American College of Pediatricians Says Teaching Children Transgenderism Is Child Abuse

a reply to: SpaceFauna

How brave for a first post. Thank you for adding this to the discussion. I hope I didn't come off as a troll. I tend to just be a skeptic of psychology and it's way of expirementing on people haphazardly.

I just want you to know it has nothing to do with wanting people to be something they are not. I would just rather know the solutions are in fact solutions before they become a medical practice effecting 1000's of people desperate for an answer.

a reply to: SpaceFauna

Hi SpaceFauna!

I'm not the thread host, or anyone important here...but I wanted to say "thank you" for writing such an informative response.
I hope you are happy and at peace with your decision to be true to yourself.
Very inspiring.

jacy

As far as treatment early, I would say hormone blockers during early puberty to be as far as one should go, and at 16 if they are still feeling the same I would say take hormones of their Identity. I know people who all found out at different points in their lives so I feel that ones who realized it when they were 18, if they had expressed it younger without awareness, it wouldn't be right for the parents to force them through it, unless they continued to express want of it. I would say most people are capable of understanding by the age of 13. At least to extent of being put on hormone blockers. But for people in my situation, knowing since I was 2, if I had expressed it since I was little and continued to into my early teens then I would have demanded hormone blockers if I wasn't afraid, that much I do know, 18 isn't a magical age, and people generally don't hold onto ideas like this unless there is some major pressing issue such as GD. As far as suicide rates, between societies views, harder time finding a significant other, transitioning late after the damage is done and never losing the dysphoria despite throwing everything at it to be able to not see yourself as the wrong gender. It's not surprising, this is why it is important to start early, I do understand the concern, and I don't agree with puberty blockers unless their has been extensive therapy, and persistent expressing of wanting to. I'm unsure about the rates of kids stopping as they get older, and I would think it would be difficult for someone to design an experiment that would control for outside reasons to detransition in late teens early 20s. So I'm skeptical of absolutes in that situation and we can't actually know unless those people are followed through life they might decide to transition again later. The brain has a section that is associated with gender identity, it is physical, it has been studied in those on and off hormones and almost always matches the identity they claim to have. This can not be changed through therapy or medication. This should also be used in deciding how to treat.

I find it unfathomable that a child's parents would pressure them into undergoing this. IF it happens, preventing such a horrible case is not a good enough reason to bar 1000s of teens from receiving the necessary treatment to allow them to not be hindered in their pursuits in life. Nor is the notion that someone would make the wrong choice or get confused, I just can't see that as reason to stop others. 5 years is all it takes for a teen who hits puberty to become tall and have their skeletal structure to become heavily masculine. This person, who still wants to transition would be facing insurmountable odds when it comes to perceiving themselves as their gender identity, let alone other perceiving them as they know they are. Some say pharma has an incentive to get people to take hormones and blockers, well the medical community also has major incentives not to because then they end up spending $1000s on surgery to not be depressed. I'm sorry if I stepped on someones toes, but the idea that this is a choice, the medical community pressures people into it, or that the mistakes of others is enough to prevent people who do until they are 18 is dangerous. This has almost certainly been a thing as long as we as a species have been a thing, if not longer. This isn't a product of our society. Besides if any of you took the hormones used, if you didn't have GD before you more than likely would after a few months.

Edit I don't mean to sound hostile about other ideas people have about it, of course I do have an emotional stake in it, so I can get heated when it comes to this topic. I would feel bad for those who make the wrong choice, but that is why this is stressed as something to not be taken lightly and even in adulthood requires 3 months of therapy to start hormones on a light dose, and almost immediately someone who has GD would feel different without physical changes even beginning. On top of that you can't receive reassignment surgery until you are 18 and have spent at least a year living as your true self. I believe that also requires monthly therapy up until it. I don't know because I not wanting surgery unless technology gets to the point of full function and no risk, because in a large number of cases sensation can be dramatically reduced or completely lost down there. As I said before you can ask me anything, it's hard to personally offend me. XD

a reply to: SpaceFauna

I wouldn't say a choice one is pressured into but a solution that has unknown results. Take aderol. They give that to children. They say it's safe but the long term studies show different yet they ignore the results.

Basically we are in agreement with the hormone blockers. As long as the parents and drs have done their due dillagence. My scinicism comes from my lack of faith that happens the majority of the time. Especially when parents are not supportive or are abusive. Having worked anti bullying programs after school I don't have faith in many parents, teachers, or drs.


