This video (posted 4/28/15) is a must watch, straight from the horse’s mouth. When even prominent trans media figures like these^^ (Mark Angelo Cummings, an FTM transitioned at 38, and Lynna Arielle, an MTF transitioned at 42) start strongly criticizing the use of puberty blockers for kids and the transgender trend raging with adolescents, maybe we might actually see some changes going forward.
Allies to be found in unexpected places. They sound like smokers who volunteer their time to caution others not to acquire the habit.
They pull no punches: they discuss Lupron lawsuits, the possibility that hormone treatments will aggravate issues like cutting/self harm, and the folly of dosing kids with hormones when their frontal lobes aren’t developed. They criticize the doctors who are too quick to diagnose gender dysphoria when many other mental health issues are prominent. They take on what they call the “cross dresser” community and trans activists who are pushing the current media narrative. They acknowledge the homophobia (internalized, as well as of professionals and parents) that feeds into transition of kids–a point of view that is pretty much heresy in trans activist circles. They even take on the biggest taboo of all: Suicidal threats by kids if they don’t get hormones and surgery. They contrast the initial glow of transition with the reality of years on hormones when the excitement fades.
I’ve transcribed and condensed just a few excerpts from this 37-minute plea for sanity, below. There is a lot more and I recommend watching the whole thing. Disclaimer: I don’t agree with everything they say in the video, but I don’t have to. They seem to be sincerely interested in protecting gender nonconforming kids, and that’s my bailiwick.
Mark: In normal human development, normal and abnormal child psychology–which I study in my profession–every little boy or girl will explore with their gender roles….This thing is being blown out of proportion. Before there were hormones, before there were surgeries, we all lived. Didn’t commit suicide, didn’t hate life…
Lynna: The thing is, if you hate yourself, that isn’t a gender identity issue.
Mark: That’s a person issue….Look at what Michael Jackson did to himself. There is a psychological component to this “I don’t like myself” thing…
[A young MTF I talked to] didn’t want to be seen as a “gay boy.” And I think that plays a major role… A lot of these parents are like, “oh, I don’t want my kid to be gay.” …Yeah, there’s this condition called “being transgender,” that fits the bill better.
There’s an agenda behind all this, and people don’t realize. Pharmaceuticals are involved, the politicians are involved, new sets of doctors that are actually working for or are part of the WPATH or that are trying to monopolize–like this Dr. Spack–”Mr. Quack.” He says, oh, if the child [is a cutter] and you give them the blocker and the cutting stops, that’s the tell-tale sign that says they’re trans. Do you know how many mental disorders are related to cutting? Bipolar, schizophrenia… it’s a list a mile long and has absolutely nothing to do with gender dysphoria.
Lynna: Endocrinologists are [one of the lower paid MDs]. So when they get this new crop of clientele that makes them lots of money…These puberty blockers are like $700 a month. And there’s some kind of device they install that is like $1500…
Mark: Notice how they’ve taken away the gatekeeper…There is a political agenda behind this…
Lynna: …All my MTF friends know to use these key terms now before they go to ask for the hormones. Like, “[I’ve felt like this since I] was 5 years old,” or “I used to wear my mom’s clothing” …
Mark: “And I wanna hurt myself, because if I don’t get what I want, I’ll kill myself.” Suicide. Mention that, and radar goes up…
..For parents of trans kids, please do your research. Do not submit your kids to these dangerous drugs, when 80% of these kids revert back! It’s a stage, it’s a phase…. Being transgender is not about hormones or cutting off your breasts. Being transgender is a spiritual condition, and there’s nothing wrong with expressing both your male and female side.
So what if little boys are “feminine”? Doesn’t mean they need to be girls, or little girls who are “masculine” need to be boys. You know, this is the power of suggestion that has been pushed upon us as a weak community because of our wanting to belong and be accepted, and we need to wake up from this.
Do I regret doing this? [transition] …Would I have done things differently if I’d known another path? Yes. Because you lose a lot as a trans person. You’re taking away years from your life. You’re exposing yourself to all sorts of dangers. You lose jobs, you lose family, you lose friends. You lose it ALL. All for what? A delusion…
Lynna: What happens later, as you age? What will be the end, for us?
