I am a progressive liberal Texan, and the mother of a socially transitioned (by everyone but her parents and grandparents) 17 year old who has been identifying as trans for almost 4 years. So, do I think we should investigate parents of trans children, as Governor Abbot and Ken Paxton propose? Of course not!
I agree that all these powerful forces should be under scrutiny for promoting trans ideology. But ultimately, parents need a more active role in children's lives.
What I mean by this is that kids should be parent centered. Not peer centered. So-called "youth culture," had been a disaster for kids. Unfortunately, mandatory public education is the main culprit. It seperates children from parents and other adults actually. Before public education, kids grew up faster. They had to. And they had better guidance as well.
But there are ways to combat this as a parent. Even if you can't homeschool. But homeschooling is ideal. Ultimately, we have to look to tradition to re-establish the organic social relationship between parents and their kids. It doesn't have to look exactly as it did, but the content needs to be there.
The Republican Party and social conservative lobby, in their *present* incarnation, will never allow a non-partisan conversation of the deep family issues that they use to scare the daylights out of voters.
So many other comments here reflect blind anger and false accusation, not mutual learning that leads to common purpose: the welfare of our families.
I'm sorry, but gender diversity does originate naturally, despite the efforts of mass media, churches, and school officials to make everyone conform to one standard. The media, in particular, depend entirely upon advertising and ticket sales, and you can't advertise easily to a fragmented audience -- there is great pressure to steer society toward sameness, not variability.
Those who have survived conversion therapy know how much pressure there is, in conservative society, media, and church, to prevent people from simply being themselves.
This is definitely a safe space for parents to vent their very understandable rage and fear. I agree we need to be strategic and seek to engage in productive communication. It's incredibly frustrating when we're blocked from the larger conversation, dehumanized as transphobic bigots, and met with disgust and contempt for advocating for our children's healthy bodies and self-acceptance.
All that said, if we can tap into curiosity and compassion so we can get closer to "mutual learning that leads to common purpose: the welfare of our families". It's hard to have productive conversations when we're projecting terror and rage.
I'm not sure what you were saying with this statement, "I'm sorry, but gender diversity does originate naturally." Can you provide a little more detail about how you define "gender diversity"? I would agree that a homogenous population is easier to market to and govern, for that matter, and that this is one of the driving foundations of our education system. (I'm a former school teacher who left for this reason.)
While I understand your take, I see the statements by Paxton and Abbott as attempts to bring the discussions you mention into the light and, in the meantime, stop the unethical treatment of gender-dysphoric/confused kids. The goal is not simply "to investigate parents of trans children," but to stop medical and other professionals from taking advantage of vulnerable parents who are desperately seeking help for their children.
What makes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries child abuse? Parents need to know. They don't know now because of all of the reasons you stated so well. Paxton/Abbott mean to force those discussions you want, not shut them down.
Hopefully, other parents and ill-advised health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc. will become as well educated about the issue and treatments as you are. As you state, that is not happening now, and I'm afraid it won't as long as the narrative remains that Abbott and Paxton are politically-motivated transphobes. Let's not miss this opportunity. Let's use their statements to our advantage to actually find the best care for the kids, and help others do the same.
Yes, I really want to bring attention to all that is in this article and bring this discussion "into the light". I try and talk with my close friends and family, and I think they hear me, but it's not on their mind 24/7 like it is mine, because they don't have a dog in the fight. And all of my inner circle are very left leaning. And like anyone hooked into a political side, you just tend to go with whatever that media is saying, because who has time to research every single issue on the table these days?? I truly believe that real change will happen if we can open the discussion where people in the middle and the left are standing. They are the ones who need to be educated about what is REALLY going on - when their (our) media is is in full support of this trans movement and using language that attempts to garner sympathy for the poor trans children being kept from "life-saving" treatments. If we can't pull EVERYONE into this conversation, then it will continue to just be a battle between parties. I look at it much the way that I look at how I need to work with my kid on this. Loud, hyperbolic, emotional language is only going to push my kid further into it. I need to, with compassion and curiosity, ask the common sense questions. Get her to question too, and do her own critical thinking. My friends - and I dare say all that lean left - are already programmed to mistrust Abbot and Paxton. So an extreme stance from these politicians is just not one that is going to bring them to the place I want them to go with this issue. It will just make them dig their heels in the sand even more. I know it shouldn't be that way, but that is how it is on both sides of the aisle. Very few are willing to listen to the mistrusted other side. And this argument is continually being pitted in media as Republicans against Trans rights. I scream every time I see that. A gross misrepresentation of what is happening on the ground. Plenty of lefty parents like me totally against medicalizing our kids, and plenty on the right that are full in on Trans. It's a very mixed bag - which has nothing to do with politics!!! So many are to blame for the harm being inflicted on kids now. But until we get media reporting the truth - in the middle and the left - I just don't see the needle moving. Maybe temporarily with directives like Abbot and Paxton's - but TRA's will just garner even more sympathy and support from the left to fight back. We can't afford to spend any more time thinking and fighting in extremes. Real change will only come by everyone taking 2 steps to center, laying down their weapons and having real discussions about what will help these kids. I know ALOT of people here disagree, and think a firm hand like Abbot and Paxton's is what is needed. But the view from left America, is not supporting that. I really hope I'm wrong. Really really really. Maybe this WILL wake everyone up?? I do not care for these politicians, but if these directives work to turn our country around on this, I will kiss their ever lovin' feet!
I'm not arguing that you're wrong, but I have such a hard time understanding how "health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc." let alone parents are able to accept the narrative that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries applied to healthy bodies belong in sound treatment protocols. Stimulating conversation is important. I feel I'm pretty clear on my values and have never, since discovering my daughter believes she needs medical "treatment" for her confusion, had any curiosity about my daughter's obvious sex or whether treating her healthy body with medical interventions was a wise approach. I have concerns about a worldview that would accept such extreme interventions without question. I have to agree with "Let's not miss this opportunity." I'd sure love to see and contribute to a world where parents feel equipped with the knowledge and confidence to parent their children.
"I'm not arguing that you're wrong, but I have such a hard time understanding how "health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc." let alone parents are able to accept the narrative that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries applied to healthy bodies belong in sound treatment protocols."