It seems you could do a literature study of anomous patient logs in a database to see if reversion is a real thing. It wouldn't be conclusive but it is a start.


CHICAGO - A small but growing number of teens and even younger children who think they were born the wrong sex are getting support from parents and from doctors who give them sex-changing treatments, according to reports in the medical journal Pediatrics.

In another Pediatrics report, a Texas doctor says he's also provided sex-changing treatment to an increasing number of children; so has a clinic at Children's Hospital Los Angeles where the 8-year-old is a patient.

Just saying we need to be cautious and personally I don't trust psychiatrists unless their are multiple in agreement like in Australia.

a reply to: SpaceFauna

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a great first post!

Please stick around. I say that because I've actually been here for nine years (banned & came back) and want to tell you right up front that while this place can be informative, enlightening and entertaining it can also be hostile, ugly, abusive and downright horrible at times. It takes some pretty thick skin to stick around here but as you've probably seen, I'm an advocate and ally to trans youth and their families and it is more important to me to try and raise awareness and understanding of these things than it is to worry too much about detractors and the ever so common drive-by idiot.

I've seen it all here and am slowly learning how to interact without fighting back, name calling or being a complete jerk myself. It makes conversations go much better but with some of the things that have been said around here and the attitudes I have encountered, it is hard not to fall back into old ways at times and put my best foot forward. I learn what works as I go and try to do better but a look at my post history will show the claws do come out from time to time. I'm human.

I am going to send you a private message later this evening, around here they are called U2U's and the little envelope at the top of the page will go solid white. You won't be able to reply until you have 20 posts so go jump in some chit-chat conversations or post an introduction. There are supportive and understanding people around here and those that are open minded and curious and want to learn and if you can make an impression on 1 out of 10, then you're doing a good job. One last friendly tip for now before someone else jumps in, breaking your posts up with paragraphs really helps the legibility. I'm looking forward to your input and hearing more about your interests and academic pursuits.

To luthier, "insult" is a pretty strong word. It was more of a jab or one line zinger and I couldn't resist as I took what you said as a bit of dick or privilege waggling and was meant to be more humor than hate. I wasn't feeling well when I wrote it and adding a smiley at the end may have made my intentions more clear? Sorry. As noted, you're okay and I've been appreciative of our dialog.

I did find a new paper today published by the American Academy of Pediatrics that's really good: Mental Health of Transgender Children Who Are Supported in Their Identities

Angel of Light, didn't you start your own thread dissing transgender people making the same points and weren't you pretty thoroughly shot down there? Of course you can say whatever you want but it is boring and you have completely failed at learning a single thing from these discussions. I don't want to start another war or sling mud but if this topic bothers you so much and you remain willfully ignorant and close-minded to the whole thing, maybe avoid transgender topics for the sake of your blood pressure?

a reply to: Freija

Thanks for clearing that up....

It was rude and I took offense to it. You first ask am I a medical Dr and then I offer a background and you insult it. It's called an ad hominem attack. Both the troll and dick and frankly the 'who are you to say these things'


Your doing fine with your actual points. They are making an impression.

Anyhow over it and accept your apology?

Let's be friends though. I think you have given me good info and things to think about. I honestly do care about kids. Not just my own. I had it tough myself. I try to help others who have it tough too.

a reply to: luthier

Funny you use adderall as an example because I also have ADHD, although my doctor tried to diagnose me with it as a child I managed to pass the test perfectly, but to be honest the test was crap, but maybe I'm an outlier, and I guess it really didn't affect me in terms of school until I got into upper level organic chemistry that required a lot of study time, because up to that point I hadn't needed to study much to get As and Bs. I recently decided to go see a psychiatrist and he said that based on talking to me its likely I have it but he felt the best way to go about testing would be an IQ test, 4 of the 10 or so test are given, math, verbal, spatial and pattern recognition. The verbal and math, if I remember, were the controls, and certain aspects of the other two were heavily correlated with ADHD causing 15-30 points lower scores than the others. Like being able to reverse increasing lengths of random numbers after verbally hearing them and while being timed. All and all I was diagnosed, my psychiatrist told me that being on them all the time isn't that important, and if you don't take breaks you will have to increase the dosage, so I make sure to not take it on weekends or any time I don't have much school to worry about. That being said if someone thought I was annoying before starting it, now when i'm not on it, I sometimes annoy myself, also I also get Restless Leg Syndrome sometimes if I don't take it.

