My teenage son and I recently discussed what led to his belief that he was a transgender girl for a period of two years, and why he desisted. My son recorded the following conversation and sent it to me, with the hope it might help another family. After his experience, he now expresses opposition to the transitioning of youth and is in favor of the direction the state of Florida is moving in.
This is reality: “I remember exclaiming to my son “You’re not transgender, you’re brainwashed!” It was many months later that it dawned on me that, as a lifelong liberal, I had been brainwashed by trans ideology too.” Do not beat yourself up. You are a great mom and you clearly love your son. Too many people are being brainwashed and it's heart wrenching. I said a prayer and thanked God that your son was spared and did not drink the poisonous gender-ideology drink. Thank you for sharing your story - it gives the rest of us continued hope.
HI there I would like to publish my own story, but I have no idea how to do it. I have looked at the suggestions but it is all so confusing. Any advice would be helpful
Wow, what a conversation! Thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations for you and your son for emerging on the other side. It sounds like he has lovely insight. Good on him. Such a great point about kids needing their parents to stick to the truth--he saw it as a life-line out of the cult.
In Scotland the gender ideology begins at nursery and all of the suggested reading involves "transition". It's very disturbing how the staff has been moulded to share this with children so young.
I remember growing up and there were attractive gay people and prominent positive symbols around being gay. I think that's how I ended up gay, but I regret it now.
I became brainwashed too for too long and became utterly confused. It's amazing to consider that it happens to people my age. My kid and one parent group lead and "educated " me. The struggle became too much and too exhausting. I recovered mentally, but physically this is catching up on me in a way which I don't like. My feelings though always told me to remain skeptical and kept me sane.
1923: "In Meyer, decided by a 7-2 majority, McReynolds compared the Nebraska law with the military indoctrination of male youth that was characteristic of ancient Sparta but entirely out of place with American self-government. In an apt rejoinder to today’s antiparent ideologies, the court in Pierce unanimously concluded that the constitutional order presupposed a sphere of liberty protecting the relationship between parents and their child: “The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”"
May v. Anderson 1953 "Sandra Day O’Connor emphasized that parental rights were “the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests,” dating back to Meyer and Pierce.
Even before Dobbs, federal judges were citing this line of cases in upholding recent parental-rights claims. In May, Judge Holly Teeter enjoined a Kansas school policy prohibiting teachers from revealing a transgender student’s “preferred first name and pronouns” when communicating with parents. Although the plaintiff in Ricard v. USD 475 was a teacher, Judge Teeter went out of her way to chastise the school’s intrusion on parental rights. Quoting Pierce and Troxell, she questioned why a school would even claim an “interest in withholding or concealing from the parents of minor children, information fundamental to a child’s identity, personhood, and mental and emotional well-being.”"
Gender Dysphoria is a stupid and dangerous FAD (like the “Tide Pod Challenge” and the “Blackout Challenge”) that has been promulgated by Leftists and designed as a form of post-birth ‘abortion’ to prevent the next generation, because all that really happens is the kids and adults become neutered! It is gendercide! No longer male or female! You become a castrated eunuch!
Insanity on display:
“Trans lobby group ‘Stonewall’ brands lesbians ‘sexual racists’ for raising concerns about being pressured into having sex with transgender ‘women’ who still have male genitals”.
Translation, if you are a lesbian, and you do not wish to have sex with a man dressed as a woman, then you are a “sexual racist”.
The key is in your son's statement: "I think ideally, and I am not blaming you for not doing this earlier, maybe what a parent would want to do, in a careful way, would be to give them more doubts to think about." The more parents affirm trans, the less room there is for the other side to be represented, just at a time in their development when kids need that other perspective to ground them.
Dealing with kids respectfully doesn't mean having to affirm all their choices. Brainwashing is going on at multiple levels of society; parents, too, are constantly gaslighted and made to feel that trans is the "new normal" and that being anti-affirmation is transphobic. Affirming trans means no one is there to give voice to the doubts. Peers and parents are kids' main reference points, with social media assuming an increasingly influential role. When all sides are affirming, the kids have no place to retreat to after going down the trans rabbit hole. Parents need to be the ladder out of that hole, offering love, compassion, warmth, and a connection to the child's history, while respecting their individuality and the struggles teens go through in the process of maturing. Parents are the ones that must hold firm with the reality that people can't change sex, that gender roles are oppressive to all of us, and that we can be beautiful and happy in the sexes we were born into.
We all need to speak up as much as possible, difficult as that may be. I'm an activist liberal who has recently started talking more about being a lifelong gender-critical feminist. It is hard to be the lone voice, but it is absolutely essential that we push ourselves to do so. By speaking out, we find that we are not alone and that not everyone buys into the trans agenda.
This is reality: “I remember exclaiming to my son “You’re not transgender, you’re brainwashed!” It was many months later that it dawned on me that, as a lifelong liberal, I had been brainwashed by trans ideology too.” Do not beat yourself up. You are a great mom and you clearly love your son. Too many people are being brainwashed and it's heart wrenching. I said a prayer and thanked God that your son was spared and did not drink the poisonous gender-ideology drink. Thank you for sharing your story - it gives the rest of us continued hope.