Agreed. I don't understand it either. And yet this is where we are. This narrative is firmly planted in our healthcare and pervasive in media and society all around me. I feel like chicken little, running around screaming about the dangers of trans medicine. This ideology is so pervasive. We are not going to get rid of it by calling it "child abuse". The people brainwashed that they are really helping these kids with trans medicine just see all of these alarmist pronouncements as the crazy extreme right. It comes from a source that they don't listen to on any other topic. So why this one? It just pushes on the fence liberals over further left into the crazy trans narrative of preventing suicides. I am seeing it before my eyes. This conversation takes an understanding of how we got to this place - that many people really do believe that they are doing the best things for kids. Why? Because TRA's have been so very f#cking effective at duping the world at large with their misrepresentation of studies and how harmful it is to *not* medicalize kids. We need to show that we have some sort of an understanding of how we got here.....but now, (and somehow presenting this calmly) "this is how it all went wrong" - such as with the very low quality Dutch Study protocol that was spread around the world, showing how TRA's and social media have captured our kids, how Big Pharma has had a hand in this, how politicians have used this to amp up their bases, how media has stoked extremist positions, etc. etc. So many people don't know these things, and if we are just running around screaming "child abuse" they will never be able to hear the truth and engage in the critical thinking that we questioning parents have been swimming in. It's just how I see it.
You're assuming those things haven't been done, but I can assure you they have been. Many of us in Texas have invested countless hours and dollars trying to educate our legislators, parents, educators about the history, data, etc. - everything you mentioned plus more to no avail. They have not realized the seriousness of the situation. Hopefully, this will shake them out of their apathy.
Parents and healthcare providers, educators, parents all need to know the truth about what makes the treatments child abuse. The largest children's hospital in Texas stopped prescribing drugs when the ruling came out. We will never know how many children and their parents were saved from the trans nightmare by that one hospital alone. I'm sure there have been others.
We're not going to get rid of it period if we can't educate people about the medical, physical and mental harm they cause. The Texas AG ruling and consequent statement by the Governor did not stop or start with the treatments being child abuse. The science, stats, desistance experiences, studies, European change in protocols, etc., and the points you mentioned all came into play and were explained in the ruling. People might actually be prepared to answer the hysteria created by activists if they would read the ruling and the resources used in it.
It doesn't matter how well-meaning people are, if they are harming children knowingly or unknowingly, it is up to others to show them the error of their thoughts. Personally, I'm tired of and frustrated with our willingness to continue to let the trans activists control the narrative. It's past time to quit playing catch-up, quit playing by their rules, quit pretending drugs and surgeries are anything other than what they are - child abuse.
With you 100%. Everyone is doing the best they can with their current understanding of the situation and high quality communication, with some sort of way for people to save face is crucial to making any progress. I think a couple other factors we need to consider is that we've been groomed for decades into medicating any sort of discomfort and avoiding suffering at all costs; how good the medical complex has gotten at creating markets for their "cures." We call everything "trauma" and so many have lost touch with ourselves and any sense of satisfaction and meaning in our lives. We need new stories to bind us together for the health of humanity and the planet. I think the ideology is filling a giant gaping void that we best figure out how to fill before toppling it or something else just as dangerous might come along and fill it for us.
They believe the lies, half-truths, and misinterpretation of data. The deck has been stacked against open debate and alternate opinions for over 10 years now. Very few things in medicine ever have 100% consensus. GM treatments are no different. But the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, etc., have all adopted the Standards of Care developed by pro-trans WPATH and the Endocrine Society, and that's what doctors and health-care professionals go by. They don't have the time to do their own research.
The researchers that did the original study in 2005/06 have published papers stating the never meant for their study to be used as justification or "medical evidence" for the wholesale use of drugs, surgeries, affirmation treatments on this new type of gender dysphoria. Papers are constantly getting published that are used to support affirmation treatments, then on review by other researchers and physicians are forced to be corrected or retracted because of errors. But the corrections never catch up to the original paper. You can't scrub internet materials.
We live in confusing times. Deception is rampant. Deceived people don't know they're deceived, and pride makes it impossible for people to entertain the thought that they might be wrong. You mentioned worldview which is what it boils down to. There's one worldview that believes in the truth of God's Word, that God created mankind in His image but uniquely male and female to come together in a family unit designed to protect children and stabilize society. The farther we get away from God's design for anything, the more consequences there are to pay. We are very, very far away today. Romans 1:18-32 explains it well.
I'm sorry you've been offended, but to keep a place for all faiths and no faiths means not excluding the evangelical Christian stuff. That God created mankind in His image male and female is found in Hebrew Scriptures in Bereshit 1:26. The intrinsic value of every individual transcends both faiths as does the foundational importance of family. That is not true for all faiths and certainly not true for no faiths. The trans activists would have us believe that transgender is about science, but we know that is not true, since they deny the foundational biological truth of XX and XY which goes straight back to 1:26. Not all faiths and certainly no faiths agree with that.
I do see the message being presented in multiple ways with more focus on studies, medicine, the aftermath of treatment, etc. than the spiritual side. I've been at multiple legislative hearings, school board meetings, political events, etc. and heard few mentions of God, Jesus, or being created male and female at any of them. XX&XY, yes, but from biology, not theology. The haters of truth use those labels whether the presenters are Christians or not. It goes with the territory of trying to protect gender-confused children regardless of religious or political affiliation.
I agree that it should be a bipartisan issue politically and medically, but different people are convicted in different ways with different messages. For those who believe in the biblical worldview, tying in the spiritual aspect can make the difference between apathy or involvement. We need those people, too.
I am so disgusted with politics and how every issue is used to divide us. We need to ask better questions so we can work together to find sound solutions that promote wholeness and wellness. Questions like:
How is it more compassionate to treat a healthy body with surgery and wrong-sex hormones than to help that person accept biological reality and make peace with their body?
Is our profit-driven medical system working in the interest of our health and wellbeing or is it always on the lookout for the next big market?
How is our education system affecting our relationships with ourselves and our families? Is it working to create healthy, self-directed individuals who are resilient and have a sense of meaning and belonging so they're not vulnerable to dangerous ideology?
How can we infuse our communication with curiosity and compassion so we stand a chance of being heard? Is it possible to adopt needs-based communication? Can we imagine a world where people can identify and clearly articulate their own needs? How did we become so disconnected from our selves? Okay--maybe these are too big, but I think they're important to helping us figure out how we got to this crazy place we find ourselves in.
