Transgender Kids: Who knows best?
BBC2 12.01.17
I nearly didn’t watch this documentary because I was expecting it to be a polemic about how children are too young to know their own minds or how the previous regime in a clinic in Canada were into conversion therapy.
In the end I was pleasantly surprised, it was neither but a genuine exploration of who may or may not be right. Everyone must be concerned that children who declare themselves as the opposite gender are properly assessed and if necessary treated for their gender dysphoria, or at least given sufficient space to explore themselves. It’s understood that the majority of gender dysphoric children are more likely to be homosexual than transsexual, so the rush to pharmaceuticals or surgery has to be deferred until the diagnosis is as certain as it can be, that they are actually transsexual not just gender conflicted or confused or that it may be the manifestation of some other problem affecting their psyches.
Call me old fashioned but I grew up in an environment where I was very unusual as a self-diagnosed transsexual. In those days, transgender referred to someone who was either transsexual or cross-dressing, but primarily the former. Now I’m not entirely sure what it means.
Much of the programme related to Canada which is becoming one of the most pro-trans countries in the world. It also seems to be rather well populated with activists who currently have the upper hand and it seems to be the in thing to be ‘trans’. As I loathe the term ‘trans’ I’m possibly showing my age but then I transitioned over thirty years ago when things were harder although I don’t remember the anger amongst activists in those days, it was far more low key and well mannered, I know, I was one.
I’m not suggesting we revert to the good old days when there was no protection for us, at least in UK law and some Canadian states, but I think we have to balance the long term against short term gain and that those who speak out against the activists should be heard, they’re entitled to their opinion after all and should not be hounded or sent anonymous death threats as appears to be happening. Everyone seems so angry these days or so impatient, what happened to good manners and politeness? They can be just as effective and in the right hands even more so.
Those who can get iPlayer, the link below gives the programme, so you can make up your own minds.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b088kxbw/transgender-ki...
Comments
YELLING, NOT LISTENING
Unfortunately, this seems to be following the model of US politics, both sides yelling at each other, not listening, and hardening their positiions.
I saw the prog
and was pleased to hear the children speak for themselves.
Oh, how I wish I was a child today. In 1967, I told a shrink that I wanted to be a woman. Their reaction was 'don't be stupid'. That was it. No more discussion. I don't even think my request was documented.
Thankfully in some countries things are getting better. I fear that the swings to the right in some places will make this a false dawn for many transpeople.
Samantha
me too!
I was ready to be totally offended by the guy who lost his job and clinic but was pleasantly surprised by his even handed approach! shows what listening to soundbites does to prejudge situations. I was surprised by the degree of politics involved and what I percieved as unfairness in examining the two approaches to this matter.
Just being you.
In a future perhaps too distant for me to see, I would have hoped to see human traits emerging that we only hope for now. Prescience will be even more emergent, and Empathetic treatment of illness are just two that I hope to see. Perhaps the faulty binary thinking that has caused us so much trouble will finally start to die out?
We'll stop believing that only a male and female can start a family. And perhaps children will simply express who they are by their own preference. Perhaps we'll stop shoving hormones and surgeries at people, and hopefully skirts and pants will no longer have a gender designation at all.
Perhaps we'll understand that there are many reasons a child would not identify with their birth gender aside from being trans anything? My own experiences with males as I grew up, made my becoming one of "them" totally unsuitable. I was never homosexual, moreover I was likely nearly completely asexual due to my own genetic makeup. My step father thought he could beat me into being a man, when he merely cemented my resolve to never please that bastard even if he murdered me. We finally settled that in my early teens when he decided to attack me and I came at him with a hatchet. The man was not only a bully but a coward also. He never touched me again.
I've an agnostic friend who I have engaged in many hours of speculation about the direction of evolution. Her belief is that the next evolutionary step will be reading each other's thoughts. My own hopes are a bit more outlandish; my wanting to fly by my own will. And, perhaps along the way, evolved humans will see that violence never solves any problems.
Gwen
Trangender documentaries
Unfortunately no iplayer access.
Recently there was a blog about National Geographic and the January Issue being on Gender. The original post was directed at an article in an ultraconservative homophobic reporter expressing her view point.
The actual magazine is extremely well done. The initial article in on the transgender issue; not only in US and western culture but around the world. There is a section on children's ideas of Gender; a section on Gender construction in various societies throughout the world; and a section on the risks that trans-women and genetic women face around the world.
There will be a follow-up documentary on the National geographic channel on February 6.
If you can find a copy of Nat Geo January 217 issue I recommend it.
i can agree with your statement Angharad
it has, just like most political/social things, become a shouting match, not civil in any way. i try to be, and i fail at times. but i think those who are on Dr Zuckers side are far worse in that. the "activists" which i guess i am one as i am a board member of a trans/trans family support group and a LGBTQ coaltion group that are local to where i live. i dont threaten anyone, unless they have threatened me, or others who are not able to defend themselves. They "opposition" is fine with kids committing suicide vs giving them help, or their version of help is prayer, massive amounts of behavioural drugs, or even good old torture, excuse me "conversion therapy" which has a VERY active component of AVERSION therapy, some of which includes Electro Shock Therapy, NOT actual counseling or help.
i am a rarity, a partially conservative trans woman who carries a gun for protection. i have never shot it, at any time, i am not trying to be annie oakley or some vigilante, but i know most males will back off if a gun with a laser site is pointed at their junk, lol. I hope i never will have to use it, but I AM willing if need be. since our election, hate crimes and harassment claims have been increasing in number, some areas reporting up to 400% increases. i know several that have happened locally, and the most i have heard of before were some drunks,etc in the 4 years i have been worried about this community specifically. we have had teenagers who are part of teen LGBTQ groups harassed on our courthouse LAWN, during the day, in plain sight. thankfully we have not had any serious assaults, at least that i am aware of, but if things keep on in this vein, i am expecting it to happen in the next 6 months at the most.
Teresa L.
Good Documentary
It was a good documentary (The way I watched it wasn't 100% legal) and didn't send me into apoplexy, but it did seem ever so subtly slanted. Are the critics of the gender affirmative movement really being crucified by the big bad trannies?
Not here in the states, where the crucifixions are somewhat less metaphorical. It's like this War on Christians they keep screaming about, I look around, I don't see it going on anywhere but in the minfd of certain very vocal hysterics.
And I'll concede the show Dr. Zucker does seem like a less politically biased and agenda driven scientist than our own Paul McHugh (he's at least willing to concede that there are legitimate trans people and doesn't call them "grotesque travesties" like McHugh does), but the same forces that use McHugh's decision to stop performing GRS at Johns Hopkins way back when as a proof that SCIENCE demands universal gender conformity (Anatomy is Destiny, Schweinhudt!) love to quote Zucker too. And so far I haven't heard him complain about anti-transgender discrimination or legislation down here in 'Murica. The BBC show painted him as a thoughtful, compassionate, wise and misunderstood martyr; but I'm not quite buying it, any more than I blindly believe everything Michael Moore says in his documentaries...
~hugs, Veronica
Well shit, I guess it really CAN happen here..,
.
Another reply to THAT BBC transmission
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2017/01/16/health-experts-condemn-...