Obviously I have no idea what it means to be trans or suffer gender dysphoria,
but I do have concerns over a lack of long-term studies into well-being amongst this undoubtedly marginalised group. There's been more than a few whistle blowers from the world of trans healthcare and mental health who have noticed treatment of other mental health problems are often sidelined in favour of some kind of transitory treatment - the thinking understandably being that's the main source of suffering for the patient. Be there is a lot of emerging evidence to a link with autism with gender dysphoria, for example. That doesn't mean I "don't believe them". But having spoken with people who work in mh myself, I believe there is an overall concern regarding long-term wellbeing and undiagnosed risk in other areas. For example, there's no robust evidence the risk of suicide falls after any kind of medical transition in the longer-term. I know not all trans men/women seek medical transition - and I absolutely would not stop anybody wishing to dress how they please - but data shows an increasing number are seeking physical change, particularly young girls. Obviously I don't have a fucking clue as I'm sure I'll be shown in reply, but I can't help but worry this increase in referral might be a time-bomb of future litigation against the NHS. And its correlation with the rise in social media might not be incidental. I personally don't view that concern as "transphobic" - although I am sure that it will be labelled as such in reply. But, for example, if we exercise concern when an individual "changes race" or has their nose surgically removed to "become an orc", I struggle to see why exhibiting concern for a young girl wishing to be a boy is any different? We're not a hermaphroditic species. Recognising somebody's birth sex is very hard to override in society's innate perceptions - and trans people suffer horrible abuse. Ethically, I wonder how mh practitioners feel about that. Perhaps when there's more robust long-term studies my concern will dissolve.
(, Sun 15 Aug 2021, 13:02, Reply)
Good, relevant points
But you mention belief.
My position is that I don’t know what it means to “believe” a male person who says they are a woman: Male people aren’t women unless I use a definition of the word specifically created to include male people as women. I can’t rationally believe a male person is in the same category as all women, in the same way as all women, because it’s not true.
If I’m asked to believe someone is trans - well that’s not even an issue: trans rights can and should be designed based on recognising people as being “trans”, rather than based on categorising themselves into the opposite sex. A trans rights activism based on designing a set of rights specific for trans people as trans people is a good aim, and one that doesn’t require any belief
(, Sun 15 Aug 2021, 13:11, Reply)
I understand
I just find it somewhat baffling how objective reality is being sidelined in favour of subjective testimony on this issue, by many professionals too, I might add - or it seems to me that it is.
(, Sun 15 Aug 2021, 13:35, Reply)
It would very much depend on which mental health professionals.
A counsellor would have a very different way of operating versus a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
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FeralCatMan Unusual disease collector., Sun 15 Aug 2021, 16:18,
Reply)