Given all that, I would argue, unless your child is doing horrible in school, then it shouldn't be necessary, exercise and diet can have enough effect to get the children out of your hair for awhile, because honestly I think the less informed parents do just give it to the kids as prescribed, and I don't really want to put the blame on any party for this. The average person, I imagine, needs explicit instruction when comes to things like this, and adderall isn't something that can be prescribed like that. Some days I can tell I need it and others I know I don't, maybe some days half a dose is perfect or even a quarter. It is a powerful drug and should be treated as such. While I don't know much about long term effects on children, the few I know who have been on it since childhood are all well adjusted but they tell me that they would prefer not to have been.

However, when it comes to GD I believe hormone blockers is the way to go until they are 14-16, I would rely on psychologist, therapist, and other professionals to make a call earlier based on knowledge, intelligence, emotional discomfort, and maturity of the patient for earlier calls maybe even as young as 12, I knew but kept suppressing it. But the hormone blockers are perfect anyways, its not treatment its preventative to future surgeries and emotional trauma. Most trans people view puberty as damage on the deepest level, I felt as though I was becoming disfigured all the while people around me would say you are becoming a handsome young man, thinking it was a compliment. In defense of sex hormones, most changes are reversible and the major permanent changes take a year or more to become irreversible such as breast growth, or facial hair, so someone on them would still have time to back out before major issues arose. Based on my experience with it, the mental/emotional change was almost immediate and a lot of trans people I know experienced the same thing. I also believe that parents would need to supportive to begin with the allow the child to take this path, but who knows when it comes to the special kind of horrible people.

As far as the increasing numbers, I think this for the most part is a good thing, saying all are true cases, unlikely, but in terms of permanent damage being done minimal, hormones likely aren't given to children under the age of 14 or so and hormone blockers aren't given until puberty is hit. I would think the number is probably just moving closer to the number that normally would transition given the wider acceptance of it.

Also MDs are like new top of the line computers, they are built to the current high end specs, but in two months they will be out of date by a generation and only if they are committed always being the top of the line they will get upgrades, but with a stressful fulltime+ job it can be hard to always be up on the current advances. I think they just become numb to it, I mean most still hand out antibiotics like its candy. Its always good to have a healthy amount of skepticism.

a reply to: Freija

Great article, it's in line with my experience after socially transitioning, small amounts of anxiety and no depression. The anxiety for me comes out thinking that people might find out, worrying about my voice some how reverting (Imagined to train my voice from pretty deep, so much so I would get in trouble in middle school for my voice "carrying", to a very natural sounding voice that impress most people who knew back then, they always ask if hormones changes the voice.) despite not even being able to force my voice back and having it sound natural. These among other worries cause me an annoying level of anxiety.

a reply to: DeathSlayer

Where is the primary source for this story?

A search only shows stories from the likes of WND and Breitbart, none of which link to an original ACP statement.

The only thing about it on the ACP website is in a list of citations in the media, with a boilerplate warning that it's position is often misrepresented.

So where did the story come from? Surely all the hard nosed, incisive, critical thinkers on this website can find it...

a reply to: SpaceFauna

Thanks for your reply. The add study I WS referring too can be found from this editorial. It's worth reading. Especially how aderol changes the brain.
mobile.nytimes.com...

It sounds like you know what works with you however and not taking the drug daily will prevent tolerance/addiction issues.

a reply to: luthier

Yeah i'll that a look when I don't have lab reports to do, yeah I really don't like taking it because the side effects are similar to having anxiety even though nothing is causing the anxiety mentally.

originally posted by: SpaceFauna
The brain has a section that is associated with gender identity, it is physical, it has been studied in those on and off hormones and almost always matches the identity they claim to have. This cannot be changed through therapy or medication.

Umm, no. We'll have to talk about this more. It sounds good and all but is transgender community mythology and cherry picking that is not supported by science. You know I'm a huge supporter and advocate and all of that but some things need to go away. I am absolutely convinced that gender dysphoria is biological and nature not nurture but don't think it is wise to cling to inconclusive science and medicine to prove it.

Scans prove there’s no such thing as a ‘male’ or ‘female’ brain or the related A welcome blow to the myth of distinct male and female brains

Granted, these are magazine articles about science, not the actual peer reviewed scientific papers but I have a whole host of additional information that conclusively points out there's nothing scientifically conclusive about "brain sex".