I wonder if this has taken off in the US in part because of the enthusiastic medicalisation of children (and adults) in that society as a whole. Millions of children are on medication for ADHD for example. Also I read over and over about parents taking their children to see a "therapist" at the first sign of any kind of mental distress. This would not have occurred to me as a parent in the UK. Many of my generation of mothers were all about keeping our children's bodies as pure and natural as possible. Organic food, healthy outdoor play etc etc. So a cultural phenomenon as well as the obvious social contagion (which is sadly the same here in the UK) and a kind of reverence towards doctors and pharmaceuticals that I certainly don't have. I avoid doctors like the plague! Just a thought.
Completely think this is a logical argument. However, this has "taken off" in the UK too. They're just now reversing laws on it because they recognized that there is a rampant social contagion going on. There is a gender clinic there that had an astronomical increase in ROGD girls. I guess therapists kept quitting because theye felt like they had to affirm and give meds. Even to kids that they didn't think were really trans. Anyway, I read about it like a year ago. You guys were quicker at seeing the problem and are trying to reverse it now.
You’re definitely on to something, and I think it’s the uniquely consumerist approach to everything — even age-old teen angst— that makes the US especially vulnerable to the kind of snake oil that gender ideology is pushing. The fact that they’re pushing it directly to the child consumer via social media is scandalous, but parents have to push back.
Yes. But kids with ADHD who are medicated may be less vulnerable to ideology. At least that is my strong suspicion from reading Reddit/r/dtrans where several people asked "what would you tell your younger self?" Said they wished theyd had.help for ADHD before they heard about trans
You are describing me, and yet my daughter is now in therapy also and finally got the ADHD diagnosis she wanted so badly. She knew I'd not buy into this because of my minimalist approach to outside intervention and focus on health and wellness (not of the kind offered by our sickcare system.) There are many things on this journey with her that if I had a do-over, I'd do differently but here we are--and I'm better for it. I believe she'll be stronger on the other side of it also. Adolescence is always a precarious time, (see my piece: https://stoicmom.substack.com/p/is-it-time-to-let-go?s=w ) and I was able to find a therapist that understands the importance of the family unit--the most insidious aspect of this particular adolescent trend is how it frays the attachment between the child and her committed caregivers, her parents. We're set up as the enemy and that makes it difficult to have the influence we would normally have. I'd even say this is just the result of years of conditioning and we shouldn't be surprised we find ourselves here. Parenting in general has become difficult because of the "expert" culture we've been groomed for.
I appreciate the many great points you've brought out in your article, but when you say Paxton and Abbott are extreme, I'm not sure how else you want them to accomplish the goal of stopping the indiscriminate transing of kids that you espouse. You have said they should be investigating Big Pharma, but Paxton is already doing that in his recent suit against Abbvie and Endo Pharmaceuticals. And just because they want to investigate abuses, how is that shutting down discourse? The politicians on the right are NOT the ones silencing the debate; the gender industry and all of its enablers are doing that.
I agree. Where you say "media savvy gender affirming experts," that's a good way to put it. The Right acts with a regrettable lack of nuance and intellectual laziness. It uses a hacksaw when what's needed is a scalpel. Both sides have their flaws, but the Left is much better with the propaganda. They know that creating pithy straw men like "Don't Say Gay" is more effective than the finger wagging and high-school level ridicule that the Right indulges in.
Further to your point, I apologize in advance if this offends some people, but please stay objective and understand that it's not my intention to denigrate anyone's faith: Relying primarily on religious justifications for opposing transgender ideology is a deal breaker for millions of people who might otherwise be open to persuasion. It's fine to connect religious beliefs and values to politics within ones own community and within ones own mind. But we live in a pluralistic democracy with many different faiths and cultural norms. Tying politics to religion as an overall strategy will not expand the number of parents who oppose trans medicalization beyond those who are already on board. Overturning this barbarism is going to require a large and diverse coalition.
I'm completely non-religious but I find people's aversion to religions (especially Christianity, these days) so sad. Should laws be made based on it? No. But politicians having opinions based on it is normal. It is like 4 am so this might not be coming out right. Lol I just think it is sad how such an American idea (freedom of religion) is so hated today.
I don’t think that freedom of religion is hated per se, more like in certain progressive segments of society, any First Amendment-related freedom is on the chopping block. Freedom of speech and thought, a free press…these things are all at risk. College students applaud censorship and disrupt speakers they don’t like…all coming these days from the left. But they do pick and choose, so we know they’re not fair or logical. Muslims are a victim group, so we must support Islam or be called a name. Jews are “white adjacent” and “fascist” because Israel exists. It’s not really about freedom of religion, but more about ideology and whose side are you on?
The issue, I believe, is polarization. The fact is that millions of Americans are devoutly religious or have some sort of personal faith that supports them. This isn’t going to change. In fact, as more Latinos and other devoutly religious people from around the world make their homes here and start voting, their values will inform public policy.
I agree, it is normal for a politician to communicate with constituents on matters where religious values align. This isn’t going to change. But at the end of the day, I hold up as an example the former New York State governor, Mario Cuomo, whom I once heard speak on the abortion issue. To paraphrase, he said “I am a Catholic, and my religion forbids abortion. But I am the governor of all the people of my state, not just the Catholics, and my public policy must be informed by that fact.”
I agree with all of that, except, the people vote for the person and their views and beliefs. The voters voted for that "representative" for them. I'm not saying that they should just do everything that they think is right. They certainly should weigh choices on what the ppl want on each matter, but they knew they had a religious leader who had those views.(likely anyway)
You are so right about the Latinos coming. With the left constantly bashing Christianity, Idk how long that tactic will last.
My original point was/is that as a strategy for bringing Americans together to fight the trans takeover, religious conviction will be of limited value, and will alienate millions of potential allies. The argument will have to be larger than that in order to have any traction, because in its own way, being “woke” functions as its own religion, doesn’t it. Yikes, I just realized that as I was typing.
Thank you for another important voice on this issue. Your convictions and perspective are key to helping reverse the push for medicalization of so many of our young people who desperately need adults in the room to take a stand... together. I understand your opposition to the actions of the Texas governor and AG; I agree that transitioning minors is child abuse but I don’t believe well meaning parents are the instigators. Likewise, I do not believe the Governor and AG intend to prosecute parents who are acting in good faith to protect their children from harm. Parents are called to protect their children from abuse, but they also should be afforded the benefit of the doubt, especially when we are hearing that many parents have been told they MUST “affirm” their child’s delusion lest they lose them to suicide. What is a parent to do? We are talking about life and death. With growing skepticism about the validity of suicide data pushed by TG activist ideologues, hopefully parents and families will be empowered to seek supportive exploratory psychotherapy for their children. A growing number of physicians and therapists must stand ready to help parents respond to the onslaught that is targeting their children during a key developmental time when they are perhaps most vulnerable to external influence. In my opinion it will take firm stances from all involved to correct this wrong turn, educate and introduce extraordinary levels of caution. Firm stances should be taken by conservatives and liberals (and everyone in between) who essentially are in full agreement over this issue. There will be different mechanisms to put up roadblocks against harming children, and some will be more controversial than others, but I think in the end they will work in unison to protect minors.
