Majority of gender-confused children grow out of it by adulthood: Netherlands study

submitted by noshore4me from humanevents.com

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[–]UncleWillard56 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (29 children)

I still don't see what the rush it to make those decisions until they're 18 or older. Is there a way to tell if a child is "obviously born trans?" I'm not talking about intersex, I'm talking about a child who is biologically one sex or the other, but decides they need to transition. There is no good reason to treat that child before they are done physically developing. I'm sorry, just "i feel like boy/girl" is not a compelling reason.

[–]Hematomato 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (28 children)

There are rare, but documented, cases where a child insists they're in the wrong body from about the first moment they can form that sentence, and never wavers from that.

In a case like that, hormones before puberty are almost certainly necessary for that child to live a happy life.

When kids first start questioning their gender during middle school... there's a very strong chance we're just looking at kids responding to culture. And medical treatment is very likely to do harm.

Ultimately, parents and doctors - not politicians - should be able to tell the difference.

[–]UncleWillard56 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (27 children)

Funny, while we're having this conversation, someone posted this article in the Atlantic about this very topic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/cass-report-youth-gender-medicine/678031/?gift=SKtFP-7gCBnFn1bNJdqPMjMKWqn37bwn6gvlA8nlBfg&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

TL/DR - it states there no evidence either way that puberty blockers accomplish this. I still lean toward letting nature take its course. If my child still felt the same way after their body fully developed, I'd 100% support them (love isn't even in question here; don't care what gender they are). It does make a valid argument not to interfere.

Another pov: I saw this documentary from years ago about parents who had an intersex child (not hermaphrodite, but truly intersex). They raised "her" as a girl from birth. Before puberty (realize this is in the 60s or 70s), doctors advised them to basically flip a coin - boy or girl, and they opted for girl because she had been living that way up until this point in time. Later, after she'd become an adult, physically, she never felt right as a woman. She transitioned to he, and resented their parents for making that call. I didn't care for that part, as a parent, I feel for them especially given the time period where trans wasn't talked about and people just went with doctor's advice with little to no question. He ultimately reconciled with them.

Now in that scenario, the parents interfered with this person's development and it was detrimental. Is that any different than parents entertaining puberty blockers, hormones, or (heaven forbid) surgery for a child who feels they're trans? I don't see a difference and I would opt for waiting until they had naturally developed before I was onboard with anything more drastic than socially transitioning (obviously they'd do what the want when they were 18).

Kids questioning everything is universal. Kids wanting agency over their lives while they're figuring out who they are? Also universal. We don't let them drive before at least 16, drink til 21, vote til 18, or do any number of lessor things adults take for granted either. Why would we just throw that out the window when they can socially transition until they're done developing naturally.

[–]Hematomato 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (26 children)

So, to me, the question isn't "should I put my kid on puberty blockers." The answer is no. He's a boy and he's never shown any sign of anything else.

To me, the question is: who decides.

My position on that has always been clear (and honestly I don't even know whether this is a liberal or a conservative position anymore): my son belongs to my wife and me. We decide what's best for him. He doesn't belong to the Federal Government of the United States of America. He doesn't belong to the State of Nevada. He belongs to us.

So if there ever comes a time when I know in my heart he needs or doesn't need something - whether that's puberty blockers, whether it's vaccinations, whether it's psychotherapy, any of a thousand things - you know who I want to be in charge of that decision?

If you said "some state senator trying to shore up voter turnout among his base," well, you were wrong.

[–]UncleWillard56 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (25 children)

100% agreed. I don't think medical decisions should ever be up to the government/state. And in the example I gave, the child wasn't in on the decision, the parent's just made it (based on their doctor's opinion, and I think with all the love and care for their child they had, just not all the information that was available). I don't think children are capable of making those decisions and shouldn't until they are old/mature enough to do so. It's our job to protect them, even from themselves.

[–]Titanic 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (24 children)

I think if you are a fag abusing your kid with chemicals to destroy their puberty, you should be thrown in jail by force and your kid should be protected by the state.

Your right to decide for your kid what health procedures they get is not at ALL absolute. If you start blocking their puberty and mutilating their body, the state can and will take you away. And they should.

u/hematomato, if your boy thinks he's a lady from the first instance of his life, that means nothing. It just means he's a delusionally psychotic boy.

[–]Hematomato 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (23 children)

I think if you are a fag abusing your kid with chemicals to destroy their puberty, you should be thrown in jail by force

I mean... cool? I personally think that we should throw fewer people in jail by force, but I'm guessing that if the U.S. adopts a "throw more people in jail" policy, you'll be one of the first against the wall.

u/hematomato, if your boy thinks he's a lady from the first instance of his life, that means nothing. It just means he's a delusionally psychotic boy.

And sometimes the recommendation is to play along with a delusion. For example, with people with Alzheimer's, it's not typically recommended to say "No, that's wrong, it's not thirty years ago." It's easier on the patient if you just play along.

Sometimes when you love someone, you prioritize what's helpful to them over what you believe to be true.

[–]Titanic 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (22 children)

Lying to a child will lead to them to mutilate themselves.

Also, it's never OK to lie.

Finally, most kids grow out of gender dysphoria unless you chemically abuse them. The dysphoria is the problem, and the drugs make it worse I heard somewhere

[–]Hematomato 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (21 children)

Also, it's never OK to lie.

Really? Are you a strict deontologist or something?

Personally I think if armed goons come to the door and say "Are you harboring any dissenters," it's fine to say no.

And if a woman says "Do I look fat in these jeans," you just say "of course not."

And if someone you love needs you to go along with a lie in order to be happy, well, you can grind their face into the dirt in service of integrity, but what does that get you at the end of the day?

[–]Titanic 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (20 children)

I go with natural law morality. It's the only one that works with or without God, and the only one tht has an objective basis.

Where does it get me? Well, putting my kid on the transgender path makes me partly responsible for his future suicide. 41%.