it will be done and dusted, but who knows?

Good luck!

Expand full comment

I agree with Anne.

Catholic schools seem pretty good.

I am not Catholic but if you cannot home school I recommend looking into a school that has a religious tradition ) to help prevent them from getting captured by this cult belief system).

Neither I nor anyone in my family would have predicted that we had to actively speak against Trans Ideology and for reality. You do have the advantage of knowing this is happening. If I'd known I'd have talked about it and I'd have used a parochial school.

Expand full comment

Thank you both. The resources you have given are really useful. I'd really like to home-school,but that isn't an option,at least at the moment. We're in England, and the children are in a Church of England school, largely for the reasons you state.

As you say, my fingers, toes and eyes are crossed hoping that this dreadful assault on children with differences ends sometime in the next few years (preferably, tomorrow).

Expand full comment

Keep an eye on Transgender Trend it is a great resource for what is happening in the UK.

Expand full comment

England is not so bad Jeremy - that is why the TRAs call it "TERF Island" :-)

Expand full comment

I absolutely would have fallen into this trend. Zero doubt in my mind.

I hope that maybe by the time your kids are old enough to get carried up in this, maybe the craze will have peaked and begun to roll back.

I just finished "Irreversible Damage" - the hotly contested Abigal Schrier book on this topic... and I found myself agreeing with pretty much everything in it. So many thoughts I have had on this whole trend and how and why it is sucking kids in - I thought I was crazy for seeing these things. No one is going to want to listen to me. No one wants to hear this. My 13 year old daughter wants to read it next. I have mixed feelings about it. We've been talking a LOT about what is going on with this but I think she is really unable to see "discomfort with puberty is NOT the same as 'knowing you are a boy.'" I'm a little afraid of her reading this and repeating things among her circles and being attacked for it... but at the same time there are things we really need to stop dancing around.

The backdoor eugenics possibility is truly horrifying.

Expand full comment

I haven't read "Irreversible Damage" yet - so many books, so little time! - though I have read "Trans" by Helen Joyce and "Material Girls" by Kathleen Stock.

I can't rid myself of the idea that there is a eugenics aspect to it all - same-sex attracted and autistic people are being rendered infertile at a rate far higher than other groups. I hope to see the perpetrators in court before I shuffle off this mortal coil, long before.

Expand full comment

You sound like a wonderful father. I would be very careful about who assesses your children as mental health "professionals" do like to throw around the trans thing.

I've heard that "Johnny the Walrus" by Matt Walsh is a wonderful board book - available on Amazon.

Expand full comment

Thank you! I reach for the stars but sometimes fall short, though I do try to correct my mistakes.

Thanks for the tip - I'll go and see if I can find that book now. ❤️❤️

Expand full comment

Unfortunately, adults and children with autism are especially vulnerable to cults. And the "transgender" indoctrination program that's infiltrated our nation's schools, healthcare institutions, mainstream media, and business corporations is the most rapidly growing and dangerous cult of all.

After the history of the early 21st century is written, people will shake their heads in disbelief at the number of precious young lives the aggressive "transgender" movement destroyed before the rest of us rose up and finally put a stop to it. We neurotypicals need to prevent the greedy autogynephile billionaires and their "transgender" activist minions from harming the mental and physical health of our autistic brothers and sisters. We need to insist that all children, both neurotypical and autistic, get whatever help they need to develop into happy and healthy natal men and natal women.

Expand full comment

I hope that rational discussions of non-trans-fixated interpretations of people displaying possible gender dysphoric symptoms starts to sink into the minds of the trans-gender fixated people, especially in the medical communities that have been rushing to diagnosis. This article provides hope that it may happen soon.

Expand full comment

It shouldn't be so hard to understand that puberty can cause dysphoria in children who are desperately opposed to change of any kind.

Expand full comment