The story I am about to tell you is still evolving. It began in the year 2019. It is a story of struggle but also one of hope. I pray that our stories make change. In the summer of 2019, my daughter had been joyously homeschooled for 4 years. She excelled. She was happy, social, and outgoing. She expressed herself through her art and inspired her friends. That summer, though, she made a decision that I would later regret submitting to. She decided to go to middle school. The school year 2019/2020 started off like any other school year. Her grandparents bought her an iPhone, so she could stay in contact and fit in with the other kids. (Another regrettable mistake.) She excelled in her academics, an honor roll student. She made many friends, mostly kids like her who were purely their quirky selves. This was except for the two that were identifying as trans boys. One came to her 13th birthday party. The child was quiet, slouched, and seemed truly depressed, even at a party. I was worried for this child.
It’s crazy how similar this story is to my child’s. The sexual abuse from a female friend has made this confusing for me to understand – why would that make her want to be a boy? But I think it’s just about not being a female. Anything to distance from that experience.
In a way you are lucky your daughter was so young. My ADHD daughter only told me after turning 18. She was told not to tell family and the school said nothing.
I wish we could talk honestly to better help people. I have wondered how my daughter became so misogynistic about herself. I’m guessing she struggles with this because shortly after she came out as trans. She began treating me worse than I’ve ever allowed any men. Her sweet nature, natural confidence and quirky personality changed to a depressive, dark persona. I’m hoping we can boldly talk about these issues as parents and tell stories of how trans-identities are harming children.
I am a lapsed Catholic, and while I am spiritual, I am not an organized religion person. After I wsa divorced, my ex-husband was having difficulty with the kids ( he had insisted on 50/50 custody, even though I had been the one with them 90% of the time prior to the divorce. So some bumps in the road were to be expected). I found a counselor to the kids; she was affiliated with a Presbyterian church and her counseling reflected that. She was an amazing person, and she was really wonderful for our family. I'm wondering if there may be some good Christian-based counselors out there who are not on the trans train but won't be overtly religious.
Maybe... but you have to be careful. Most mainline protestant churches have embraced GI under the misguided perception that it is just an expansion of "kindness/inclusiveness & understanding". Even if a church has not done this overtly, a youth counselor might be on the train (as we experienced). Some churches even have transexual ministers now.
It’s crazy how similar this story is to my child’s. The sexual abuse from a female friend has made this confusing for me to understand – why would that make her want to be a boy? But I think it’s just about not being a female. Anything to distance from that experience.
A mix of confusion and possibly not wanting to identify with the identity of her abuser
In a way you are lucky your daughter was so young. My ADHD daughter only told me after turning 18. She was told not to tell family and the school said nothing.
I wish we could talk honestly to better help people. I have wondered how my daughter became so misogynistic about herself. I’m guessing she struggles with this because shortly after she came out as trans. She began treating me worse than I’ve ever allowed any men. Her sweet nature, natural confidence and quirky personality changed to a depressive, dark persona. I’m hoping we can boldly talk about these issues as parents and tell stories of how trans-identities are harming children.
Same with my daughter. She had a complete personality change. Hang in there though. The sweetness can come back.
Please write your story and send to Pitt@genspect.org
I am a lapsed Catholic, and while I am spiritual, I am not an organized religion person. After I wsa divorced, my ex-husband was having difficulty with the kids ( he had insisted on 50/50 custody, even though I had been the one with them 90% of the time prior to the divorce. So some bumps in the road were to be expected). I found a counselor to the kids; she was affiliated with a Presbyterian church and her counseling reflected that. She was an amazing person, and she was really wonderful for our family. I'm wondering if there may be some good Christian-based counselors out there who are not on the trans train but won't be overtly religious.
Maybe... but you have to be careful. Most mainline protestant churches have embraced GI under the misguided perception that it is just an expansion of "kindness/inclusiveness & understanding". Even if a church has not done this overtly, a youth counselor might be on the train (as we experienced). Some churches even have transexual ministers now.
Transition is old school conversion therapy.