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Article: Eugenics and the practice of transgendering childre
Came across this article which I thought might be of interest. (I hope I’m posting in the right place…)
Personally, I have no problem with discussing the problematic area of diagnosing and prescribing treatments for minors, but I have concerns about the author’s position on trans* people. She refers to “males seeking to be transgendered” demonstrating her ignorance of the nature of gender identity (both cis and trans*), positions “transgendering…adults” as “shore(ing) up a correctly gendered and heterosexual state and citizenry” as if our existence is part of some vast patriarchal plot and her ignorance of the transphobia applied to trans* people by said “heterosexual state” and “the increasing normalisation of the practice of transgendering adults” as if this we are victims of some other vast patriarchal plot and are poor dumb pawns in this Machiavellian game and, again, that our existence is a concern. I wonder if she’ll write a piece discussing why it is that she finds a particular group of people (us) so threatening?
http://theconversation.edu.au/eugenics-and-the-practice-of-transgendering-children-3838
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4 Replies
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Dear Sarah2,
My belief is that diagnosis and treatment should be left as late as possible.Like religion,some enlightened parents leave the choice to the informed individual.Without personal research I am not sure if eugenics was a purely Nazi German selective breeding tool or a much earlier psuedo science theory.There are some people who Identify as an other gender at a very early age.There are others classed as hermaphrodites;possessing genitalia of both sexes.Their gender is physically determined (or was) for them shortly after birth.Many Gay, Lesbian and Tg people have children from previous relationships.Does’nt make them bad parents or role models.
Another thread is the right of gay, lesbian or Tgr people having the ability to produce children.Eugenics? Or political correctness.The fact is; Lesbian ,Gay and Trangengered people have taken themselves out of the gene pool by the very nature of their sexuality.It is not my intention to ridicule or vilify people of different sexual orientation.I once heard an hostile argument in parliament about the funding of Viagra, “Funding male erections.”by the PBS to the detriment of “invitero fertilisation technology for same sex couples.”xNadesha -
I disagree. Diagnosis, or something similar through some future system, should occur as soon as possible. If I had received the current diagnosis in my childhood, I could have been spared many admissions to hospital with suicidal depression, (which nearly succeeded), anxiety, and stress. As my psychiatrist said to me, it is sad that things were left so long. I have received grief counselling for all those lost years. It is only since I have transitioned and began living life as a female that my mental health has improved, ’significantly’’, as my psychiatrist has written in my referral for SRS. My family and friends agree.
I believe that puberty blockers would have been a much better option than having now pay to repair for all the damage that testosterone has done to me over the years. I am looking at least two major and expensive operations on my face to help me, the first one being next month.
I also believe that the timing for actual hormonal and surgical transitioning should be left up to the individual. And the puberty blocker period should be a time for a person to solidly manifest their gender identity. But if there is any doubt – then definitely puberty blockers*. If a child prefers the opposite sex role then it is obvious that the situation should be investigated, not prevented.
Recently, in response to a letter I sent them, I was informed by Medicare that their data base shows me as having been recorded as female ‘for as long as they can see’. Their letter to me from their legal/ freedom of information department in Canberra confirms this.
Were my parents ‘enlightened’ when they nominated my gender for my birth certificate, or should they have been informed? Were they in a position to leave it up to me? I do not see my parents as being enlightened – something should have been done in my childhood. I certainly and never was an ‘informed individual’, nor were my parents ‘enlightened’. This led to years of stress, anxiety, depression, and social phobia. How could I act as a man when it felt so foreign? Being called a girl for so much of my life while trying to act like a male was traumatic, soul destroying and a hopeless cause.
The problem of a child suffering gender dysphoria without the child or the parents understanding what it is or why, can drag the family and the individual through years of torment with countless admissions of their child to mental health units and endless bed side rituals to hope that their child survives suicide attempts. My parents and my siblings could have been spared all of this if someone had diagnosed or helped me in some way earlier. If someone had just bothered to ask me what was wrong rather than treating the depression and telling me, ‘’there’s nothing wrong with you, I think you WANT to be with the other boys, – go play with the boys’’, and taking my dolls away from me, and causing me to be ashamed and having to cross dress with my sister’s and mother’s clothes in my cupboard. This was the sum of my treatment and my childhood years as confirmed in my sister’s letter to my psychologist.
Given how I was treated in childhood I was afraid to say anything until my later years. These days, the specialists are asking the right questions at the right age – early child hood, and I fully support early diagnosis, or similar and treatment, even though I hate the label of GID, and believe that mental health professionals should help as wanted or needed.
Eugenics was much more popular in the U.S.A before Germany began the practise. It was a science that was bred from Darwinism.
*I ask you, what is more important, saving the reproductive capability of a person, or saving their lives? While I suffer badly from childlessness, transitioning has saved my life. I would have lasted about another six months if I had not seen my psychologist when I did. Once she got me going, and helped me to deal with the shame that our culture instilled in me there was no holding me back. Living as a female is like the breath of life, I did not need any mental health professional to prod me after that.
I wish someone like my psychologist had been around when I was kid. I thank God children are getting the help and treatment I needed as a child.
Besides, those with a reproductive capability are asked how they feel about their fertility, and teenagers, in some parts of the world have to bank sperm before they start hormones.
I don’t think the author of the article has a case. -
I totally agree with you Erika. When I said
Quote:I have no problem with discussing the problematic area of diagnosing and prescribing treatments for minorsI was referring to an informed public discussion on the concerns and risks associated with dealing with trans* minors. The risks run from treating and NOT treating our youth. As you so rightly point out (and in common with so many other queer people), the mental health risks are higher than our academic friend acknowledges.
Quote:If someone had just bothered to ask me what was wrong.Exactly! Before diagnosis and treatment, imagine growing up in a family and a culture that nurtured and accepted, even celebrated the diverse identities of all its members. There’d be no closeting and young people would grow up in a stable and secure place where they can explore their identity, whatever that may be. If required, our children could move on to transition when they are ready in the knowledge there never was anything wrong with them and that they are loved and accepted regardless.
As for me, I have always been this person and had this gender identity. I was just shoved in the closet so deep, even I didn’t know who I was. Early diagnosis following a nurturing environment would have saved me from many torments.
And as for eugenics, I think this is drawing a long bow, but even if it is somehow true, the mental health of you children is surely more important and has to be a higher priority.
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OK, so changing gender takes away choices about fertility.
Other than highlighting what would be an obvious point to any parent faced with the challenge of helping their child mature into a healthy and happy adult, there don’t seem to be much in this piece to be taken seriously.
Except, perhaps, to appreciate that we still need to help people – even professors at the University of Melbourne – understand that gender identity isn’t a matter of choice.
