My son has a great therapist. That sets us apart from, I think, the great majority of parents. Mental health care for children is difficult to get, and it's even more difficult to get mental health care that doesn't just check the box or blunder about, but actually helps a child. My son's therapist, who he's been seeing regularly for years, to help him work through a long list of problems including anxiety, depression, and being autistic, is a great therapist. But I can't tell you his name.
Illinois’ “conversion” therapy ban is not limited to “sexual orientation.” Years ago, the Illinois Human Rights Act included something unusual. It defined “sexual orientation” as inclusive of “gender identity.” So, any law passed that addresses “sexual orientation” automatically addresses “gender identity” as well. Those “trans”-cultists are cunning little devils.
Good therapists are a first line of defense for nuero diverse kids. By not allowing them to do their jobs states are participating in gross child abuse. Talking things through with an expert is very essential to sort out anxiety conflicts social issues these kids face. Hormones on the other hand are dangerous experiments that have never been proven to work short or long term. Thank you for highlighting this important issue.
Most gay 'boys' identify with/as girls before they find out they are gay. There is no therapists forcing gays to acknowledge their femininity and transsexualism, rather they are sent to therapists because of that. Zero comparison with Alan Turing being injected with diethylstilbestrol so he would lose his sexual urges, not to try to transition him. Maryam Molkara chose to take female hormones and transition and was detained in a psychiatric institution and forcibly injected with testosterone because of this. And she's the reason Iran is a safe haven for middle eastern trans women. Although the government misconstrues her experience to force surgeries onto people. I guess you all have chosen to ignore this article's blatant islamophobia..
Kenneth Zucker forcing trans girls to believe they are boys is conversion therapy and child abuse. Absolutely zero people are forcing gay boys to get castrated and grow up to be women. And many therapists openly seek to prevent that from happening. Also in most countries outside of the western world, gay refers to all homosexual males and there is little distinction made between transsexuals and gay men. This article depends on the meaningless distinction while trying to erase transsexualism entirely and construe it as being forced upon by therapists and physicians. Ignoring its ancient history completely.
Thank you for sharing! In the process of finding a therapist for my daughter and would be more than happy to take the therapists name to my grave if they can help my daughter. Let's hope the tide turns soon.
"This is the horrible contradiction this sly legislation has wrought. Inserted into bills that purport to end mistreatment of homosexuals is language that mandates the mistreatment of homosexuals." Homophobia is at the heart of trans medical policy. Trans activists are very aware what decades of research have shown: if we leave gender-confused kids alone and accept them as they are, when they reach puberty most of them will come to terms with their sex and their same-sex attraction. Denying children insight therapy in order to suppress their gay identity and recruit them for medicalization is so evil it's hard to fathom.
And in the case of your son, with his serious mental health issues, had you not lucked out and found the principled, compassionate therapist that you did, who knows where your son would be today? His therapist is quite insightful; one wonders how he managed to remain uncorrupted in a field that seems to have lost its way entirely: therapists now just avoid the tough cases, where addressing suicidality, self-harm and gender confusion might force them to actually work for a living.
Along these lines, I've noticed that many respected public intellectuals and journalists avoid the third rail of gender altogether. For instance, I heard social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, co-author of the excellent book "The Coddling of the American Mind," tell Dan Crenshaw that he never discusses gender, despite the fact that his area of expertise is the current mental health crisis among adolescents and young adults. He literally said gender was a "taboo" subject for him. Thank you for nothing, Dr. Haidt.
Thank you for putting all of this research together. It is a scandal that we have laws based on "gender". There is no such thing as "gender" outside of an ideology unless one is talking about "sex". We've been rolled by the mentally ill - some of whom want to groom the children and other who just don't care about the young. This is a completely different matter from being accepting of the tiny few (mentally ill) for whom "transition" might be the best of bad choices. Some of these are billionaires or otherwise in high position and do not care about "collateral damage".
I am the mom of a 12-year-old girl dealing with this dysphoria mess, and I have not taken her to a therapist out of fear that her gender madness will be reinforced by another adult. I do think, however, that the situation is more nuanced, and perhaps less dire. It seems to me that everything comes down to the definition of "seeking to change". The exception to the definition of "sexual orientation change efforts" to allow for "counseling for a person seeking to transition from one gender to another" means that a therapist CAN counsel people that are considering transitioning. Even without this exception, if a therapist systematically focuses on issues other than gender, that cannot in any sense be interpreted as "seeking to change" anything. As long as the therapist is not outright telling their patient that they are wrong, and they should change, there is no risk of this conversion therapy applying to them. Legal challenges are often needed to clarify laws, and I understand therapists not wanting to take a risk. But I think the risk is mis-perceived.
