The mind reels. The stomach lurches.
From the original article:
Richard Köhler, of the Transgender Europe lobby group, told Reuters that the “gold standard” was to have no formal limit, as in Malta. “Generally it is very good to allow very young transpersons to have their gender identity respected,” he said…
…children between seven and 16 would need to consult with their parents before changing their legal gender, after which they would be able to decide for themselves, without the need for a psychiatric or medical evaluation….
“The proposal is historic in that it will no longer be the health service but the individual who decides if he or she has changed sex,” Hoie said in a statement on the plan.
Their not having gender reassignment surgery. They are changing their gender marker on their birth record which the article states CAN be changed back at a later date. It’s not like their having gender reassignment surgery at 7.
Yes, the headline on the Wordpress story I linked to is misleading (which is why I edited it before I posted). But there is absolutely no reason why a 7-year-old should get to declare a gender and have it legally recognized–with NO intervention by medical professionals or anyone else. Why not let them put “Thomas the Tank Engine” or “Clifford the dog” on their documents if they like? The data (even recognized by WPATH) shows that little kids at that stage of brain development are (1) prone to fantasy and confabulation and, if gender dysphoric (2) more likely than not (80% or better, depending on study) to grow out of it. So it’s insane to be enabling “gender transition” in prepubescent kids at all–much less codifying it in law.
Alright, I know I’m probably not going to convince you of anything because you seem firm in your beliefs but there are other people who might be confused or unsure so here it goes:
First, to address why not put anything on the birth certificate? The “what-if” and “slippery slope” argument is always so frustrating. It’s the same argument people use against gay relationships. “If a man can marry another man what is stopping him from marrying a dog?” We know that gay people are proposing men marry dogs. Trans people are also not proposing that children put that they are clifford the dog on their birth certificate. It’s not the same thing. It’s not a slippery slope.
It is true that studies have found that many gender dysphoric children do not grow up to be gender dysphoric adults which is probably why Norway has said they can change it back if they like later. So why do it in the first place? We know that trans youth have very high rates of suicide, high rates of self-harm, and drug and alcohol abuse. We also know that trans youth who are not supported at home generally have higher rates of those aforementioned issues. If children are being unsupported at home they will often feel unsupported in life which we all know causes long-lasting harm. Allowing children to have their documents changed allows them further feelings of support from home and society as large they are generally more likely to do better in school, have a better social life, and a better quality of life in general.
If the child is in public school having their gender identity confirmed legally will make it harder to schools to keep them ostracized which happens to many trans youth from not being able to take P.E, not being able to join sports teams, and generally kept out of participating in school. If youth are not feeling supported at school their rates of dropping out are higher.
I think that most people can all agree that the making life as easy and happy for youth is the most important thing. Improving their quality of life in the moment will lead to a better and brighter future. So, why shouldn’t these youth be able to live happily? What harm is it causing them?
I see more nuance with older teens on your point, although you’re right, we come from very different vantage points on this issue. But “socially transitioning” younger children affects how they see themselves, and definitely influences them to think they ARE actually the opposite sex (which, as you and I appear to agree, is not the case in the majority of instances). This sets them on the path to puberty blockers and medical transition (of which, you have probably guessed, I am a critic).
It’s very hard for me to understand why people ignore the effects of socialization on young, plastic brains–unless you are utterly convinced that brain sex is hard-wired at birth (based on essentially no strong evidence). A 7-year-old having a different “gender marker,” with everyone around them validating that, is absolutely going to affect how they grow up and how they see themselves. I assume you have also seen the research showing that most of these “gender nonconforming” youngsters grow up to be gay or lesbian (and not transitioned)? I have a big problem with what I see as a form of proactive conversion therapy being perpetrated on young kids who are likely to grow up as happy gay/lesbian/bisexual adults–WITHOUT the need for a lifetime of hormones, surgery, and–in the case of puberty blockers followed immediately by cross-sex hormones–sterility.
