Transgender Kids: Who knows best?

This documentary is no longer available on the BBC which is a shame because it is one of the best. You can, however, watch it here:

Kids with Gender Dysphoria

The main focus is on Canada but there is reference to the U.K and an English detransitioner makes an appearance at the end.

The documentary opens with Ella, a very sweet, passing, trans-identifed male. Ellla had puberty blocked and cross sex hormones and, by age 17 they had the surgery formerly known as ”sexual reassignment surgery” but now often labelled ”gender affirming”. This is the preferred term for Norman Spack, another Gender Clinician, who makes an appearance in the documentary, though even he points out it is not possible to change sex. For the young ”transgender” participant their belief system is pure trans-activist speak:

The sacking of Ken Zucker

Ken Zucker was regarded as a world authority in addressing children who present with Gender Dysphoria but trans-activists were not happy that he practiced watchful waiting and talking /play therapy. They successfully campaigned to get him fired. Over 500 clinicians signed a letter in support of Zucker. One of the signatories, Ray Blanchard, talked about the politicisation of this area of practice and the chilling effect arising from his treatment.

Zucker, eventually, received substantial damages from his employer but did not return to his clinic.

Case Studies.

One parent, of a boy called Kareem, talks about her son’s belief he was a girl and how her son had attachment issues after a disrupted childhood. Karim’s mum was a single parent and her family, who had traditional values, were not happy with her early pregnancy. At one point Karim’s mum was overwhelmed herself and left Karim with his grandma. She believes this abandonment led him to over-identify with the female members of his family. She also believes he may simply turn out gay and thinks it is wrong to foreclose his options at such a young age.

Zucker also talks about one female child who had witnessed her mother’s murder and subsequently claimed a male identity. Eventually it became clear that she believed if she had been a boy she may have been able to protect her mother and, as a male, she would be less vulnerable to male violence. Affirmation only approaches don’t explore the subconscious motives for rejecting your birth sex. Zucker believes the affirmative approach is inappropriate and unsophisticated; both intellectually and clinically.

We then meet a little boy called Warner. His mum is confident her child is ”transgender” We get some insight into her thinking when she explains how she knows: Another proto-gay kid who’s parents prefer a girl over a gay son? Warner goes on to explain that he is not comfortable in the boy body and prefers girl toys and clothes. His parents have already ”socially transitioned” their son and are getting ready to put Warner on Puberty Blockers.

There is a revealing moment from Ella’s father who describes his ”daughter” running and explains how Ella has always been a girl. But this is not about sexist stereotypes!

Trans-activists in Canada.

Next we meet the woman responsible for legislation to ban therapeutic approaches to Gender Identity confusion. We first meet Dr Cheri De Novo, also a reverend, preaching about purported ”trans” people from the bible. She carried her messianic zeal outside the church to berate parents for putting their ”prejudice” above the welfare of their child.

Zucker has conducted his own research into suicidality in this demographic. Like the UK Tavistock he concluded that rates were no higher than in any other group with mental health issues. The attack on parental rights runs right through this ideology and Blanchard is right to highlight this within the adult, ”trans” identifying community.

The documentary quotes an activist openly stating that parents can be the problem.

Desistance versus Persistence.

The trans-activists, in this documentary, adopt a much more simplistic analysis. Here is one statement by a female who claims a male identity.

Hershell Russell is a psychotherapist and trans-activist who is delighted with messing with theories that recognise biological sex and those that argue our ”gender” is shaped by the society which we inhabit. Personally, I don’t dismiss either of the theories, in their entirety, I am fine with acknowledging a complex interaction between nature and nurture. Hershell seems to have a mystical belief in the existence of ”transgender” children. This is what she says about one of the parents she spoke to:

Meanwhile Devita Singh, Zucker’s colleague, actually followed 100 children with ”gender dysphoria” and found an 88% desistance rate. What is more she found no distinguishing features that predicted this outcome with any degree of reliability. Some of the more extreme cases did in fact reconcile to their biological sex. Furthermore the most likely outcome was these boys would be gay or bisexual.

Trans-activists don’t like the research that shows the majority of dysphoric males will desist and be ordinary gay males. Zucker goes on to speculate how many of these parents are homophobic. A gay male who ”transitions” can then be described as “heterosexual” which may be more acceptable in some, religious, communities. Ray Blanchard had this to say:

Eugenics?

The documentary examines how sexist, gender stereotypes are embedded in gender identity ideology. They also cover the over-representation of autistic kids who are estimated to be seven times higher in referrals to Gender Clinics. As I have shown in my earlier work there is also a higher than expected rate of kids in care. This makes this movement look like a modern eugenics movement.

Alex and Lou’s story.

Alex’s father resisted any medical intervention for six years. His daughter was referred to Zucker’s clinic. Alex finally found girls who liked playing baseball and this allowed her to reconcile to being a girl with atypical interests. Lou, in the U.K, had competing mental health issues but nobody questioned her conviction she was male. At twenty Lou had a double mastectomy. She now regrets this and laments she will always have the legacy of her testosterone usage, in her voice and facial hair, and no breasts.

Lou’s advice to other girls struggling with their bodies is to get out in the world and find ways to inhabit your sexed body. When she looks back at pictures of her younger self she now realises she was perfect as she was.

If you can support my work you can do so here. Only do so if you are able. All my content will remain open and there may be crowdfunders you feel are more deserving of your cash.