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Carrots90🥕🥕's avatar

Hugs and love.

My daughter is 12. With 3 non-binary friends.

You have helped me to know I need to delve further

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Katie deleon's avatar

I have three kids, 16(F), 12(M), and 6(F). While none of them have expressed confusion about their gender identity, and it’s something I’ve talked extensively with my oldest about, I have some thoughts on the other, not talked about, possible connection between internet pornography and ROGD, specifically in girls. It’s something I’ve thought quite a bit about, but have only talked to my husband about, as I am worried some people might think of me as some sort of pervert for bringing it up; but it’s important, and I think it’s a valid concern. I am 37. I have an older brother who is 4 years my senior. Most of my female friends growing up had older brothers who were 2-6 years their senior. From the time I was around 4 to maybe 9, there were things that happened between myself and my brother(who was between 8-13, I guess) that many doctors would consider typical sibling exploration. It did not feel forced, and from what I remember, there was nothing overtly sexual about it. But, I did start masturbating very very young. I was able to achieve orgasm by the time I was 5. From what I’ve read, this is not common. I don’t know if my seeming willingness to go along with what happened with my brother was because I was just naturally a “horny” little kid, or if it was the other way around. Chicken or egg situation. I started puberty early(around 7-8), and remember seeking out my dad’s “hidden” playboys to masturbate to. Occasionally with my brother, though I don’t recall masturbating together. I later asked my friends if their brothers did similar things to/with them, and every single one of them said yes. I remember having a sleepover at a friend’s house, when I was maybe 5, and her asking me to kiss her vulva. She had two older brothers. I recall feeling uncomfortable, but not wanting to offend her, so I think I did it. So back to today, when boys with little sisters and brothers, have practically 24/7 access to the internet, very little parental supervision of their internet usage, and average age of first exposure to pornography being 11. Many of these boys have ADHD and ASD, which increases impulsivity, and makes it harder for them to tell the difference between real and fake and right and wrong. I’ve noticed, mainly through articles I’m recommended on Facebook, that many parents are super concerned about potential dangers from other homes, to the point where they won’t let their kids have sleepovers, but are wholly unaware of the fact that children are most likely to be sexually abused by siblings and stepfathers, but older brothers the most. They won’t let their nine year old sleep at her girlfriend’s house, for fear that the dad may molest her, but are completely comfortable with their 13 year old son and daughter sleeping in the same room. How many of these brothers are acting out what they’ve seen on pornhub on their little sisters(and even brothers)? With parents who aren’t aware that sibling on sibling abuse is so common, even more so now because of the internet, these things could go on for years. I’d be very interested in knowing how many ROGD girls have older brothers. Sexual abuse can absolutely lead to dissociation, or the need/desire to dissociate. I also have an older sister(6 years older) who never did anything to me. Because of my experience as a child, the age dynamic between my two youngest, and the fact that my son has ADHD, we never leave them alone together, and we lock her door at night. Fortunately, she hasn’t asked why we do it, or if she has, it was so easy to give her a fake answer that was acceptable, that I don’t remember her asking. I think there are far more parents out there, who, if they heard that I do this, would accuse me of thinking my son is a monster. I don’t. And I don’t want him to become one. After our “exploration” stopped, my brother and I have always gotten along well. I don’t hold anything against him; but I do think he holds it against himself. So I am not only protecting my daughter, but my son as well. We also don’t allow him access to the internet alone, and his screen time has gotten knocked down to almost zero, which has more to do with his ADHD than anything else. Am I crazy for thinking this is a possible cause of ROGD in girls? I’ve read multiple articles that state that internet pornography has lead to a sharp increase in CSA, overall, but also child on child SA. I’ve gotten feedback from my husband, and he thinks it makes sense, but haven’t talked to anyone else. Also, my 16 year old has ASD, is pretty socially awkward, spends a lot of time on discord talking to other people, as she struggles so much to make IRL friends. She’s actually the reason I started investing ROGD, after seeing interviews with Abigail Shrier. I was terrified to hear that my daughter was essentially the archetype of an ROGD girl. But, she has absolutely no gender confusion at all. In fact, she had to leave a discord group she created, because she couldn’t handle all her friends demanding she call them “they/them”, out of nowhere. She said it didn’t make sense. She has no history of trauma, and no older siblings.

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