Mark: A lot of people don’t think about this, because when they’re in the glitz and the glamour, and they’re getting the boobies, and getting the muscles, if you’re a guy. We're all tunnel vision, which is an obsessive compulsive behavior that most transgender people face. But when you get to be 70 years old … and you have to go to a nursing home? How many nursing homes are equipped to deal with trans people? Zero. And I’ve worked in nursing homes, I’m an occupational therapist…Even a regular older person.. gets treated like crap [by nursing assistants]. These are “normal” people. Can you imagine [a religious nursing aid seeing a transgender person]? “Oh, God, no, this is an abomination!” We don’t think about these things, we only think about the [good things] we do when we’re young… But what about when these medications really start kicking in and taking a toll? All the hormones that are synthetic and horrific for your health….heart attacks, strokes, more neurological impairment. What are you gonna do then?
Lynna: …and to think they want to give [hormones] to kids. It’s like barbaric.
Mark: It’s child abuse. And people are like, “well my child wants to commit suicide.” Look, children are very malleable. You don't allow them to be exposed to social media which is constantly pushing, pushing, and probing… I didn’t transition until I was 38 years old. I didn’t even know about being transgender… I was a female body builder and I took steroids. And somebody said, “Are you FTM?” and I was like, what is that? Is that like a new machine or..Again it’s the power of suggestion. ..in 6 months, boom, I had my top surgery and my hysterectomy. I went to the gender specialist, and they’re like, “oh yeah, here you go!” [mimes prescription being written]
Lynna: And if you hadn’t been told anything, you would have been…
Mark: …a lesbian, yep. Still body building, but …
Mark: Crucify us if you want. But reality is reality. And what I’m seeing here is something very dangerous. We’re dealing with kids and these quack doctors, hurting these children. Someone’s gotta speak their mind.
Lynna: We can’t be silent about this issue. When innocent children are affected, and a population group is being sterilized, we have to say something.
Mark: I won’t mention names, but a trans child I know, who is now a little teenager, has been on the blockers. Reports are, more behavioral problems, depression…The limelight, the fame, the fortune. These parents who have Munchausen syndrome…there’s red flags all over the place.
Lynna: Gender is a hot topic right now. Our community is being thrown into the limelight, with the whole Bruce Jenner interview and all that… It’s not just a gender identity issue; we’re dealing with a neurological issue. I found out that I have Asperger’s just recently…Understanding is key… If you can avoid taking this path–
Mark: Please do.
Lynna: Because it’s a very rocky road. And not many people get to travel safely on this road.
Mark: And a lot of people don’t end up very well on this road. They end up dead, or with all sorts of other issues….a lot of trans people end up alone.
Lynna: The majority. It doesn’t even matter how beautiful they are.
Mark: [referring to the anger trans people have expressed to him because of his views] Temper tantrums galore. That’s part of the neurological impairment most of us [trans people] have. I’ve gotten to the point where I’m not gonna care….Truth hurts. What is it somebody said? When you’re making a difference, people get offended.
Mark: …[These kids] take the blockers, they have these side effects, then they’re infertile, they can’t have kids…
Lynna: Now they’re 25 or 30 years old.
Mark: …with mental problems, because that’s what happens: You didn’t develop fully because puberty is a normal thing to go through, people.
Lynna: It’s important to go through puberty without blocking it.
Mark: The body goes, “what’s going on, what’s happening?”
Lynna: What am I being blocked for?
Mark: The side effects are gonna be there. Pharmaceutical companies are gonna lie to you, say, “Oh, it’s ok. Nothing’s gonna happen.” BS!…they’re messing with your reality, they’re feeding into your crap. You know what’s happening? All this “transgender, transgender, transgender…”
Lynna:…you have a 4-year-old who’s transitioning, because Mommy says, “Would you like to be named…this boy name, instead of your girl name?” And then they’re like, “oh, yeah.” …“Do you want to go to school and be a boy?” And then they show them videos of differerent kids who transitioned and they’re like, “Do you wanna be like him?” Oh yes, I do. It’s the power of suggestion.
Mark: And the parents are thinking, wow, we’re gonna get media exposure, we might get a book deal….Look at this with Jazz. The book deal, the mermaid thing, it’s like, whoa…How many parents are like, I want my kid to be that, too…It’s like when the little girls get pushed into modeling… and beauty pageants. It’s no different. Munchausen syndrome. Pretty heavy stuff….If you think your kid is transgender, fine, let them express themselves, but don’t go putting them through dangerous stuff that you can’t take away later.
Lynna: It’s not reversible, as some say… Lupron affects people like 15 years later.
Mark: I’ve been at this since 2003…but what’s happening in this community now is disheartening. The advocates now are using the kids to promote their thing, to justify who they are. And it’s just sad.