The contribution of computer games to transgender identity

When my 20-year-old son announced "her" "trans identity," I was initially shocked. I must admit, though I now regret to say it, that at first I affirmed it. But not for long. Because, unlike my son, who has trouble focusing on anything that does not interest him, I researched it. And what I found was shocking.

There is alarmingly little scientific research into the topic of how gaming contributes to the formation of a transgender identity, but I have been looking into it for months now. Hoping that this can be helpful to other parents, I have summarized my notes on the subject here:

Video games, both online and offline, are incredibly popular among today's younger generations. This is also true for "trans kids," but interestingly, so-called "trans-identified" kids are far more likely to spend time with video games than their healthier counterparts. Multiple studies found between 14%–50% more gaming time in trans kids than non.

Interestingly, all the most popular games among trans kids had some element of role-playing. Very few studies I found listed actual games, so take this list with a grain of salt, but some of the most popular games among trans kids were:

• Minecraft, which up to 92% of trans kids interviewed played regularly

• Roblox, which up to 75% played or had played

• Stardew Valley, which up to 73% played

I also found the following additions to the list, though the article had not been peer-reviewed and I personally am skeptical of the possibility that these games contributed:

• Call of Duty

• Among Us

• Angry Birds (?)

Why do these games with role-playing elements seem especially common among the trans cohort? From what I can tell, it is a combination of factors that are common to most of them:

• The ability to create and play as a character with any gender and any level of gender-normativity

• The act of controlling a character to act out various scenes (such as in the popular Roblox game "Adopt Me")

• The perceived freedom that comes from not being able to take any permanent bodily damage in the game

• Specifically pointed out by trans-identified contributors to one article I found was the fact that the characters in the games are not constrained by reality. “They don't have to go through the wrong (sic) puberty" was a direct quote included.

Another crucial aspect that stood out in my research is the role of online communities within these games. Many trans-identified kids claimed to find solace and understanding in online spaces where they can "freely express their gender identity without fear of judgment or discrimination." These virtual communities often provide a sense of belonging and acceptance that may be perceived to be lacking in their offline lives.

Moreover, the immersive nature of these games allows individuals to experiment with different aspects of their identity, including gender expression, in a supportive environment. This can be particularly dangerous to young people who may be grappling with their gender identity and searching for ways to explore and understand themselves better.

In conclusion, online and offline gaming is almost definitely a major factor in the current transgender epidemic, especially games with a heavy "role-playing" element, or that allow kids to play as characters that do not match with their actual physical gender. The research is, however, not quite conclusive yet, and if we are to find cures for our captured children and ways to prevent others from falling to this cult, we must do more inquiry.

In the meantime, I highly recommend preventing any kids who have not yet been captured from playing such intoxicating games as Minecraft, Roblox, or any other such dangerous, ideologically captured media.