Transgender psychologist has cautionary things to say about what she is seeing

A clinical psychologist, who is transgender herself, detailed her concerns about her industry's current protocols for children.

"I've never seen a major mental illness cured by a gender transition," Anderson said. "I don't think there's any empirical evidence to suggest that depression or anxiety or autism or any other condition is going to be cured by a gender transition."

Despite belief among some of her colleagues in the industry that "the distress that kids experience is all due to gender issues," Anderson said she rarely sees that to be the case.

"If a child has had serious mental health issues prior to asserting a gender difference, then a professional should wonder if there is a relationship between them."

"We have no reason to believe that exploration of gender on the part of teenagers is less subject to peer influence than anything else," she added. "Pretty much everything going on with teenagers is subject to peer influence. So why isn't gender?"

Anderson said that over the course of her long career in the field she has seen a big shift in the type of patients. Originally almost all of them were males who identified as female from a very young age, but in more recent years the vast majority are teen females who never displayed any inclination of being transgender at a younger age.

Dr. Erica Anderson has practiced as both a pediatric and adult psychologist for over four decades and has also worked in the healthcare field, most recently in behavioral pediatrics at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), where she primarily worked in pediatric endocrinology at the Adolescent Gender Center.

Transgender psychologist warns of 'emotional blackmail' used by collegues in their treatment of minors | Fox News

 

Speaking as someone who is transgender I have no problem with ensuring that the proper protocols and assessments are implemented.

She is correct that Autism is not "cured" by transition because there is NO CURE for Autism but that is something she should KNOW given her PROFESSION.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autis... where your brain,develop daily living skills

The DISINGENUOUS CONFLATION highlighted the FauxNoise article in the OP just REEKS of Xtofascist DISINFORMATION by using her comments OUT OF CONTEXT!

For EXAMPLE:

The GenZ data shows 21% self identify as LBGTQ which INCLUDES trans.

It is DISHONEST to claim that ALL of them are trans because that is NOT what the survey ASKED.

At MOST only 2% are trans.

That is MISLEADING because that is NOT what is in the survey.

They ARE exactly who they SAY the are!

They are kids who SELF IDENTIFY as Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Trans and Queer!

Yes, ONE in FIVE people are LBGTQ but our HETERONORMATIVE society has been SUPPRESSING this REALITY.

In EARLIER surveys only 2% pf Boomers self identified as LBGTQ while the LATEST survey showed that figure has INCREASED by 30% and is now at 2.6%. The first surveys of GenZ were 15.9% self identifying as LBGTQ whereas the latest survey is 21%.



https://news.gallup.com/poll/389792/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx




Here are the FACTS!

#1
Trans people who are DENIED treatment MIGHT experience depression and/or anxiety. Not ALL of them, but it is certainly common to find those conditions among UNTREATED trans people.

#2
There appears to be a significant overlap of trans people being on the Autism Spectrum (ASD).

https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/l...-overlap-between-autism-and-gender-diversity/

Obtaining an ASD DIAGNOSIS in America is exceptionally DIFFICULT, and MUCH more difficult if you are FEMALE because they have significantly BETTER abilities at MASKING their own Autism.

#3

ASD runs in families and PARENTS who do have a child diagnosed as Autistic discover that they too have the same symptoms and are also on the Autism Spectrum.

#4

Not everyone who has ASD presents with the symptoms because of Masking. FTR I have an ASD diagnosis and recently my adult daughter had one too. I bring it up because the psychologist who did the assessment said she had never encountered anyone who was as good at masking her ASD.

#5

People have odd reactions when learning that someone is Autistic. "But you don't look/behave Autistic" is a common reaction. The REASON is because ASD covers a SPECTRUM that includes those of us who are capable of MASKING our symptoms for our OWN SAFETY.

So what does the above have to do with the OP?

The WARNING to PROCEED with CAUTION is the ONLY thing WORTHWHILE in the OP.

STOP making ASSUMPTIONS about trans people.

STOP making ASSUMPTIONS about people with mental issues.

STOP disparaging others because you have no idea what it is like to have to DEAL with these issues on a daily basis.

The GOOD NEWS is that gender dysphoria CAN be CURED with the appropriate TREATMENTS.

 

I refer you to this thread: Genitals and Gender

I can't think of any other situation where society uses a surgical approach on the body to treat a mental condition.

Well, the question can be asked, does their feeling of lack of mental wellbeing actually arise from "gender dysphoria", or does it come from another underlying mental health issue they have? It is extraordinarily common for persons diagnosed with "gender dysphoria" to have other mental health issues.
(Also, one study showed that almost 1 in 4 transgenders have autism, or score high on a survey of autism traits than the general population, a nearly 5 times higher rate of prevalence than the general population)

 

Guess what?

