Why Gender Transitioning Should Not be the Be-All-End-All Solution

 Why Gender Transitioning Should Not be the Be-All-End-All Solution

By Mauri Munsee Lewis

Imagine a society where comedians can’t make jokes, doctors can’t point out biology, researchers can’t research taboo topics, and women can’t acknowledge what makes them unique. Well, you don’t have to imagine too hard, because that is the society we are quickly coming into today.

In the past few years, the diagnosis of “gender identity disorder” has been revised by the WHO and DSM-5 to no longer be considered a mental health disorder. They claim it is “an outdated diagnosis and causes stigma for transgender individuals.” How does this shift to accept gender dysphoria as normal affect families and women?

Biological males are allowed to compete on women’s sports teams, putting them at an unfair disadvantage.

It is well known and scientifically proven that men are stronger than women. A man hitting a man is considered a fight, but a man hitting a woman is considered abuse. Yet there is growing support to let biological men compete in women’s sports, shattering their records.

In Connecticut, star high school athlete Selina Soule took third place behind two biological males who competed as females in the State Championship for Indoor Track and Field. Not only had Selina been robbed of her first-place medal, but she was also robbed of the opportunity to go to the New England Regional Championships to be looked at by college scouts. The two biological male athletes collectively hold 15 track records that were once held by 9 different girls.

The number of gender surgeries for females has skyrocketed over the last couple of years

One study shows that majority of those identifying as transgender in high school are girls. 35% of them attempt suicide. Lisa Littman conducted a study in 2016 to discover why the sudden onset of gender dysphoria among teenage girls. She found that there was a strong correlation between peer groups and social media influences that may be the cause of these circumstances outside the normal research that shows that gender dysphoria normally starts in early childhood. Many girls may believe transitioning is a quick fix to their anxiety and depression which are all issues that are at record high levels among these younger generations.

When I was a young girl, I did not love the typical girl things. Sure, I played with a few barbies, but I also loved Legos, Bionicle’s, Transformers, Star Wars, superheroes etc. I also played video games like Halo, Call of Duty, and other more boy-themed games. I preferred to hang out with boys more than I did with girls. My chest was considerably flat, and many made fun of me because my arms were really hairy. I even went through a phase where I wanted to be a tomboy and dress like one. I struggled with bullying and ended up not liking who I was very much. I can’t imagine what effect today’s environment would have had on me should my school, parents, social, or counselor introduced gender identity education. I’m sure the thought would have crossed my mind “Maybe I am supposed to be a boy?” I am so glad thoughts like never had the chance to cross my mind.

While I continued to love geeky things, by the time I reached my junior year I was very much into makeup, fashion, boys, hair, etc. I love being a woman and for the chance to one day become a mother. It is who I am, and nothing can change that.

Because of the loud voice and growing support of trans activists as well as the changing information given by DSM-5 and the WHO, there is less incentive to seek individually based treatment and go straight to a quick fix transition without questioning the patients. This includes children and these young girls, whose brains are not developed enough to make such a life-changing decision.

There is silence about the number of people who regret transitioning

Research shows that 80-95 % of prepubertal children with gender identity disorder will no longer experience gender dysphoria by adolescence. So, it is very insane that many believe that at the first sign of gender dysphoria, one should undergo hormonal therapy and gender surgery. These are very dangerous for prepubescent children and leave them with irreversible damage and needing medical support for the rest of their lives.  

A girl named Eva, founder of DeTrans, in Canada came out as trans at the age of 14. Her family would not allow her to go through the transitions, but she was offered a place at a youth home, where she partially transitioned to a boy when she was 16. At the age of 22, Eva decided that she was not transgender, just attracted to women. She felt lucky that she hadn’t gone through with the surgery or hormone treatments but was surrounded by women who had. “I have lesbian friends who have no uterus, no ovaries, no breasts, and are 21 years old. I’m angry that every single doctor and therapist we saw told us this was the one and only option.” There are many out there who have similar regrets to Eva, but they are silenced.

In conclusion, none of this is to say that we should take gender dysphoria lightly, or that we shouldn’t be as empathetic and loving as humanly possible to those who struggle with it. However, if someone were to say they truly feel they are Superman, Jesus Christ, age 50 instead of 25, an animal, etc., we wouldn’t consider adopting a new reality to accommodate them.

These threats and many more such as changing bathroom laws and female terms like “mother” and “breastfeeding” are the consequence of the normalization of gender dysphoria pose to young girls and families. If we continue down this path, women and girls stand to lose the most and what makes them unique, and our families will suffer because of it. To protect them, we must push for more research and rational scientific treatment for those with gender dysphoria.

 

Sources:

ADF. (n.d.). Selina Soule Track Athlete Story. Selina Soule track athlete story | Alliance Defending Freedom. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://adflegal.org/selina-soule-track-athlete-story?fbclid=IwAR292FzPSNG-zcQjKdoM-6EUTwWGhQ9cBVX_IsVzTQy0RawAQQnn8F7uz-8.

BBC News. (2019, May 29). Transgender no longer recognised as 'disorder' by WHO. BBC News. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/health-48448804.

Blackwell, T. (2020, December 14). 'I feel angry': Why some people regret and reverse their transgender decisions. nationalpost. Retrieved November 9, 2021, from https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/i-feel-angry-why-some-people-regret-and-reverse-their-transgender-decisions?fbclid=IwAR39psDy4tEojupEWnlWPyNkOAxkxNBJA4LEjI5YUkZ2h6cZ7jE7g3x3Tes.

Jameson, J. L., M., D. K. D., & Marshall, J. C. (2010). Endocrinology adult and pediatric: Reproductive Endocrinology. Saunders/Elsevier.

Johns, M. M., Lowry, R., Andrzejewski, J., Barrios, L. C., Demissie, Z., McManus, T., Rasberry, C. N., Robin, L., & Underwood, J. M. (2019). Transgender identity and experiences of violence victimization, substance use, suicide risk, and sexual risk behaviors among high school students — 19 states and large urban school districts, 2017. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 68(3), 67–71. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6803a3

Littman, L. L. (2017). Rapid onset of gender dysphoria in adolescents and young adults: A descriptive study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 60(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.10.369