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I read with great interest Dylan Nolan’s opinion piece in regarding transgender kids published here on July 11th. While well-written and thoughtful, his research is one-sided and seriously lacks any fair or balanced data.
I write to correct and supplement the record.
Nolan begins his piece describing the gradual acceptance by the American public at-large with gay equal rights. Citing Gallup polling data in a short paragraph, he then pivots in depth to the realm of politics, detailing Democrats who ran for president and their anti-marriage stances. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both opposed same sex marriage when they ran for the top job and Joe Biden did not when he finally ran for the same office in 2020. Nolan failed to add that every Republican running against those Democrats also opposed marriage equality. He also failed to mention that every one of those Democrats now supports gay equal rights while most of their opponents still oppose the same rights, a sad omission indeed.
Nolan then begins his in-depth analysis of transgenderism in America by accusing the American Psychiatric Association of just making crap up: the American Psychiatric Association “an institution theoretically (emphasis added) rooted in hard science, eschewed empirical evidence indicating that many transgender individuals very well may be definitionally psychologically disordered.” He refers to APA’s Board of Trustees 2013 reclassification of the term “gender identity disorder” to “gender dysphoria”. Nolan provides no reference to such a change but further tells us large numbers of trans kids are “psychologically disordered”:
“…82 percent of transgender individuals ‘have considered killing themselves’ and 40 percent have ‘attempted suicide.’ This massive suicide/ suicidality rate – which is mirrored in numerous peer-reviewed publications, would be indicative to most ideologically neutral observers of ‘cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, and impaired functioning.’ ”
Dylan Nolan, FITSNews
Nolan’s source? Here’s his link to something called the Journal of Interpersonal Violence. The link leads to nothing so I’m going to have to trust the data points he offers. Here’s a link to another source, Sexology Today, a web blog post written back in 2016 by Dr. James Cantor, a transphobic psychiatric doctor who has consistently aligned himself with anti-trans groups.
Sadly, Nolan cites no publications nor does he present any evidence to the contrary. There are literally dozens of scientific and medical studies, by actual medical doctors, that unequivocally dispute his assertion that trans kids regret their actions or are mentally disordered. I saved you, the reader, from having to do a simple Google search but you can read some of them here, here, here, here, here, and here. I could provide more sources but I don’t want to bore you.
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And that folks is the problem with Nolan’s type of opinion journalism. You have to feed the beast to make the beast angry. And when the beast is angry, other beasts will get angry and lash out … at the trans community, for example. When you feed the fear narrative that trans kids are ruining their bodies, ruining their lives, committing suicide at alarming rates, et al, you’re actually spreading lies and false information. When you post images of botched surgeries, as Nolan does, but don’t provide images to the contrary, you feed the fear narrative. When you describe a “sex change” in detail, as Nolan does, and include a link that tells the reader there could be necrosis of the area among other problems, you feed the fear narrative. When you describe things like “fistulas’ ‘ and assert to your reader that all humans who transition from male to female will get these, you feed more lies into the fear narrative. Because here’s what the author doesn’t do: give you the rest of the story, that these sex change symptoms “should be rare and seldom require more than a broad-spectrum antibiotic.”
There, now you know.
Nolan provides a video story of someone who regrets transitioning. That’s fair .We all have regrets, right? Any video stories of those who don’t regret it? Folks who are happier, healthier and loving life as the opposite sex?
Nope.
Now look, I’ve been doing opinion journalism for decades. I’ve worked in public policy for even longer, although I’ve never worked on issues like transgenderism. And I’ve been involved in politics since 1992 having worked for both sides of the aisle. So I understand exactly where this comes from. It’s a simple yet deep place of fear. We all fear what we don’t understand. And it’s one of the oldest tools in the political tool kit: You make people fear something in politics and it motivates them to vote. Both parties have been doing it since forever. Remember when President George W Bush ran for reelection in 2004 and all of a sudden, 11 states constitutional ballot initiatives to ban gay marriage appeared magically? There was nothing magical about it. It was planned. Democrats do the same thing. They scare the crap out of you that Republicans are going to dump grandma over the cliff and cut her Social Security. Remember that video?
There’s no moral high ground in politics sadly. And apparently neither is there in the journalism world.
It should shock none of your readers that no one gave a damn about trans issues until the last couple of years. Sure there may have been a few state legislatures that jumped on the anti-trans bandwagon early but by and large most didn’t until the last three years. In that time, 21 state legislatures have passed anti-trans legislation. This isn’t by accident folks. This is all being pushed by bigoted groups like Moms 4 Liberty, Family Research Council among others who are funding this stuff.
Sadly these clowns worry more about drag queens, not a new phenomenon, than homeless veterans or trying to solve something that actually does matter like eldercare.