I am trans and I have Autism!

Having been on HRT for about 2 years now I no longer have any GD at all! No surgeries, just hormones.

My ASD diagnosis was one of the BEST things that ever happened to me BECAUSE I now UNDERSTAND why I am the way I am and I LIKE the way I am. This is not just me either, MANY other people diagnosed with ASD feel the same way as I do. Once ASD is recognized and ACCEPTED it becomes manageable and no longer an issue.

The FALLACY of using ASD as a blunt object against Trans people is that 3 in 4 transgenders do NOT have ASD!

Another FALLACY is that NOT all those with ASD are transgender.

You are FALLACIOUSLY attempting to DISPARAGE trans people WITHOUT anything CREDIBLE or SUBSTANTIVE.

But that is the case with ALL of your posts!

Sad!

 

You know the obvious question that we are going to ask then. If that seems to work for your autism, why could it not work for your gender dysphoria?

 

ROFLMAO!

Let me see if I can explain this to you using a simplistic analogy.

You get a papercut on your finger so you use a bandaid. That heals so quickly that you take the bandaid off a week later. Your finger is a good as new thanks to the bandaid.

Then you accidently BREAK the same finger so you put another bandaid on it and then, a week later when the bandaid comes off, your finger is still broken and now it is bent at a funny angle.

Both autism and dysphoria occur in the brain however the former is NEUROLOGICAL while the latter is PSYCHOLOGICAL*.

Just like you made the mistake of using something that treats the epidermal system for a problem with your skelatal system you are making the same mistake regarding autism and dysphoria.

A Tylenol will help with the pain from a headache but it will not shrink a brain tumor.

That your question was "obvious" to you gives us all an insight into the level of your subject matter knowledge on this topic.

*Note: Transgenderism is Neurological and Gender Dysphoria is Pyschological. Gender dysphoria is a SYMPTOM that MIGHT occur in some trans people.

 

I don't think you were able to get my point. Let me try explaining this to you.
You stated that you were able to accept your "neurological" issue, embracing it and being okay with it.
Tell me how I'm wrong, but wouldn't we think a "psychological" issue would be the easier of the two to do that with?

You say they are different, granted, but it seems to me that works more against your argument than in favor of it.
To draw an analogy, that would be like if you claimed you could lift an anvil but you were unable to lift a jug of water, and then when I asked why you couldn't lift the jug of water if you could lift the anvil you just replied that the two were completely different.

 

The ONLY thing your ANALOGY above REVEALS is that you really don't have any grasp about this topic either.

/still shaking my head and walking away from yet another fool's errand.

 

I understand that when it comes to your neuro-atypical nature, you like the way you are, and have embraced it. But when it comes to the neuro-atypical nature of your gender dysphoria, you are unable (or possibly just unwilling) to like that part about yourself.

 

I . a m . g o i n g . t o . t y p e . t h i s . V E R Y . S L O W L Y .



I . d o . N O T . h a v e . g e n d e r . d y s p h o r i a . a n y . l o n g e r .



/ s i g h !

 

That actually isn't that surprising.

I am glad life is better for you now I mean that sincerely.

There is a correlation. Moticing that is not a fallacy. Claiming it is a causal link is a fallacy.

It doesn't seem that way to me. he is pointing out a correlation he didn't say it was causation. just that 1 in 4 trans people are on the autism spectrum. Thats unusual. That means 25% of trans people are autistic. Only 2.2% of the population is. That is a vary noticeable disparity. Also there are other mental health issues correlated.

It might be best to detach emotionally from the topic then you won't feel attacked by this sort of discussion.

 

I want to ask why not what changed but this seems personal and maybe it is best not to use yourself as an example/

 

I never heard anyone argue its supposed to cure mental illness.

 

Would be interested in peer reviews of her findings. I think psychologist are best suited to figure this stuff out.

 

What are your thoughts on Gen Z having a much higher rate of people that identify as LGBTQ than my generation Gen X? Certainly there is less stigma today than when I was a kid in the mid 60’s through the early 80’s. Makes sense that it being much more acceptable today makes it easier to come out of the closet. Back in my day it was far more dangerous to live out loud like Harvey Milk.

My concern is that some Gen Z identity as LGBTQ more as a fad than being a genuine member. The LGBTQ Gen Z affiliation in the 20 percentile is hard to believe, especially when left to self reporting. It’s like trying to figure out how many Americans are Christian vs those that do not go to Church but identify as Christian all to fit in.

Your thoughts?