Incredible piece So important. I hope this gets shared a billion times. I don't know why being human is a problem that some "professionals" feel they need to medically correct. Yes, i went through puberty and it was very hard, awkward, mood swings, zits...the works! We ALL go through it. It's NORMAL. There's so much about being human that is difficult/uncomfortable/miserable...But does not necessarily necessitate a remedy. A boy who is effeminate is not necessarily born in the "wrong body" or has "gender dysphoria" and needs to have surgery to "correct this". Maybe he's JUST a boy who is feminine! A girl who prefers short hair and playing with trucks instead of Barbi can simply have these preferences. It doesn't necessarily mean she's a girl trapped in a boys body and then should have surgery and hormone "therapy" to "cure" this. Just let it be. Maybe later in life she will decide she is a gay OR heterosexual or whatever she decides. Maybe she will want to have children some day (tons of people can't even fathom this when they are young but desperately want it when they are older). Point being; this is not the time to make life altering irreversible decisions. Being a kid, growing to an adult is hard for EVERYONE. It's not a medical problem to solve. Shame on those who make this "trendy" and create an profitable industry around it. If your daughter at some point decides she doesn't want to live as a woman anymore than she has her whole life to decide this without being influenced by cultural zeitgeist or some idiotic therapist. I don't doubt that gender dysphoria is a real thing. I also know that some people ARE indeed intersex and have difficult decisions to make about how they will address this, but I believe the numbers are FAR lower than society/therapists and bad science would have you believe Read/listen to Abigail Shrier. She too describes this perfectly. Social Contagion. Shame on us.
Well said! We should not be helping medicalize kids with sterilizing and dangerous meds and surgeries. We should be teaching thrm to love themselves. Like you said, it is NORMAL to feel awkward in your body and wish it were different. Especially during puberty. Which is why most kids that have real gender dysphoria grow out of it after puberty.
I couldn't agree with you more, and yet, a profit-driven medical system is compelled to find things to treat. As consumers of it, we need to keep this in mind at all times and become our own "experts" on ourselves and our children. When it comes to gender dysphoria, I will keep asking this question:
How is it more compassionate to treat a healthy body with risky, experimental drugs and surgeries than to help that person accept biological reality and make peace with their body?
exactly right! And in a way it's like going to get your car serviced or going to the Dentist. Both of these are important to maintain your machinery, but both for the most part could function independently of these interventions. The question is how MUCH intervention is legitimately necessary vs how much is paying for someone's summer home? I hear these arguments about preventing suicide. I'd really like to see the legit unbiased stats on this (assume those don't exist) except to push an agenda. LET people be who they are and wish to become. This is a process that evolves over time. When i was little I wanted to be a cat or a princess. Kids don't know who or what they want to be. Let them find out. Give them time to do so. If kids want to say they are a girl or boy or however they want to see themselves FINE. Let this be, but for got sake don't give them drugs that will forever alter their bodies, voices, facial/body hair, fertility, ability to orgasm....Don't remove body parts!
"Don't remove body parts!" Seems so obvious, doesn't it? I recently "came out" to a local philosophy-oriented discussion group about being critical of 'transgender medicine." . I was pretty stunned at how little many of them seemed to value healthy body parts or understand the transient nature of "identity" or at least were suppressing that understanding to maintain cognitive dissonance.
one would think!!!The problem is the average person doesn't think. Takes too much time. Requires too much thought. The idea that a breast or penis is just some sort of appendage is horrifying. There's a reason it's been rebranded as "top surgery" when if you have cancer it's a Mastectomy. Clearly "mastectomy" sounds worse. But it's been made to sound extremely trivial like getting a haircut or manicure.
This was a group that prides themselves on their thinking skills. Yet, it's clear many of them are captured by this ideology. And they are intelligent people quite clearly capable of thinking--so when the thinking is shut down in some area, it helps me realize just how vulnerable we all are to it. We must always be questioning the stories we're telling ourselves. And I think it's important to vet our own values so we can operate from that place. I value healthy body parts. It's obvious not everyone does. Different world views. How can we communicate effectively with people who have different world views? Curiosity and compassion, curiosity and compassion--my mantra these days. What has factored into someone's value set? Are they even aware of their own values? As you point out, how something is being framed might determine its impact.
Your last paragraph says it all. The transitioning of children is not a gray issue. It is truth versus lies, health versus profits, our children versus a pernicious ideology. Instead of becoming the best informed state in the country regarding the scientific distortions propping up the gender industry, Texas is using its considerable resources to demonize and blame parents. Could Texas be any stupider, any lazier? What kind of ass-backwards strategy is that? It's almost as if they're trying to sabotage their own efforts on purpose.
Is the transitioning of children a form of child abuse? Yes. But the abusers are not the parents, who've been lied to and browbeaten into believing that their children will kill themselves if they're not allowed to transition. The abusers are the opportunistic medical professionals and their educator and politician minions, playing fast and loose with human biology for profit and power.
Medical malpractice perverting every institution of society...this is the crime.
I mean, this was the natural progression of progressives. It says it in the name. Lol You progress and progress and progress. There's never a wall that is enough progress. Progressives just keep going. The insanity can be at least nodded to the blame on the people who push progressive politics. This was always where it was going to go.
I'm not a progressive or a conservative. Both are insane, but I can at least respect conservatives for trying to conserve the health of children.
I agree that all these powerful forces should be under scrutiny for promoting trans ideology. But ultimately, parents need a more active role in children's lives.
What I mean by this is that kids should be parent centered. Not peer centered. So-called "youth culture," had been a disaster for kids. Unfortunately, mandatory public education is the main culprit. It seperates children from parents and other adults actually. Before public education, kids grew up faster. They had to. And they had better guidance as well.
But there are ways to combat this as a parent. Even if you can't homeschool. But homeschooling is ideal. Ultimately, we have to look to tradition to re-establish the organic social relationship between parents and their kids. It doesn't have to look exactly as it did, but the content needs to be there.