This should also be used in deciding how to treat.

Umm, no. Absolutely not. Let me quote something I wrote when discussing this in another thread on this subject:

The articles state they have identified 29 brain regions that generally seem to be different sizes in self-identified males and females. Would you like this to be a diagnostic indicator of your gender? If you were trans would you like to hear something like we're sorry, you're not really transgender because 17 points of your brain scan indicate you're A and 12 say B so you really must be A even if you feel like B?

Since none of these differences have been identified as the center of gender in the brain anyway, what do they really say? Until they can definitively state the brains of trans people are different and is there is consensus in the scientific and medical fields, this research is going to be attacked as it has been here for being politically motivated or propaganda for some nebulous agenda. It's nice to use as an informational tool but unless a transgender person submits to the multitude of different scanning techniques, technologies and quantitative measurements prior to HRT, can't be used for self-justification. I'm not denying that brain structures or chemical factors aren't or can't be a part of all this but by the same token, a transgender person can't say I feel like I'm a man/woman because I have a male/female brain because that simply hasn't been proven to be a universal truth. Hinted at, yes. Incontrovertibly factually proven? Not so much.

I find it unfathomable that a child's parents would pressure them into undergoing this. IF it happens, preventing such a horrible case is not a good enough reason to bar 1000s of teens from receiving the necessary treatment to allow them to not be hindered in their pursuits in life

Absolutely!

Nor is the notion that someone would make the wrong choice or get confused, I just can't see that as reason to stop others. 5 years is all it takes for a teen who hits puberty to become tall and have their skeletal structure to become heavily masculine. This person, who still wants to transition would be facing insurmountable odds when it comes to perceiving themselves as their gender identity, let alone other perceiving them as they know they are.

In the case of prepubescent children that have transitioned, forcing a child to endure puberty of their natal sex is when we can really have the discussion about what is child abuse.

Some say pharma has an incentive to get people to take hormones and blockers, well the medical community also has major incentives not to because then they end up spending $1000s on surgery to not be depressed. I'm sorry if I stepped on someones toes, but the idea that this is a choice, the medical community pressures people into it, or that the mistakes of others is enough to prevent people who do until they are 18 is dangerous.

Sneaky doctor says "yeah, let's force a kid to go through an inappropriate puberty and think about how much more money we can make fixing all the things that got screwed up". The logic of people that think helping a kid early is going to make a lot of money for doctors off the deal escapes me.

This has almost certainly been a thing as long as we as a species have been a thing, if not longer. This isn't a product of our society. Besides if any of you took the hormones used, if you didn't have GD before you more than likely would after a few months.

I love the way you said this. If a boy who only "thought" he was a girl started developing breasts, not being truly gender dysphoric would become pretty evident rather quickly.

However, when it comes to GD I believe hormone blockers is the way to go until they are 14-16, I would rely on psychologist, therapist, and other professionals to make a call earlier based on knowledge, intelligence, emotional discomfort, and maturity of the patient for earlier calls maybe even as young as 12, I knew but kept suppressing it. In defense of sex hormones, most changes are reversible and the major permanent changes take a year or more to become irreversible such as breast growth, or facial hair, so someone on them would still have time to back out before major issues arose. Based on my experience with it, the mental/emotional change was almost immediate and a lot of trans people I know experienced the same thing.

Yes. This points out how critical it is to evaluate and treat on an individual basis. Natal females begin puberty earlier than natal males so it is impossible to have hard and fast age classifications. For those that socially transition early as prepubescent children, I feel strongly that cross sex hormone therapy should begin early so that she (typically) doesn't lag too far behind her natal peers in the development of secondary sex characteristics. Children that don't exhibit profound distress from gender dysphoria or don't transition until puberty may benefit from the additional "breathing space" provided by blockers and if some go this route and then desist, so what? Those that do desist, if there are truly those that do (I've heard 1%) can be gay or lesbian in their sexual orientation or just have gender expressions outside of the binary. (The transsexual segment of the transgender population is usually binary in their gender expresion)

I also believe that parents would need to supportive to begin with the allow the child to take this path, but who knows when it comes to the special kind of horrible people.

And you know what happens to those unfortunate kids that do have terrible unsupportive parents. 50% of homeless youth are transgender. Many will get by doing survival sex work and as a group, have higher rates of HIV than any other group. Drug and alcohol abuse are almost a given and let's not forget the massive numbers that just end it all or live with persistent suicide ideation.