This phenomenon is attempting to remove the optics of same sex couples in public while neutering the Trans population. Is this a social “cleansing” movement?
This is wrenching to read, and I applaud you for telling this story of the incompetence of the entire mental health field. I knew about my now ex-husband's lack of attachment with his father, the childhood abuse and the homophobic environment he grew up in. In the 1990s, I couldn't even be a voice in the wilderness, as my voice was completely trampled and stifled. Brava and bravo to the brave parents who are trying to go it alone! Be sure to take care of yourselves, too. This is unutterably stressful. Typically your children's paths are from the narcissistic abuse on the internet, groomers on tumblr & reddit, and fads in friend groups. How shall we help our kids adjust to adolescence? I invite you to come to my blog and share pieces of your story in the comments. There is much we trans widows have in common, parallel themes, with parents of dysphoric kids. One of my posts from Jan 12 is a scathing critique of the gender unicorn, with ideas for how to protect against this ritual conditioning and manipulation. I educate as best I can on the shrink talk, so you can categorize and use your skills to analyze, problem solve and plan for a calmer future. uteheggengrasswidow.wordpress.com I am a retired teacher, 3 certifications.
You are very lucky. I wish I had a therapist like yours for my child. For now it’s the no therapist approach for us. Thank you for sharing your story and giving all of us hopes.
Where can these good therapists hide? In the UK these rare, brave therapists will be practicing privately, not in the National Health Service. The bullies in charge of the NHS mental health services will not let therapists work ethically. The excuse as always is lack of funding.
Much quicker and easier to just sterilise these poor deluded teenagers.
Looks like the UK will be following the USA with the nonsense conversion therapy ban which actually promotes the new form of conversion therapy: the conversion of children from one gender to the other.
Lucky you! Our therapist has said they will do this as well, first start with the "big stuff" (the first two things on that list of 3 that people don't want to deal with), before dealing with gender dysphoria. My hope is that all that will fall away by the time we get there.
I'm so happy your kid is in a better place and thank you for sharing your hopeful story with us!
Is there anyone who can recommend a therapist such as the one you described? We are in DESPERATE need. We are located in PA
Illinois’ “conversion” therapy ban is not limited to “sexual orientation.” Years ago, the Illinois Human Rights Act included something unusual. It defined “sexual orientation” as inclusive of “gender identity.” So, any law passed that addresses “sexual orientation” automatically addresses “gender identity” as well. Those “trans”-cultists are cunning little devils.
Good therapists are a first line of defense for nuero diverse kids. By not allowing them to do their jobs states are participating in gross child abuse. Talking things through with an expert is very essential to sort out anxiety conflicts social issues these kids face. Hormones on the other hand are dangerous experiments that have never been proven to work short or long term. Thank you for highlighting this important issue.
Most gay 'boys' identify with/as girls before they find out they are gay. There is no therapists forcing gays to acknowledge their femininity and transsexualism, rather they are sent to therapists because of that. Zero comparison with Alan Turing being injected with diethylstilbestrol so he would lose his sexual urges, not to try to transition him. Maryam Molkara chose to take female hormones and transition and was detained in a psychiatric institution and forcibly injected with testosterone because of this. And she's the reason Iran is a safe haven for middle eastern trans women. Although the government misconstrues her experience to force surgeries onto people. I guess you all have chosen to ignore this article's blatant islamophobia..
Kenneth Zucker forcing trans girls to believe they are boys is conversion therapy and child abuse. Absolutely zero people are forcing gay boys to get castrated and grow up to be women. And many therapists openly seek to prevent that from happening. Also in most countries outside of the western world, gay refers to all homosexual males and there is little distinction made between transsexuals and gay men. This article depends on the meaningless distinction while trying to erase transsexualism entirely and construe it as being forced upon by therapists and physicians. Ignoring its ancient history completely.
Thank you for sharing! In the process of finding a therapist for my daughter and would be more than happy to take the therapists name to my grave if they can help my daughter. Let's hope the tide turns soon.