The Republican Party and social conservative lobby, in their *present* incarnation, will never allow a non-partisan conversation of the deep family issues that they use to scare the daylights out of voters.
So many other comments here reflect blind anger and false accusation, not mutual learning that leads to common purpose: the welfare of our families.
I'm sorry, but gender diversity does originate naturally, despite the efforts of mass media, churches, and school officials to make everyone conform to one standard. The media, in particular, depend entirely upon advertising and ticket sales, and you can't advertise easily to a fragmented audience -- there is great pressure to steer society toward sameness, not variability.
Those who have survived conversion therapy know how much pressure there is, in conservative society, media, and church, to prevent people from simply being themselves.
Hogwash, our mass media pushes this stuff. Those who disagree are attacked and ostracized.
Your viewpoint is derived entirely from mass media. You attack and ostracize those who investigate and report actual facts.
This is definitely a safe space for parents to vent their very understandable rage and fear. I agree we need to be strategic and seek to engage in productive communication. It's incredibly frustrating when we're blocked from the larger conversation, dehumanized as transphobic bigots, and met with disgust and contempt for advocating for our children's healthy bodies and self-acceptance.
All that said, if we can tap into curiosity and compassion so we can get closer to "mutual learning that leads to common purpose: the welfare of our families". It's hard to have productive conversations when we're projecting terror and rage.
I'm not sure what you were saying with this statement, "I'm sorry, but gender diversity does originate naturally." Can you provide a little more detail about how you define "gender diversity"? I would agree that a homogenous population is easier to market to and govern, for that matter, and that this is one of the driving foundations of our education system. (I'm a former school teacher who left for this reason.)
Oh, I'm so glad! I've written a number of articles, do you remember which one?
Nvr mnd. I remember. <3
3 cheers for "wrong moms"!
While I understand your take, I see the statements by Paxton and Abbott as attempts to bring the discussions you mention into the light and, in the meantime, stop the unethical treatment of gender-dysphoric/confused kids. The goal is not simply "to investigate parents of trans children," but to stop medical and other professionals from taking advantage of vulnerable parents who are desperately seeking help for their children.
What makes puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries child abuse? Parents need to know. They don't know now because of all of the reasons you stated so well. Paxton/Abbott mean to force those discussions you want, not shut them down.
Hopefully, other parents and ill-advised health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc. will become as well educated about the issue and treatments as you are. As you state, that is not happening now, and I'm afraid it won't as long as the narrative remains that Abbott and Paxton are politically-motivated transphobes. Let's not miss this opportunity. Let's use their statements to our advantage to actually find the best care for the kids, and help others do the same.
Yes, I really want to bring attention to all that is in this article and bring this discussion "into the light". I try and talk with my close friends and family, and I think they hear me, but it's not on their mind 24/7 like it is mine, because they don't have a dog in the fight. And all of my inner circle are very left leaning. And like anyone hooked into a political side, you just tend to go with whatever that media is saying, because who has time to research every single issue on the table these days?? I truly believe that real change will happen if we can open the discussion where people in the middle and the left are standing. They are the ones who need to be educated about what is REALLY going on - when their (our) media is is in full support of this trans movement and using language that attempts to garner sympathy for the poor trans children being kept from "life-saving" treatments. If we can't pull EVERYONE into this conversation, then it will continue to just be a battle between parties. I look at it much the way that I look at how I need to work with my kid on this. Loud, hyperbolic, emotional language is only going to push my kid further into it. I need to, with compassion and curiosity, ask the common sense questions. Get her to question too, and do her own critical thinking. My friends - and I dare say all that lean left - are already programmed to mistrust Abbot and Paxton. So an extreme stance from these politicians is just not one that is going to bring them to the place I want them to go with this issue. It will just make them dig their heels in the sand even more. I know it shouldn't be that way, but that is how it is on both sides of the aisle. Very few are willing to listen to the mistrusted other side. And this argument is continually being pitted in media as Republicans against Trans rights. I scream every time I see that. A gross misrepresentation of what is happening on the ground. Plenty of lefty parents like me totally against medicalizing our kids, and plenty on the right that are full in on Trans. It's a very mixed bag - which has nothing to do with politics!!! So many are to blame for the harm being inflicted on kids now. But until we get media reporting the truth - in the middle and the left - I just don't see the needle moving. Maybe temporarily with directives like Abbot and Paxton's - but TRA's will just garner even more sympathy and support from the left to fight back. We can't afford to spend any more time thinking and fighting in extremes. Real change will only come by everyone taking 2 steps to center, laying down their weapons and having real discussions about what will help these kids. I know ALOT of people here disagree, and think a firm hand like Abbot and Paxton's is what is needed. But the view from left America, is not supporting that. I really hope I'm wrong. Really really really. Maybe this WILL wake everyone up?? I do not care for these politicians, but if these directives work to turn our country around on this, I will kiss their ever lovin' feet!
I'm not arguing that you're wrong, but I have such a hard time understanding how "health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc." let alone parents are able to accept the narrative that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries applied to healthy bodies belong in sound treatment protocols. Stimulating conversation is important. I feel I'm pretty clear on my values and have never, since discovering my daughter believes she needs medical "treatment" for her confusion, had any curiosity about my daughter's obvious sex or whether treating her healthy body with medical interventions was a wise approach. I have concerns about a worldview that would accept such extreme interventions without question. I have to agree with "Let's not miss this opportunity." I'd sure love to see and contribute to a world where parents feel equipped with the knowledge and confidence to parent their children.
"I'm not arguing that you're wrong, but I have such a hard time understanding how "health-care providers, counselors, teachers, etc." let alone parents are able to accept the narrative that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries applied to healthy bodies belong in sound treatment protocols."
Agreed. I don't understand it either. And yet this is where we are. This narrative is firmly planted in our healthcare and pervasive in media and society all around me. I feel like chicken little, running around screaming about the dangers of trans medicine. This ideology is so pervasive. We are not going to get rid of it by calling it "child abuse". The people brainwashed that they are really helping these kids with trans medicine just see all of these alarmist pronouncements as the crazy extreme right. It comes from a source that they don't listen to on any other topic. So why this one? It just pushes on the fence liberals over further left into the crazy trans narrative of preventing suicides. I am seeing it before my eyes. This conversation takes an understanding of how we got to this place - that many people really do believe that they are doing the best things for kids. Why? Because TRA's have been so very f#cking effective at duping the world at large with their misrepresentation of studies and how harmful it is to *not* medicalize kids. We need to show that we have some sort of an understanding of how we got here.....but now, (and somehow presenting this calmly) "this is how it all went wrong" - such as with the very low quality Dutch Study protocol that was spread around the world, showing how TRA's and social media have captured our kids, how Big Pharma has had a hand in this, how politicians have used this to amp up their bases, how media has stoked extremist positions, etc. etc. So many people don't know these things, and if we are just running around screaming "child abuse" they will never be able to hear the truth and engage in the critical thinking that we questioning parents have been swimming in. It's just how I see it.