Continued - sorry I'm windy today.

Parental support is vital and absolutely crucial to the lives of transgender youth but it isn't easy. Not cheap either - hormone blockers can cost $18,000 a year and in far too many cases not covered under insurance. Then there's all the therapy and counseling costs and blowback from society and extended family members. I won't even mention the whole bathroom thing and the Republican National Committee's official anti-trans jihad or the horrendous bill just passed in North Carolina or just plain old transphobia and religious zealots.

The world sucks sometimes. It's a warm sunny day here. I'm going out side to work in my yard to forget about this stuff for a while and cool my jets. It's not good for MY blood pressure!

a reply to: Freija

Yeah I was being short about the brain sex differentiation, and given the infinity diverse spectrum of people it must vary one person to the next. That being said, it could just be a little icing on the cake for a young person who feels this way to maybe start earlier than 16 or so. Still give them blockers, and if they hit 16 and still want to go through it, they should be allowed regardless of what the brain looks like, it makes me happy knowing that there has been more research into it.

I'm not girly by any means, I do a lot typical male activities, I would much rather play paint ball or video games than go shopping. Not saying I don't do those things either. I don't dress feminine either, shorts, a tshirt, a hoodie, and occasionally eye makeup is pretty much all I wear. Lack of makeup might be because I would rather have 15 minutes more sleep before school than worry about makeup. I had to explain this all to my parents, I almost snapped on my mom one day when she made a comment about me not dressing feminine.

Yeah another thing related to brain structure and variations across a spectrum, at least in terms of sexual orientation, is that before hormones I can honestly say I never had the desire to be with a guy or found guys attractive at all, but within 3 months of starting hormones, I began to notice that guys smelt different, like when hanging out with friends in their rooms, the smell was distinctly different. I also began to find them attractive, but never lost interest in girls. Like right now I'm in a relationship with a girl. Hormones are a hell of a chemical. Tons of things changed, so many subtle things.

a reply to: SpaceFauna

Thank you for sharing more of your story and helping to paint a better picture of who you are. It just goes to show the spectrum of people that fall under the transgender umbrella and how truly unique the experience of being trans is for each individual. There is no "right" way to be trans and just because you are, doesn't mean you are necessarily like or believe the same as other people that are trans.

Your journey also points out that gender dysphoria is experienced in degrees of intensity or distress and how for many, social transition and HRT are enough to quell the anguish and pain of the mind/body dissonance and alleviate the social anxiety of being perceived as something you are not. I can't say I know what is like to live in your shoes but wonder if you have any fear at some point your dysphoria will drive you toward SRS? If you should happen to fall in love with a man someday, wouldn't things be pretty complicated? Do you feel socially pressured in any way to have SRS or that you are somehow incomplete without it? I really hate asking these things but my curiosity and interest is genuine and sincere. I also don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or put you on the spot with a lot of dumb intrusive questions.

Hey! You've been very open and honest and encouraged asking questions but some of these things are very personal and you're under no obligation to answer. The thing with kids I get fairly well but I'm just trying to gain a better understanding of things with older adolescents and young adults and not trying to be rude or intrusive. I make no judgements and respect you completely for who you are. FWIW, I'm about a 2 on the Kinsey Scale and know a little bit about what it is to be considered "different".

a reply to: DeathSlayer
i totally agree stuff like that should not be taught to small children hell its bad enough people trying to force new frake core math on them. let kids be kids if a little girl wants to climb trees let them be tom boys the girl o love was one she played football for her school until 7th grade on the boys footvall team. now she is a talented bb ball player and a hardworker and a mom with a smoken hot body. if they did the transgender crap whebn she was younger she mioght have been talked into trying to become something she was not and been miserable. i know several transgender people personally and they all are extremely miserable because they don't believe they fit in anywhere

originally posted by: proteus33
a reply to: DeathSlayer
i totally agree stuff like that should not be taught to small children hell its bad enough people trying to force new frake core math on them. let kids be kids if a little girl wants to climb trees let them be tom boys the girl o love was one she played football for her school until 7th grade on the boys footvall team. now she is a talented bb ball player and a hardworker and a mom with a smoken hot body. if they did the transgender crap whebn she was younger she mioght have been talked into trying to become something she was not and been miserable.

