"I brought Jane to our family doctor when she was sixteen because I was concerned about depressive symptoms and changes in her behavior. Jane had told me she was beginning to realize she "liked it when people thought she was a boy,” and that she thought she would make a better boy than girl. When I asked her why, she told me her head and…
"I brought Jane to our family doctor when she was sixteen because I was concerned about depressive symptoms and changes in her behavior. Jane had told me she was beginning to realize she "liked it when people thought she was a boy,” and that she thought she would make a better boy than girl. When I asked her why, she told me her head and feet were too big to be a girl’s, among other comments about her appearance. She also told me she was unsure of her sexual orientation. "
This was exactly me at 17, word for word. I was in my teens back in the 90's so fortunately there was no transitioning back then. Otherwise, I may well have been caught up in the Gender Industrial Complex. I ended up a straight women, well adjusted, although a few months ago found that I am on the autism spectrum. Sexual orientation can be explored without long term consequences but this cannot necessarily be said for gender identity. I have some masculine qualities and interests (interests in technology, tall, low voice, athletic build, large feet!) and feminine ones (fashion, accessories, and I've always insisted on wearing dresses since I was a little girl) I've managed to have a wildly interesting, and full life, even reached what some would consider success in my area of specialty. Teenage years are hard enough, we don't need to make them harder by offering girls T or surgery. I shudder to think of what would have happened to me if I was born 30 years later.
I was 13 in the 1980s and taken to therapy for not being girly enough. Therapy ignored my depression and the trauma it was rooted in and focussed on my conforming to feminine gender expectations. As miserable as that experience was, I'm so glad I wasn't told I should transition medically to male.
"I brought Jane to our family doctor when she was sixteen because I was concerned about depressive symptoms and changes in her behavior. Jane had told me she was beginning to realize she "liked it when people thought she was a boy,” and that she thought she would make a better boy than girl. When I asked her why, she told me her head and feet were too big to be a girl’s, among other comments about her appearance. She also told me she was unsure of her sexual orientation. "
This was exactly me at 17, word for word. I was in my teens back in the 90's so fortunately there was no transitioning back then. Otherwise, I may well have been caught up in the Gender Industrial Complex. I ended up a straight women, well adjusted, although a few months ago found that I am on the autism spectrum. Sexual orientation can be explored without long term consequences but this cannot necessarily be said for gender identity. I have some masculine qualities and interests (interests in technology, tall, low voice, athletic build, large feet!) and feminine ones (fashion, accessories, and I've always insisted on wearing dresses since I was a little girl) I've managed to have a wildly interesting, and full life, even reached what some would consider success in my area of specialty. Teenage years are hard enough, we don't need to make them harder by offering girls T or surgery. I shudder to think of what would have happened to me if I was born 30 years later.
I was 13 in the 1980s and taken to therapy for not being girly enough. Therapy ignored my depression and the trauma it was rooted in and focussed on my conforming to feminine gender expectations. As miserable as that experience was, I'm so glad I wasn't told I should transition medically to male.