You're assuming those things haven't been done, but I can assure you they have been. Many of us in Texas have invested countless hours and dollars trying to educate our legislators, parents, educators about the history, data, etc. - everything you mentioned plus more to no avail. They have not realized the seriousness of the situation. Hopefully, this will shake them out of their apathy.
Parents and healthcare providers, educators, parents all need to know the truth about what makes the treatments child abuse. The largest children's hospital in Texas stopped prescribing drugs when the ruling came out. We will never know how many children and their parents were saved from the trans nightmare by that one hospital alone. I'm sure there have been others.
We're not going to get rid of it period if we can't educate people about the medical, physical and mental harm they cause. The Texas AG ruling and consequent statement by the Governor did not stop or start with the treatments being child abuse. The science, stats, desistance experiences, studies, European change in protocols, etc., and the points you mentioned all came into play and were explained in the ruling. People might actually be prepared to answer the hysteria created by activists if they would read the ruling and the resources used in it.
It doesn't matter how well-meaning people are, if they are harming children knowingly or unknowingly, it is up to others to show them the error of their thoughts. Personally, I'm tired of and frustrated with our willingness to continue to let the trans activists control the narrative. It's past time to quit playing catch-up, quit playing by their rules, quit pretending drugs and surgeries are anything other than what they are - child abuse.
With you 100%. Everyone is doing the best they can with their current understanding of the situation and high quality communication, with some sort of way for people to save face is crucial to making any progress. I think a couple other factors we need to consider is that we've been groomed for decades into medicating any sort of discomfort and avoiding suffering at all costs; how good the medical complex has gotten at creating markets for their "cures." We call everything "trauma" and so many have lost touch with ourselves and any sense of satisfaction and meaning in our lives. We need new stories to bind us together for the health of humanity and the planet. I think the ideology is filling a giant gaping void that we best figure out how to fill before toppling it or something else just as dangerous might come along and fill it for us.
👏🏻👏🏻
They believe the lies, half-truths, and misinterpretation of data. The deck has been stacked against open debate and alternate opinions for over 10 years now. Very few things in medicine ever have 100% consensus. GM treatments are no different. But the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, etc., have all adopted the Standards of Care developed by pro-trans WPATH and the Endocrine Society, and that's what doctors and health-care professionals go by. They don't have the time to do their own research.
The researchers that did the original study in 2005/06 have published papers stating the never meant for their study to be used as justification or "medical evidence" for the wholesale use of drugs, surgeries, affirmation treatments on this new type of gender dysphoria. Papers are constantly getting published that are used to support affirmation treatments, then on review by other researchers and physicians are forced to be corrected or retracted because of errors. But the corrections never catch up to the original paper. You can't scrub internet materials.
We live in confusing times. Deception is rampant. Deceived people don't know they're deceived, and pride makes it impossible for people to entertain the thought that they might be wrong. You mentioned worldview which is what it boils down to. There's one worldview that believes in the truth of God's Word, that God created mankind in His image but uniquely male and female to come together in a family unit designed to protect children and stabilize society. The farther we get away from God's design for anything, the more consequences there are to pay. We are very, very far away today. Romans 1:18-32 explains it well.
I'm sorry you've been offended, but to keep a place for all faiths and no faiths means not excluding the evangelical Christian stuff. That God created mankind in His image male and female is found in Hebrew Scriptures in Bereshit 1:26. The intrinsic value of every individual transcends both faiths as does the foundational importance of family. That is not true for all faiths and certainly not true for no faiths. The trans activists would have us believe that transgender is about science, but we know that is not true, since they deny the foundational biological truth of XX and XY which goes straight back to 1:26. Not all faiths and certainly no faiths agree with that.
I do see the message being presented in multiple ways with more focus on studies, medicine, the aftermath of treatment, etc. than the spiritual side. I've been at multiple legislative hearings, school board meetings, political events, etc. and heard few mentions of God, Jesus, or being created male and female at any of them. XX&XY, yes, but from biology, not theology. The haters of truth use those labels whether the presenters are Christians or not. It goes with the territory of trying to protect gender-confused children regardless of religious or political affiliation.
I agree that it should be a bipartisan issue politically and medically, but different people are convicted in different ways with different messages. For those who believe in the biblical worldview, tying in the spiritual aspect can make the difference between apathy or involvement. We need those people, too.
I am so disgusted with politics and how every issue is used to divide us. We need to ask better questions so we can work together to find sound solutions that promote wholeness and wellness. Questions like:
How is it more compassionate to treat a healthy body with surgery and wrong-sex hormones than to help that person accept biological reality and make peace with their body?
Is our profit-driven medical system working in the interest of our health and wellbeing or is it always on the lookout for the next big market?
How is our education system affecting our relationships with ourselves and our families? Is it working to create healthy, self-directed individuals who are resilient and have a sense of meaning and belonging so they're not vulnerable to dangerous ideology?
How can we infuse our communication with curiosity and compassion so we stand a chance of being heard? Is it possible to adopt needs-based communication? Can we imagine a world where people can identify and clearly articulate their own needs? How did we become so disconnected from our selves? Okay--maybe these are too big, but I think they're important to helping us figure out how we got to this crazy place we find ourselves in.
I wonder if this has taken off in the US in part because of the enthusiastic medicalisation of children (and adults) in that society as a whole. Millions of children are on medication for ADHD for example. Also I read over and over about parents taking their children to see a "therapist" at the first sign of any kind of mental distress. This would not have occurred to me as a parent in the UK. Many of my generation of mothers were all about keeping our children's bodies as pure and natural as possible. Organic food, healthy outdoor play etc etc. So a cultural phenomenon as well as the obvious social contagion (which is sadly the same here in the UK) and a kind of reverence towards doctors and pharmaceuticals that I certainly don't have. I avoid doctors like the plague! Just a thought.
