Today, National Public Radio's evening news program, "All Things Considered", had a story on two m2f transgendered 6 year olds.
Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90247842
The transcript (no pun) is not identical to the broadcast interviews in that [male pronouns] in brackets, are substituted for the fem pronouns used by the parents of the one child who has transitioned. The girl dresses full time and is in kindergarden. She is apparently very happy, fun, friendly and outgoing. The psychologist consulted considers her transgendered and in no need of therapy because nothing is wrong with her. She, the psychologist, feels that the psychological "problem" known as gender identity disorder is as meaningful as the older diagnosis that homosexuality was a psych disease and should be cured.
The other child, unfortunately, is in therapy with an 'old school' shrink who thinks any kid presenting transgendered should be forced to conform to her/his body's sex. I find all his remarks to be disgusting bs.
Renee
Comments
As to the 2nd Child
I think it reflects on the parents just as badly for picking a shrink like that...
Hugs
Alexis
It's for your own good, Son!
I'm sure Dr. Zucker is very successful...
at constructing obedient, dead-inside robots
around a core of shame.
Dr. Ehrensaft DID address the need to proceed cautiously
with kids that age, and I think is the better healer.
~~~Laika
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
Me, I Have To Ask One Question About That Second Doctor
Did he get his diploma out of a box of Cracker Jack's? A Doctor is there to help the patient, NOT to abuse the patient as this one does. If I ever meet such a child, I will treat them and their parents with respect because they will need it.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
I don't know...
As far as a transgendered child goes the earlier they can begin to transition the better for the child. Six to me would be a little earlier than I am comfortable with living full time. A compromise might be available to dress a couple of weekends a month as a girl.
I am twisted on this I would hate to see a child suffer either way. I think that by age twelve the child after a psych eval. should be able to start the appropriate blocker and by fifteen after eval to start on very low levels of the appropriate hormone, to where it wouldn't be two late to change mind by 16. At sixteen they should after an eval be allowed to start a regimen of hormones that were appropriate.
I don't want to see a child that should be a girl trapped by masculine features, but I am torn about how early how early they should call a duck a duck. I don't like Zucker's approach, laying down the law on something like this can be bad. On the other hand Ehrensaft's approach has gaps. I wouldn't want to call it therapy at this age, but for the parents peace of mind and the childs welfare they could have regular play sessions with a therapist to gauge the true feelings. I am not talking about the therapist trying to change the child, but to look into the heart and soul of the child.
Love,
Paula
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune
Paula
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
The Coda
Chapterhouse: Dune
Would it have been different
I have wondered at times how I would have come out if, 1)My mother had not raised and dressed me as a girl when young and, 2)I'd had a viable male roll model in the house when I grew up.
While I was very successful as a Male; was faithful; raised my babies, and was a "pillar" of the community, I fought depression, and poor self image all my life. My son once told me that he could always see the sadness in my eyes even when we were all having fun.
I think I could write a 500 page book on all the different aspects of all that. Failing that, I think I am arriving at the conclusion that nothing can be put back, my old life is gone, and if there is any validity to my life left at all, then I need to go out, make friends, meet someone special and get LAID!
Brings up the question of nature vs nurture Gwen.
Do you think it was being raised as a girl that affected you, or something in you that was there from the start that was brought out of you?
Alexis
Now for the scary part
Dr. Zucker has been chosen to work on the new dsm5 by the American psychological association.So has Dr.Blanchard and J Michael Bailey as well as Dr. Anne Lawrence.Wpath formerly the group started by DR. Harry Benjamin doesn't agree with their methods and has been pushing to have gid removed from the dsm.With these people working on the dsm a new dark age for TS/TG people may be arriving and reparitive therapy and higher suicide rates may become the only standard.I follow Ts issues and have moderated for a TS group,I now have my own group for TS women to discuss the tough issues like politics and religion at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tsww/ and also I'm a member of TS-care.The mother of the child going to Dr. Zucker seems to know her child is now forced to lead a double life. Hopefully she wakes up and see's the damage she is allowing to happen before her child becomes a suicide statistic.But sometimes I wonder if some parents would prefer that to having to face being a parent of a TS kid.Amy
Dr. Zucker is a %$#@er
I caught this disturbing show on NPR when it aired. It was chilling to hear that Dr. Zucker's methods are preferred by the majority. Especially after the "pink" part of the story.
Obviously he is peddling snake oil. Simple answers that flow along the same current of telling people with depression to "buck up" or "stiff upper lip and all that".
How is it that this segment of psychology is so out of step with others?
This is definitely a political issue. Thank you Karl Rove. Thank you spineless Democrats. Thank you to the religious right who think the best way to a moral future is a corrupt government who will pander to your nonsense.
Hilary is the wife of don't ask/don't tell Bill. She is no friend of ours. McCain definitely will pander to the religious right. What will Obama do? He appears to be the only sane choice for constructive leadership who will lead us away from the dark days you've so accurately predicted.
Can anyone tell me why not?
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Conflict of interest
There's an inherent conflict of interest in having the people who make their livings treating "mental disorders" deciding what constitutes a mental disorder. The DSM IV is, from what I've read of it, largely a catalog of normal human variations, labeled, described, pigeonholed, and pathologized. I don't expect the DSM V to be any different, regardless of which individual members of the American Psychiatric Association are tagged to write it. Getting homosexuality removed from the DSM was more a reflection of psychiatrists watching out for their bottom lines than any evidence of sudden enlightenment on their parts; they realized they were alienating 10% of their potential client base. We're not a big enough minority for them to worry about us in that way.
I agree with Angela that our so-called "leaders" are mostly a bunch of pandering cowards. Hell, even "out and proud" Barney Frank dropped us like a hot potato when he saw which way the wind was blowing. Will Obama turn out to be any different? We can only hope. He does seem to have one thing all the others lack--the charisma to sway public opinion.
"Not what can be but what is." Yoda Quote?
That would be part of that 500 page book I suppose.
Our innermost psyche, wants its own way; will not admit wrong, wants self gratification. I sometimes think that it would have been much nicer if I'd had a father whose lap was receptive. Still, I do not know if it would have changed much.
In my own opinion, there is something genetic; a tendency perhaps. Did you see the clip on the news yesterday that talked about how childhood abuse causes genetic changes to the brain? It is not surprising to me.
http://www.geneticsandhealth.com/2008/05/08/suicide-genetic-...
Still, from my limited experience in Law Enforcement, I am very aware of the prisons full of men who feel they got there because daddy beat them. My abuse will compare with anyones' but I chose another path. Who can know all? Only God.
Another factor for me, I think, was that in the years post 9/11 I was on a technical overdose of Celexa, Buprion, and Trazidone. Since the operation, I have stopped all of it but a small dose of Trazidone for sleep. I think much differently now. I would very cautiously advise those on meds to stop at least 6 months before the SRS. I do not advise this in the case of bi-polar or similar problems. I was simply depressed, filled with anxiety and have mild border line personality disorder.
It's been nearly 4 years since I lost my family. The idea of their coming back is more of a fantasy to me now.
I can no longer live on regret and self recrimination. I have to live "what is".
Many blessings
Gwen