What information or videos did you show your son?
HI there I would like to publish my own story, but I have no idea how to do it. I have looked at the suggestions but it is all so confusing. Any advice would be helpful
Wow, what a conversation! Thank you so much for sharing. Congratulations for you and your son for emerging on the other side. It sounds like he has lovely insight. Good on him. Such a great point about kids needing their parents to stick to the truth--he saw it as a life-line out of the cult.
In Scotland the gender ideology begins at nursery and all of the suggested reading involves "transition". It's very disturbing how the staff has been moulded to share this with children so young.
I remember growing up and there were attractive gay people and prominent positive symbols around being gay. I think that's how I ended up gay, but I regret it now.
I became brainwashed too for too long and became utterly confused. It's amazing to consider that it happens to people my age. My kid and one parent group lead and "educated " me. The struggle became too much and too exhausting. I recovered mentally, but physically this is catching up on me in a way which I don't like. My feelings though always told me to remain skeptical and kept me sane.
Great WSJ piece today except for their use of "transgender child".
"Parental Authority Gets a Boost From Dobbs
The Constitution protects unenumerated rights that are ‘deeply rooted’ in history and tradition.
By Michael Toth July 27, 2022 6:49 pm ET"
https://www.wsj.com/articles/parental-authority-gets-a-boost-from-dobbs-justice-alito-glucksberg-unenumerated-rights-history-tradition-education-meyer-pierce-11658941498?mod=opinion_major_pos4
1923: "In Meyer, decided by a 7-2 majority, McReynolds compared the Nebraska law with the military indoctrination of male youth that was characteristic of ancient Sparta but entirely out of place with American self-government. In an apt rejoinder to today’s antiparent ideologies, the court in Pierce unanimously concluded that the constitutional order presupposed a sphere of liberty protecting the relationship between parents and their child: “The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”"
May v. Anderson 1953 "Sandra Day O’Connor emphasized that parental rights were “the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests,” dating back to Meyer and Pierce.
Even before Dobbs, federal judges were citing this line of cases in upholding recent parental-rights claims. In May, Judge Holly Teeter enjoined a Kansas school policy prohibiting teachers from revealing a transgender student’s “preferred first name and pronouns” when communicating with parents. Although the plaintiff in Ricard v. USD 475 was a teacher, Judge Teeter went out of her way to chastise the school’s intrusion on parental rights. Quoting Pierce and Troxell, she questioned why a school would even claim an “interest in withholding or concealing from the parents of minor children, information fundamental to a child’s identity, personhood, and mental and emotional well-being.”"
Thanks for sharing this--I pray it is encouraging to many parents and teachers/counselors and that we would all do the right thing.
Can you share any of the particular videos that helped your son see the other side? Looking for examples for help. Thank you for sharing.
So glad your son was able to recognize it wasn't 'him'. And also grateful that he was brave enough to say ENOUGH.
My daughter found out about trans from a Minecraft server on Discord.
As mentioned in the essay, what is the "GSA"?
Gender Dysphoria is a stupid and dangerous FAD (like the “Tide Pod Challenge” and the “Blackout Challenge”) that has been promulgated by Leftists and designed as a form of post-birth ‘abortion’ to prevent the next generation, because all that really happens is the kids and adults become neutered! It is gendercide! No longer male or female! You become a castrated eunuch!
Insanity on display:
“Trans lobby group ‘Stonewall’ brands lesbians ‘sexual racists’ for raising concerns about being pressured into having sex with transgender ‘women’ who still have male genitals”.
Translation, if you are a lesbian, and you do not wish to have sex with a man dressed as a woman, then you are a “sexual racist”.
Thanks for sharing this! ❤️
The key is in your son's statement: "I think ideally, and I am not blaming you for not doing this earlier, maybe what a parent would want to do, in a careful way, would be to give them more doubts to think about." The more parents affirm trans, the less room there is for the other side to be represented, just at a time in their development when kids need that other perspective to ground them.
Dealing with kids respectfully doesn't mean having to affirm all their choices. Brainwashing is going on at multiple levels of society; parents, too, are constantly gaslighted and made to feel that trans is the "new normal" and that being anti-affirmation is transphobic. Affirming trans means no one is there to give voice to the doubts. Peers and parents are kids' main reference points, with social media assuming an increasingly influential role. When all sides are affirming, the kids have no place to retreat to after going down the trans rabbit hole. Parents need to be the ladder out of that hole, offering love, compassion, warmth, and a connection to the child's history, while respecting their individuality and the struggles teens go through in the process of maturing. Parents are the ones that must hold firm with the reality that people can't change sex, that gender roles are oppressive to all of us, and that we can be beautiful and happy in the sexes we were born into.
We all need to speak up as much as possible, difficult as that may be. I'm an activist liberal who has recently started talking more about being a lifelong gender-critical feminist. It is hard to be the lone voice, but it is absolutely essential that we push ourselves to do so. By speaking out, we find that we are not alone and that not everyone buys into the trans agenda.
YES! Thank you ❤️