Completely think this is a logical argument. However, this has "taken off" in the UK too. They're just now reversing laws on it because they recognized that there is a rampant social contagion going on. There is a gender clinic there that had an astronomical increase in ROGD girls. I guess therapists kept quitting because theye felt like they had to affirm and give meds. Even to kids that they didn't think were really trans. Anyway, I read about it like a year ago. You guys were quicker at seeing the problem and are trying to reverse it now.
You’re definitely on to something, and I think it’s the uniquely consumerist approach to everything — even age-old teen angst— that makes the US especially vulnerable to the kind of snake oil that gender ideology is pushing. The fact that they’re pushing it directly to the child consumer via social media is scandalous, but parents have to push back.
Yes. But kids with ADHD who are medicated may be less vulnerable to ideology. At least that is my strong suspicion from reading Reddit/r/dtrans where several people asked "what would you tell your younger self?" Said they wished theyd had.help for ADHD before they heard about trans
You are describing me, and yet my daughter is now in therapy also and finally got the ADHD diagnosis she wanted so badly. She knew I'd not buy into this because of my minimalist approach to outside intervention and focus on health and wellness (not of the kind offered by our sickcare system.) There are many things on this journey with her that if I had a do-over, I'd do differently but here we are--and I'm better for it. I believe she'll be stronger on the other side of it also. Adolescence is always a precarious time, (see my piece: https://stoicmom.substack.com/p/is-it-time-to-let-go?s=w ) and I was able to find a therapist that understands the importance of the family unit--the most insidious aspect of this particular adolescent trend is how it frays the attachment between the child and her committed caregivers, her parents. We're set up as the enemy and that makes it difficult to have the influence we would normally have. I'd even say this is just the result of years of conditioning and we shouldn't be surprised we find ourselves here. Parenting in general has become difficult because of the "expert" culture we've been groomed for.
Thank you!
I appreciate the many great points you've brought out in your article, but when you say Paxton and Abbott are extreme, I'm not sure how else you want them to accomplish the goal of stopping the indiscriminate transing of kids that you espouse. You have said they should be investigating Big Pharma, but Paxton is already doing that in his recent suit against Abbvie and Endo Pharmaceuticals. And just because they want to investigate abuses, how is that shutting down discourse? The politicians on the right are NOT the ones silencing the debate; the gender industry and all of its enablers are doing that.
I agree. Where you say "media savvy gender affirming experts," that's a good way to put it. The Right acts with a regrettable lack of nuance and intellectual laziness. It uses a hacksaw when what's needed is a scalpel. Both sides have their flaws, but the Left is much better with the propaganda. They know that creating pithy straw men like "Don't Say Gay" is more effective than the finger wagging and high-school level ridicule that the Right indulges in.
Further to your point, I apologize in advance if this offends some people, but please stay objective and understand that it's not my intention to denigrate anyone's faith: Relying primarily on religious justifications for opposing transgender ideology is a deal breaker for millions of people who might otherwise be open to persuasion. It's fine to connect religious beliefs and values to politics within ones own community and within ones own mind. But we live in a pluralistic democracy with many different faiths and cultural norms. Tying politics to religion as an overall strategy will not expand the number of parents who oppose trans medicalization beyond those who are already on board. Overturning this barbarism is going to require a large and diverse coalition.
I'm completely non-religious but I find people's aversion to religions (especially Christianity, these days) so sad. Should laws be made based on it? No. But politicians having opinions based on it is normal. It is like 4 am so this might not be coming out right. Lol I just think it is sad how such an American idea (freedom of religion) is so hated today.
I don’t think that freedom of religion is hated per se, more like in certain progressive segments of society, any First Amendment-related freedom is on the chopping block. Freedom of speech and thought, a free press…these things are all at risk. College students applaud censorship and disrupt speakers they don’t like…all coming these days from the left. But they do pick and choose, so we know they’re not fair or logical. Muslims are a victim group, so we must support Islam or be called a name. Jews are “white adjacent” and “fascist” because Israel exists. It’s not really about freedom of religion, but more about ideology and whose side are you on?
The issue, I believe, is polarization. The fact is that millions of Americans are devoutly religious or have some sort of personal faith that supports them. This isn’t going to change. In fact, as more Latinos and other devoutly religious people from around the world make their homes here and start voting, their values will inform public policy.
I agree, it is normal for a politician to communicate with constituents on matters where religious values align. This isn’t going to change. But at the end of the day, I hold up as an example the former New York State governor, Mario Cuomo, whom I once heard speak on the abortion issue. To paraphrase, he said “I am a Catholic, and my religion forbids abortion. But I am the governor of all the people of my state, not just the Catholics, and my public policy must be informed by that fact.”
I agree with all of that, except, the people vote for the person and their views and beliefs. The voters voted for that "representative" for them. I'm not saying that they should just do everything that they think is right. They certainly should weigh choices on what the ppl want on each matter, but they knew they had a religious leader who had those views.(likely anyway)
You are so right about the Latinos coming. With the left constantly bashing Christianity, Idk how long that tactic will last.
That’s true. We vote for whomever represents us.
My original point was/is that as a strategy for bringing Americans together to fight the trans takeover, religious conviction will be of limited value, and will alienate millions of potential allies. The argument will have to be larger than that in order to have any traction, because in its own way, being “woke” functions as its own religion, doesn’t it. Yikes, I just realized that as I was typing.
Are we screwed?
Thank you for another important voice on this issue. Your convictions and perspective are key to helping reverse the push for medicalization of so many of our young people who desperately need adults in the room to take a stand... together. I understand your opposition to the actions of the Texas governor and AG; I agree that transitioning minors is child abuse but I don’t believe well meaning parents are the instigators. Likewise, I do not believe the Governor and AG intend to prosecute parents who are acting in good faith to protect their children from harm. Parents are called to protect their children from abuse, but they also should be afforded the benefit of the doubt, especially when we are hearing that many parents have been told they MUST “affirm” their child’s delusion lest they lose them to suicide. What is a parent to do? We are talking about life and death. With growing skepticism about the validity of suicide data pushed by TG activist ideologues, hopefully parents and families will be empowered to seek supportive exploratory psychotherapy for their children. A growing number of physicians and therapists must stand ready to help parents respond to the onslaught that is targeting their children during a key developmental time when they are perhaps most vulnerable to external influence. In my opinion it will take firm stances from all involved to correct this wrong turn, educate and introduce extraordinary levels of caution. Firm stances should be taken by conservatives and liberals (and everyone in between) who essentially are in full agreement over this issue. There will be different mechanisms to put up roadblocks against harming children, and some will be more controversial than others, but I think in the end they will work in unison to protect minors.