I appreciate Dylan Nolan’s piece and I rarely respond to these things anymore since I’ve by and large retired from journalism. But what I don’t appreciate is blatant, one-sided, political drivel that seeks to divide us rather than bridge that river called fear. And that’s exactly what his opinion piece failed to do: get through the fear of the trans community, a community even I admittedly don’t fully understand. Why someone would ever want to chop off their penis is beyond my understanding. But here’s the thing y’all: It’s not my penis and it’s not your penis. It’s someone else’s penis or vagina or whatever. So I think we should all worry about our own sex organs and leave everyone’s alone.
Jimmy Williams
Marion County, SC
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14 comments
Until age 18, you cannot get a tattoo in South Carolina without parental consent. Why would that be? It’s the kid’s skin– if he wants a tattoo, why can’t he?
Because society at large recognizes that kids are dumb asses, and shouldn’t be allowed to make a decision about doing something permanent to their bodies… something they might regret later.
You can’t vote until 18, because society agrees you don’t have the critical thinking needed to make that important of a decision.
You can’t drink alcohol or buy cigarettes, because they are harmful for your health, and society knows you can’t be trusted to drink responsibly, or comprehend death in the future by lung cancer or emphysema.
You can’t rent a car, because insurance statistics make clear you’re irresponsible behind the wheel.
You can’t buy fireworks, because you can’t be trusted to handle something dangerous.
You can’t get a credit card, play the lottery, or gamble in a casino, because it’s a given you don’t understand the financial danger that could result from recklessness.
But cut your dick off? Your breasts? Destroy the hormones that enable you to age properly?
I always get a kick out of you Leftists talking about what the Right “fears.” We’re all “phobic.”
Trust me, there aren’t any men in South Carolina afraid of a woman who cuts her breasts off, or a dude who cuts his dick off. The truth is it is about righteous anger that you people are out there grooming children– confusing them about their sexuality, offering the unpopular or unattractive kids a world-class way to get attention, and a way to blame everyone for their problems.
Age 18? As you said, I don’t give a damn. Cut away. Cut your ears off, get face tattoos, stuff firecrackers in your mouth for Tim-Tok likes.
Under 18? Anyone fighting for that better believe there’s no God, and they better be right..
All of these false equivalencies don’t really mean anything dude. We’re talking about health care. You can get a tattoo at 18, drink a beer at 21, and rent a car at 25 on your own, but you’d have to be as dumb as… you… to think a doctor should pass over sound medical advice accepted by the medical community over such a dumb comparison.
Children can also be prescribed birth control, before they are 18, before they are even the age of consent. You don’t have to show your ID to get free condoms at the health clinic. And, of course, children are prescribed puberty blockers for various reasons, not just because they are trans.
Kids aren’t having their genitals cut off, except of course for religious nutters who believe in infant circumcision. Hormones aren’t being “destroyed”. Honestly reading your own words out loud does a better job at refuting them.
Um, actually they are getting genitals cut off. Search for Chloe Cole on YouTube.
You got almost all of this wrong;
Children can also be prescribed birth control, before they are 18, before they are even the age of consent. – For medical reasons, migraine control, acne control, PMS control and for – gasp – birth control
“You don’t have to show your ID to get free condoms at the health clinic.” – True, what’s your point? No rational person is against birth control though without training and education, condoms have an 15% failure rate.
“And, of course, children are prescribed puberty blockers for various reasons, not just because they are trans.” VERY FEW children are prescribed puberty blocker for any reason other than trans ideology. The only reason they are used beyond that are in treatment of some very rare childhood diseases (prostate cancer, breast cancer and endometriosis). Puberty blockers have some significant side effects, the most severe is bone density degradation. Even after they’re stopped, “….Once a child goes off of a puberty blocker, the bone mineral density increases, but it does not get back to where it was before.” You can add infertility, obesity and mental disorders to the list of impacts as well.
“Kids aren’t having their genitals cut off, except of course for religious nutters who believe in infant circumcision.” – Yes, yes they are to say nothing of the effects of hormones which you mention next…
“Hormones aren’t being “destroyed”.” – Most of the effects of hormone therapy are irreversible, in addition they are linked to: Blood clots, Gallstones, Headaches or migraines, Heightened risk of diabetes and heart disease, Nausea or vomiting and last but not least obesity…
The point of mentioning birth control being prescribed to children is that doctors don’t consider making the patient wait until they are old enough to “decide for themselves” or “can be expected to make adult decisions” because that’s just stupid on it’s face.
We’re also very sure of what many birth control options can do side effect wise, but again, that doesn’t stop us. You’re acting as if side effects are some new concept. Some birth control pills kill people every year. Is that a good reason to not prescribe them to anyone under 18?
Rather than write a whole essay though… I know it’s unfair to frame what you’re saying in this way, but it certainly highlights a major point. You’re arguing about good bone density in adulthood in regards to denying gender affirming care. I’d argue it is gender affirming care that might increase the odds of some trans teens making it to adulthood at all. I don’t give a damn about denser bones in an early grave, I really don’t. I don’t think denser bones helps people cope with an extremely hostile world and where they see themselves in it, and any trauma they are going to have to deal with.