You don't teach someone to be transgender any more than you "teach" them to be straight or gay. Gender atypical behavior i.e. tomboys or sissy boys in no way means a kid is transgender and a lot of kids that are trans are really good at hiding it by faking. Nobody "does" transgender crap to a child and even the thought of it horrifies most parents.

i know several transgender people personally and they all are extremely miserable because they don't believe they fit in anywhere

Is it their problem they don't fit in or one of society that they don't fit in?

I feel as though if this child had a mother like me, there would be no drama. I'd let him have slightly effeminate clothes, normalish haircut, keep the nickname and whatever toys of his choosing and a dress up box. Problems should be handled with a do no harm approach.

This thread is honestly cringeworthy some people's train of thought here is mind-boggling and it just goes to show if you AREN'T transgender you don't know how it feels to be that way, or at least a majority of people here lack the ability to empathize. First of all a lot of you aren't giving children enough credit. Children aren't a literal canvas that soaks up whatever people influence on them. More often than not kids know things but don't know how to put it into words. Growing up I had never heard of sexuality I didn't know what straight or gay was. In third grade I remember thinking a boy in my class was cute and I kept it to myself. To me it was normal and I thought nothing of it. The first time I was introduced to sexuality was middle school. I had a few friends that were girls and at lunch kids asked me if I was gay so I sat in silence not knowing what that meant while I got laughed at. By 7th and 8th grade I became more educated I figured I was "gay" not because people told me I was gay and somehow associated myself with that because I only saw guys as attractive I couldn't see girls in that same way. Was it a choice? Absolutely not what was a choice though was I told myself that no one would accept me or want to be friends with a gay kid so I Actively pushed people away and shut myself off to friends causing me to be depressed for a long time thinking I'd never be happy.

Little did I know I had other thoughts in Jr. High. Every time in my mind I would picture myself dating a guy I would never see myself. I would see a cute guy and a girl. Every time I imagined doing something it was that girl. I brushed it off though I knew everything at that time I was gay I liked guys so I didn't think much of it. Through highschool I started making friends and I thought I was happy. Only recently did I figure out I have "transgenderism" aka being Transgender and it really sucks especially reading threads like this. It's no surprise teenagers are comitting suicide over this. It isn't because they are confused or psychotic wanting to cut off their penis. It's because who they ARE what makes them HAPPY is taken as a JOKE by society or seen as an illness or un-natural. Everytime people make comments like in this thread those teens are silenced. It's More than a "guy" playing dress-up for christ's sake. This is where it takes the ability to empathize. Myself being a born male who feels trapped in this body can speak from my experience.

My "transgender exprience" is one of Hating ever single one of my masculine features. Looking at my big feet in disgust. Dreading the sight of seeing facial hair. Seeing my wide shoulders and knowing I'll never be able to fit in certain shirts. Going to the mall with my mom seeing cute clothes and staying Silent because of people's reaction. Having to pretend to be happy when I had to wear a tux at my senior prom knowing I was never able to experience it the way I wanted. Wishing guys noticed me the same way they notice my girl friends. Feeling literally heart broken knowing I will NEVER be able to experience periods or have the ability to get pregnant. Knowing that with today's technology to be able to remotely experience the life I want It'll take years and near $100,000 dollars just to look "passable" and even then walking down the street I can live happy knowing I could still be called an IT a man playing dress-up a freak. Knowing that if I get Sex reassignment surgery I will have to dialate (basically using a dildo) every day so my "vagina" doesn't close up on itself because the body sees what makes me HAPPY as an open wound. Knowing I'll have to take hormones every day untill I die to maintan my appearance. Whoever said "transgenderism = homosexual" that couldnt be Farther from the truth.

Just because it doesn't make sense to people all it takes is the ability to empathize with people, what happened to loving our fellow human beings. Yea it may be a small part of the population as a whole so some people may invalidate it but don't we all have people we care for? The people I legitimately care for can be counted on one hand but they matter? So why don't the feelings of numerous transgender teens? Who is it Hurting? It isn't hurting anyone's kids these are feelings you can't just implant in someones head. If your child is comfortable in their body and feels they are the right gender then they do end of story. Similarly it's just as repulsive reading about the Trans bathroom situation. People go to the bathroom to take a dump or pee. A Transgender woman isn't some perverted "man" in panties who wants to get off seeing women because guess what? Odds are that transgender woman is attracted to men and if they aren't that's no different from being a lesbian in which case it's the same for anyone else homo or heterosexual, Not everyone hits on every single person of the gender they are attracted to.