 

That is the entire impetus for it. The way parents are blackmailed into it is asking do you want a dead daughter or a living son? This suggests that there is a mental disorder that they are suffering with and if left untreated will lead to suicide.

 

I would say a larger umbrella of terms. Notice how the LGBT has added a Q and a +? People have included intersex people, so called non binary. It is just straight people identifying with it.

Plain old gays have lost their edgy status. now it is about theses weird identities that just mean you are straight. A female that says she is non binary just demands everyone refer to her incorrectly and wears a grey shirt but is otherwise just a straight or bisexual woman.

I see it as a little bit worse than that. the LGBT is a neat little category of people that in parts of the world people are quite persecuted over it. People sometimes like to feel like victims. It actually is an ego thing. Victims get attention and listened to. I just think it is a new way to get attention that's why so many straight people try to fit into the LGBT.

Buckle up the new victim class is already forming. People who identify as having Tourette's syndrome, and people that pretend to have multiple personalities it is even called the DID community. the people that fake this are really cringe,

 

The CAUSES of gender dysmorphia vary by individual so I can ONLY speak about my own. The cause of MY dysmorphia was body hair. Once that was gone so was my dysmorphia.

Before you ask could I have done so prior to transitioning the answer is not really because all attempts were temporary WITHOUT the benefit of HRT the body hair would just regrow. Once I started HRT my body hair has changed consistency and stopped growing entirely in certain areas. From my perspective what is left is normal for how I accept myself as being now.

 

Excellent question, thank you for asking.

As someone who is a data nerd who tracks trends because trends can tell us which way things are going now which helps us prepare.

The higher GenZ rate is, as you noted, a factor of less stigma today than the 1950's and 60's. My life would have been utterly miserable as a child if anyone found out that I self identified as trans. So the ACCEPTANCE of the LBGTQ community has played a SIGNIFICANT role in this trend. All of the generational data shows the reduction of stigma and the growth of acceptance.

Something you might not be aware of but when I first noticed the GenZ data point it was at 14.9% and the latest number is 20.8% which is a large increase of 39% when taken in isolation. Your concern justifies examining the other data points.

Millennials went from 9.1% to 10.5% which is a 15% increase.

GenX went from 3.8% to 4.2% which is a 11% increase.

Boomers went from 2.0% to 2.6% which is a 30% increase.

So ALL generations BENEFITED from the decrease in stigmatization and the increase in acceptance.

There is another factor to consider which is that GenZ had fewer adults when the first data set was available. Those that are now adults are able to be more vocal on social media meaning that they are a primary mover of the acceptance of trans people. They are enabling others to realize that being trans is normal, different, but normal.

Now to address the DISINFORMATION that is attempting to claim that these documented TRENDS are just a FAD or a nefarious AGENDA being promoted by school curricula.

The "school fad" disinformation falls apart when you see that the INCREASE in the Boomers is 30%. They are grandparents, not school kids. GenX'er and Millennials are parents and they have double digit increases. This is NOT a fad.

The "agenda" disinformation is xtofascist PROJECTION because they are the ones with an anti-trans AGENDA. Unfortunately it is being used to PROMOTE a legislative ONSLAUGHT against trans people and their families. People are going to die as a result of this agenda.

Lastly your concern about self reporting is valid. The question that you need to ask yourself is WHY would someone self identify as LBGTQ if they weren't? I am a Boomer, very few of my fellow Boomers are ACCEPTING of my being trans while Millenials and GenZ don't have any problem with at all. By coming out as trans in my community I am taking a risk but I am doing so for two reasons. Firstly because I flatly REFUSE to remain in hiding any longer and secondly to ENABLE my fellow Boomers to see that there is nothing to be afraid of.

Thanks again for the question, not often I get a chance to explain what I see in the data.

 

NOT blackmail!

Stark harsh REALITY!

Trans kids that are ACCEPTED have suicide rates similar to those of other kids.

Who knew that ACCEPTANCE would SAVE lives?

 

Is if fair to say the truth is probably somewhere in the middle?

That is not true. Or is so much of a hypothetical that there's no way to determine if that is true.

Can you just admit it's probably not a good idea for a biological teen boy to dress up in very feminine clothes?

 

Thanks for the perspective, it is helpful.

 

If it were there wouldn't be detransitioners. UK's NHS wouldn't have shut down Tavistock.

When you say trans kids are you talking about the extremely rare condition of severe sex dysphoria or the gay kid that gets swept up in this?

 

If it is just about body hair what the hell does gender transition have to do with that? body hair isn't connected to gender.

 

Yet again EVERYTHING you post is always completely WRONG!

https://www.hcplive.com/view/suicid...gender-nonbinary-youths-gender-affirming-care