Even your current argument is flawed: “People who identify as transgender have significantly higher rates of suicide and suicide attempts compared with the rest of the population, according to a population-level study out of Denmark.
The study of more than 6.6 million people found that those who identified as trans had 7.7 times the rate of suicide attempts and 3.5 times the rate of suicide deaths than the broader Danish population.”
Dr. Melina Wald, clinical director of the Gender Identity Program at Columbia University Medical Center, says that “…Reports of suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviors, and non-suicidal self-injury (which are often associated with greater risk for suicide) are all significantly higher among trans individuals,” Wald wrote in an email to CNN. “Also, we know many of the correlates of suicide, such as risk for major depressive disorder, experience of trauma, family rejection, isolation, discrimination and harassment are all experienced by members of the trans community at disproportionate rates.”
How about we treat the dysphoria rather than creating new problems?
Recent studies in the US show that 82% of people who identify as transgender said they considered killing themselves, and 40% have attempted suicide, with the highest numbers of suicides among trans youth.
Children can’t consent to any medical procedures. Transphobes act like gender affirming care is some special thing outside of other healthcare procedures, but it isn’t. They act like kids just wake up one day, say they are the other gender, and are in surgery the next day. It’s so plainly obvious how little they know when they immediately scream about “cutting off dicks and breasts.” Why should some dumbass who doesn’t know anything about it get to contradict the findings of every major medical association in the US? How you personally feel about transgenderism is completely irrelevant. It is not your place to intervene between other kids, their parents, and their doctors. And it’s so obvious it’s only about transgenderism – we don’t see outrage over kids under 18 getting plastic surgery for cosmetic reasons or circumcision.
The idea that they don’t care what adults do is also complete BS. People at the forefront of the anti-trans movement, such as Matt Walsh, have made plainly clear they want to outlaw it entirely. Conservatives at large moved to boycott a company, for what? Simply sending a trans person a beer can. And we are starting to see some of these states’ new laws affect more than just children (see FL, for example). It’s never been just about kids.
Actually, medical “professionals” are diagnosing patients with gender dysphoria when they actually have mental health issues like anxiety, trauma, depression, etc. and other things like ADHD and autism, which then go untreated. Encourage everyone to watch a documentary called Affirmation Generation.
Then you have the case of Will “Lia” Thomas, who is reported to have Autogynephilia, which s defined as a male’s propensity to be sexually aroused by the thought of himself as a female. It is the paraphilia that is theorized to underlie transvestism and some forms of male-to-female (MtF) transsexualism.
I’m ok with people doing what they want to their body as long as they are mature enough or at least 18 to do it, but when these folks have real mental illness, a sick fetish, create a mockery of women (aka Dylan Mulvaney) and join a women’s sport team and then injure the women they are competing against, that’s a hard NO for me and needs to be stopped.
JIMMY WILLIAMS…..we get it. Are you for rights based on the way one has sex? Are you for child genital mutilation, whether by blade or pharmaceuticals? That is a problem in America. It is a distorted view of morality from those pushing this alphabet garbage on the majority of decent and moral citizens. IF people wouldn’t run around forcing a distorted view of sexuality, gender and child sexuality none of this would be much of a problem. Stop telling us we must accept a deviant lifestyle and call it good and normal. That is the problem not the majority.
What’s it to you? Why is this any of your business? You need to learn to mind your own business and keep your ignorant mouth shut.
Because protecting children from pedophiles, abusers and their enablers, like you, is the job of every decent and moral human being……
The studies you cite Here, Here, etc. are all from entities that have a vested interest (monetary and otherwise) in treating children with “possible” gender dysphoria. Of course these studies only fit a narrative that is beneficial to their “business”. Peer reviewed means nothing without a dissenting peer.
Yes, the majority of children are dumb asses when it comes to common sense and responsibility. The proof is in, oh, let’s say, Tik Tok challenge videos. The world is going woke, and all woke are dumb asses, no matter the age. Dumb ass is as dumb as does, and Woke is King of Dumb Ass.
Additional examples of children getting their body parts removed.
1??Soren Aldaco has filed a $1 million lawsuit against doctors in Austin & Forth Worth for cutting off her breasts, botching the surgery and damaging her vagina through hormone shots. @sorenaldaco
2??Prisha Mosley has filed a lawsuit in North Carolina after being left in permanent physical pain, a damaged vagina and being made infertile. @detransaqua
3??Chloe Cole has filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Hospitals in California for pushing her into a surgical sex change and double mastectomy instead of treating her depression and autism. @ChoooCole @pnjaban @Liberty_Ctr
4??Layla Jane has filed a lawsuit against Kaiser Hospitals and Permanente Medical Group for carrying out sex change surgeries while she was a minor. @LJDetrans