Finally!! NYTimes has acknowledged that its not all glitter and unicorns:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/13/health/transgender-teens-hormones.html
"This is the horrible contradiction this sly legislation has wrought. Inserted into bills that purport to end mistreatment of homosexuals is language that mandates the mistreatment of homosexuals." Homophobia is at the heart of trans medical policy. Trans activists are very aware what decades of research have shown: if we leave gender-confused kids alone and accept them as they are, when they reach puberty most of them will come to terms with their sex and their same-sex attraction. Denying children insight therapy in order to suppress their gay identity and recruit them for medicalization is so evil it's hard to fathom.
And in the case of your son, with his serious mental health issues, had you not lucked out and found the principled, compassionate therapist that you did, who knows where your son would be today? His therapist is quite insightful; one wonders how he managed to remain uncorrupted in a field that seems to have lost its way entirely: therapists now just avoid the tough cases, where addressing suicidality, self-harm and gender confusion might force them to actually work for a living.
Along these lines, I've noticed that many respected public intellectuals and journalists avoid the third rail of gender altogether. For instance, I heard social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, co-author of the excellent book "The Coddling of the American Mind," tell Dan Crenshaw that he never discusses gender, despite the fact that his area of expertise is the current mental health crisis among adolescents and young adults. He literally said gender was a "taboo" subject for him. Thank you for nothing, Dr. Haidt.
Thank you for putting all of this research together. It is a scandal that we have laws based on "gender". There is no such thing as "gender" outside of an ideology unless one is talking about "sex". We've been rolled by the mentally ill - some of whom want to groom the children and other who just don't care about the young. This is a completely different matter from being accepting of the tiny few (mentally ill) for whom "transition" might be the best of bad choices. Some of these are billionaires or otherwise in high position and do not care about "collateral damage".
I am the mom of a 12-year-old girl dealing with this dysphoria mess, and I have not taken her to a therapist out of fear that her gender madness will be reinforced by another adult. I do think, however, that the situation is more nuanced, and perhaps less dire. It seems to me that everything comes down to the definition of "seeking to change". The exception to the definition of "sexual orientation change efforts" to allow for "counseling for a person seeking to transition from one gender to another" means that a therapist CAN counsel people that are considering transitioning. Even without this exception, if a therapist systematically focuses on issues other than gender, that cannot in any sense be interpreted as "seeking to change" anything. As long as the therapist is not outright telling their patient that they are wrong, and they should change, there is no risk of this conversion therapy applying to them. Legal challenges are often needed to clarify laws, and I understand therapists not wanting to take a risk. But I think the risk is mis-perceived.
This phenomenon is attempting to remove the optics of same sex couples in public while neutering the Trans population. Is this a social “cleansing” movement?
This is wrenching to read, and I applaud you for telling this story of the incompetence of the entire mental health field. I knew about my now ex-husband's lack of attachment with his father, the childhood abuse and the homophobic environment he grew up in. In the 1990s, I couldn't even be a voice in the wilderness, as my voice was completely trampled and stifled. Brava and bravo to the brave parents who are trying to go it alone! Be sure to take care of yourselves, too. This is unutterably stressful. Typically your children's paths are from the narcissistic abuse on the internet, groomers on tumblr & reddit, and fads in friend groups. How shall we help our kids adjust to adolescence? I invite you to come to my blog and share pieces of your story in the comments. There is much we trans widows have in common, parallel themes, with parents of dysphoric kids. One of my posts from Jan 12 is a scathing critique of the gender unicorn, with ideas for how to protect against this ritual conditioning and manipulation. I educate as best I can on the shrink talk, so you can categorize and use your skills to analyze, problem solve and plan for a calmer future. uteheggengrasswidow.wordpress.com I am a retired teacher, 3 certifications.
You are very lucky. I wish I had a therapist like yours for my child. For now it’s the no therapist approach for us. Thank you for sharing your story and giving all of us hopes.
Where can these good therapists hide? In the UK these rare, brave therapists will be practicing privately, not in the National Health Service. The bullies in charge of the NHS mental health services will not let therapists work ethically. The excuse as always is lack of funding.
Much quicker and easier to just sterilise these poor deluded teenagers.
Looks like the UK will be following the USA with the nonsense conversion therapy ban which actually promotes the new form of conversion therapy: the conversion of children from one gender to the other.
Thank you for taking the time to write this important text.
Lucky you! Our therapist has said they will do this as well, first start with the "big stuff" (the first two things on that list of 3 that people don't want to deal with), before dealing with gender dysphoria. My hope is that all that will fall away by the time we get there.
I'm so happy your kid is in a better place and thank you for sharing your hopeful story with us!