We’re hurting the kids

Poem for a Desister

For context: I am a 13-year-old desister and I wrote this because we're having a poem competition at my school. The topic is Social Justice.

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This has been flying under the radar for way too long, but finally, people are starting to see the truth.

Kids have been pushed to transition, by adults, by teachers, by friends.

When parents say no, no one listens, because they are misinformed and afraid.

But we won’t be quiet, this is causing real harm. Kids are being sterilized and mutilated, it’s hard to accept but this is the truth.

We won’t be quiet. Those suicide statistics you pull out aren’t true,

Telling a vulnerable child that they will die if their parents tell them the truth, is cruel.

You say that this helps them, that regret is rare.

That too is a lie.

There is no credible evidence of benefits, yet there is of harm there.

How can we be so blind, when we’re clearly harming a child?

This is sexism all over again, just a different form.

Telling a young boy that he might be a girl because he likes Barbies and pink.

The stereotypes that our elders tried so hard to get rid of so kids can enjoy different play, are back again but this time they’re worse,

Because now we’re medically harming these kids,

Who will experience regret, but there’s no way back.

You can’t reverse the harm that’s been done,

But what we can do is talk.

We won’t be quiet,

The past of this topic is dark,

How John Money, a well-known predator started it,

But people are afraid to look back.

The therapists are saying that affirmation is the only way,

But what if, only for a moment, they would consider that kids constantly engage in imaginary play?

These kids’ minds aren’t developed,

They believe what they’re told.

But when the child decides to get off this dangerous path,

There’s suddenly no support.

We won’t be quiet; we care about all kids.

So, all we ask is for you to see the evidence and think about what you really care.