If you support a measure or legislation that supposedly benefits LGBTQ+ people, please understand it likely benefits some of those concerned (likely TQ+ people) and disadvantages others (likely LGB people, esp. lesbians). There is no monolithic community with identical interests.
Take the fraught subject of conversion therapy.
Gay conversion therapy is disgusting, ineffective, & utterly unacceptable. It means trying to change a person’s sexual orientation.
These vile practices were suspended in the UK - in clinical contexts - many decades ago.
Gay conversion therapy is disgusting, ineffective, & utterly unacceptable. It means trying to change a person’s sexual orientation.
These vile practices were suspended in the UK - in clinical contexts - many decades ago.
Yet we are seeing a completely different kind of gay conversion therapy taking place in the UK right now.
It has been given a different name, which has caused great confusion.
It’s happening under the heading of “gender affirming health care”.
That sounds nice. It isn’t.
It has been given a different name, which has caused great confusion.
It’s happening under the heading of “gender affirming health care”.
That sounds nice. It isn’t.
How does this work?
A 15-year-old girl, rather “butch”, sensing she is attracted to other girls, doesn’t hear at school: “Are you a lesbian? Cool!” Today she’s likelier to hear: “Are you trans? Cool!”
Online she hears the same message. She starts to think she must be trans.
A 15-year-old girl, rather “butch”, sensing she is attracted to other girls, doesn’t hear at school: “Are you a lesbian? Cool!” Today she’s likelier to hear: “Are you trans? Cool!”
Online she hears the same message. She starts to think she must be trans.
Maybe she’s lucky enough to have lesbian role models in her surroundings. Maybe her parents tell her it’s perfectly fine to be a lesbian and suggest movies or books to boost confidence in her emerging lesbian sexuality. Maybe not. Maybe she starts thinking she must be a boy.
75% of teens referred to gender clinics are girls. 70% of those girls say they are only attracted to other girls.
If those girls are “affirmed” as boys, given puberty blockers, later referred for double mastectomies and testosterone, that is gay conversion therapy.
If those girls are “affirmed” as boys, given puberty blockers, later referred for double mastectomies and testosterone, that is gay conversion therapy.
I’d certainly like to see a ban on all gay conversion therapy. That includes offering teens grappling with emerging lesbian - or gay! - sexuality a medical “cure” for their distress. They deserve better.
Calling it “gender affirming health care” is just another language trick.
Calling it “gender affirming health care” is just another language trick.
So let’s look at the proposals of those who want a ban on “gender identity conversion therapy”. What do they want to be done with the 15-year-old girl in my example?
If she says she is sure she is a boy, they want that gender identity to be affirmed.
If she says she is sure she is a boy, they want that gender identity to be affirmed.
They don’t want her to have psychotherapy to help explore any relevant factors: homophobia in the family, any comorbidities etc.
Instead they insist she should be given “gender affirming health care”. Puberty blockers etc.
No wonder most people find this subject confusing!
Instead they insist she should be given “gender affirming health care”. Puberty blockers etc.
No wonder most people find this subject confusing!
The bottom line is this: “gay conversion therapy” and “gender identity conversion therapy” are completely different topics.
In some situations they are opposites.
They must be treated separately./end
In some situations they are opposites.
They must be treated separately./end
Trudeau finds it all a bit of a mouthful.
https://twitter.com/domivino/status/1439995479945740292
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