Incredible piece So important. I hope this gets shared a billion times. I don't know why being human is a problem that some "professionals" feel they need to medically correct. Yes, i went through puberty and it was very hard, awkward, mood swings, zits...the works! We ALL go through it. It's NORMAL. There's so much about being human that is difficult/uncomfortable/miserable...But does not necessarily necessitate a remedy. A boy who is effeminate is not necessarily born in the "wrong body" or has "gender dysphoria" and needs to have surgery to "correct this". Maybe he's JUST a boy who is feminine! A girl who prefers short hair and playing with trucks instead of Barbi can simply have these preferences. It doesn't necessarily mean she's a girl trapped in a boys body and then should have surgery and hormone "therapy" to "cure" this. Just let it be. Maybe later in life she will decide she is a gay OR heterosexual or whatever she decides. Maybe she will want to have children some day (tons of people can't even fathom this when they are young but desperately want it when they are older). Point being; this is not the time to make life altering irreversible decisions. Being a kid, growing to an adult is hard for EVERYONE. It's not a medical problem to solve. Shame on those who make this "trendy" and create an profitable industry around it. If your daughter at some point decides she doesn't want to live as a woman anymore than she has her whole life to decide this without being influenced by cultural zeitgeist or some idiotic therapist. I don't doubt that gender dysphoria is a real thing. I also know that some people ARE indeed intersex and have difficult decisions to make about how they will address this, but I believe the numbers are FAR lower than society/therapists and bad science would have you believe Read/listen to Abigail Shrier. She too describes this perfectly. Social Contagion. Shame on us.
Well said! We should not be helping medicalize kids with sterilizing and dangerous meds and surgeries. We should be teaching thrm to love themselves. Like you said, it is NORMAL to feel awkward in your body and wish it were different. Especially during puberty. Which is why most kids that have real gender dysphoria grow out of it after puberty.
I couldn't agree with you more, and yet, a profit-driven medical system is compelled to find things to treat. As consumers of it, we need to keep this in mind at all times and become our own "experts" on ourselves and our children. When it comes to gender dysphoria, I will keep asking this question:
How is it more compassionate to treat a healthy body with risky, experimental drugs and surgeries than to help that person accept biological reality and make peace with their body?
exactly right! And in a way it's like going to get your car serviced or going to the Dentist. Both of these are important to maintain your machinery, but both for the most part could function independently of these interventions. The question is how MUCH intervention is legitimately necessary vs how much is paying for someone's summer home? I hear these arguments about preventing suicide. I'd really like to see the legit unbiased stats on this (assume those don't exist) except to push an agenda. LET people be who they are and wish to become. This is a process that evolves over time. When i was little I wanted to be a cat or a princess. Kids don't know who or what they want to be. Let them find out. Give them time to do so. If kids want to say they are a girl or boy or however they want to see themselves FINE. Let this be, but for got sake don't give them drugs that will forever alter their bodies, voices, facial/body hair, fertility, ability to orgasm....Don't remove body parts!
"Don't remove body parts!" Seems so obvious, doesn't it? I recently "came out" to a local philosophy-oriented discussion group about being critical of 'transgender medicine." . I was pretty stunned at how little many of them seemed to value healthy body parts or understand the transient nature of "identity" or at least were suppressing that understanding to maintain cognitive dissonance.
one would think!!!The problem is the average person doesn't think. Takes too much time. Requires too much thought. The idea that a breast or penis is just some sort of appendage is horrifying. There's a reason it's been rebranded as "top surgery" when if you have cancer it's a Mastectomy. Clearly "mastectomy" sounds worse. But it's been made to sound extremely trivial like getting a haircut or manicure.
Exactly. Euphemisms can be a powerful propaganda tool.
This was a group that prides themselves on their thinking skills. Yet, it's clear many of them are captured by this ideology. And they are intelligent people quite clearly capable of thinking--so when the thinking is shut down in some area, it helps me realize just how vulnerable we all are to it. We must always be questioning the stories we're telling ourselves. And I think it's important to vet our own values so we can operate from that place. I value healthy body parts. It's obvious not everyone does. Different world views. How can we communicate effectively with people who have different world views? Curiosity and compassion, curiosity and compassion--my mantra these days. What has factored into someone's value set? Are they even aware of their own values? As you point out, how something is being framed might determine its impact.
Your last paragraph says it all. The transitioning of children is not a gray issue. It is truth versus lies, health versus profits, our children versus a pernicious ideology. Instead of becoming the best informed state in the country regarding the scientific distortions propping up the gender industry, Texas is using its considerable resources to demonize and blame parents. Could Texas be any stupider, any lazier? What kind of ass-backwards strategy is that? It's almost as if they're trying to sabotage their own efforts on purpose.
Is the transitioning of children a form of child abuse? Yes. But the abusers are not the parents, who've been lied to and browbeaten into believing that their children will kill themselves if they're not allowed to transition. The abusers are the opportunistic medical professionals and their educator and politician minions, playing fast and loose with human biology for profit and power.
Medical malpractice perverting every institution of society...this is the crime.
Yes. 100%. Also, it doesn’t help when the press is wholly sucked in without any public discourse. It’s a perfect storm of zombie insanity.
I mean, this was the natural progression of progressives. It says it in the name. Lol You progress and progress and progress. There's never a wall that is enough progress. Progressives just keep going. The insanity can be at least nodded to the blame on the people who push progressive politics. This was always where it was going to go.
I'm not a progressive or a conservative. Both are insane, but I can at least respect conservatives for trying to conserve the health of children.
Keep writing
Keep speaking
We are ready for a radical middle movement - let the detransitioners speak and the truth will come out!
Excellent. Thx
I just wrote an email to the Morning Joe Show on MSNBC.
I urged Mika and Joe to look more in this issue, because I think they are convincible people if they can break out of the bubble.
I linked to this piece, because it speaks to something that is happening now and very clearly lays things out.
Who knows if they will even get it- but I can hope.
I have tried to reach them as well - hope you have better luck!
I'll bet there are a lot of young woke staffers who probably filter it out. That, or they aren't attracted to the idea of committing career suicide.
I share that fear.
Wonderful piece! YES!
Yes! Yes! 1,000 times yes! I hope you’re submitting that piece all over the state. It needs to go viral. Well done!