This is, in no means, an attack on the creator of the video. It is about the general trend that is taking rise in our current society.
I saw the video I shared above on TikTok and it shows a young child that transitioned from male to female and I couldn’t help but think of how confusing and harmful it must have been for them, their young siblings and even their young classmates.
I began to think about how my brother used to play with My Little Pony and watch it with my sisters but that didn’t mean he wanted to be a girl, he didn’t get pulled into a vortex of media that resorted to gender ideology when a child is confused or does something that is considered out of the “norm” for their gender.
But I find that nowadays people want clear cut boxes to help make everything as straight-forward as can be and this agenda is extremely dangerous. On top of that, the amount of kids that have devices and are connected to the internet, being exposed to this media is resulting in an uncontrollable normalization for things that used to be extremely sensitive and serious topics of discussion.
While some people found that video to be cute or inspiring, I find it a little bit disturbing and sad. I think that this video is an example of how the entertainment industry and social media are normalizing and promoting child transition as something cool or trendy, without considering the long-term consequences.
This had me immediately think about a post I saw a while back about someone that detransitioned:
If you want to read more about her story, she went into detail here.
How Gender Transition Narratives Are Being Imposed On Your Young Children?
The problem with child transitions is that it influences other children to question their natural sex and experiment with different genders without fully understanding the implications. Children are impressionable and curious, and being exposed to various messages and images that suggest that they can choose their gender or change it at will is a tricky road to navigate. It is also common to feel pressured by peers, media or adults to adopt a certain gender identity.
For example, a story of London Beltran, a 21-year-old who detransitioned after identifying as transgender for four years, went viral and he shared that he was influenced by TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race or TikTok influencers like Dylan Mulvaney, who push the idea that children struggling with their identity “can get validated,” “get attention” or “get love and compassion” if they “just decide to transition.”
It’s important to remember that children are still developing, growing and developing a consciousness of the ideologies that surround them. They do not have a clear or stable sense of who they are yet. They may also change their minds or feelings over time, as they discover more about themselves and the world around them. I ran a simple search on google to see how many people shared a vent on their regret about transitioning and it is more than a handful:
Changing a child’s gender causes them distress or regret later in life, and even exposes them to various risks and complications. According to Reuters, studies have found that between 0.5% and 3% of transgender adults regret transitioning and seek to reverse it.
It’s also been discovered that some of the medical interventions involved in transitioning, such as hormone therapy or surgery, have irreversible effects on the body and pose serious risks. According to NPR5, studies have shown that these interventions cause side effects such as infertility, bone loss, cardiovascular problems or cancer. They also interfere with the natural development of puberty and sexual maturity.
The issue with child transition is about so much more than what meets the eye.It goes against nature and morality. Sex is determined by God or biology and altering it is unnatural or sinful.
Gender Reassignment Surgeries for Minors: Why Are We Prioritizing Autonomy Over Safety?
When someone decides to change their gender, they undergo a series of medications, hormone boosters and surgeries to reach a certain result.
One of the problems is gender reassignment surgeries - this is a topic that, for minors, is highly controversial and debated among medical professionals, legal experts, ethical scholars, religious leaders, parents, and activists. There are many arguments for and against allowing children to undergo such procedures, which involve complex medical, legal, ethical, and social issues.
One of the main arguments against gender reassignment surgeries for minors is that they have negative consequences for their physical and mental health. These procedures are irreversible and cause permanent damage to the body and its reproductive functions. How can one decide to put their young child at the risk of having serious risks and complications, such as infections, bleeding, scarring, nerve damage, loss of sensation, or sexual dysfunction. And what about the long-term effects and safety of hormone therapy on children’s development and health?
Age is the most important factor that affects whether children are equipped to make such decisions. Different countries have different laws and regulations regarding the minimum age for gender reassignment surgeries. Some countries, such as Argentina, allow children as young as six to change their legal gender without any medical intervention or parental consent. This, in my opinion, should not be permitted.
Other countries, such as the UK, have banned puberty blockers, a type of hormone therapy that delays the onset of puberty, for children under 16 unless they have a court order. But there have been cases of young kids ending up in juvie in an attempt to get puberty blockers since they think their feelings of discontentment will be resolved by changing their gender. Point and case:
People have argued that some children may be more mature than others at the same age and may have a clear and persistent sense of their gender identity. Other children may be less mature than others at the same age and may have a vague or fluctuating sense of their gender identity. And one group should have full autonomy over making this decision for themselves while the other shouldn’t.
I think neither should. If you make a decision at the age of 6, the chances are you will most likely come to regret it by the time you’re 20. I think the most important thing an adult can do with someone that is feeling this way is to
- Inform:
Providing children with information that is factual and unbiased about gender reassignment surgeries from various sources, such as doctors, therapists, teachers, parents, peers, media, or online platforms will help them form a better understanding of the severity of this decision they are making.
- Depending on the severity, opt for counseling:
Opting for them to talk to a specialist that will support that child to receive qualified mental health care providers that will help them uncover the root of what they are feeling and why. On Reddit, a girl shared that she regretted transitioning to a man and didn’t realize the implications it would have on her social life.
Kids do not know better. It is the adult’s responsibility to ensure that their child is not misled into making a decision that can completely distort their view of themselves, the world and others.
Rushing Gender Transition in the Tender Years: Are You Failing Your Children?
To the layperson, this might seem like a testament to the changing times. To others, this is a chillingly dystopian picture - a child barely out of his tender infancy, standing at the precipice of an irreversible decision, guided by guardians whose motivations might be a complex tapestry of societal pressure, or at worst, the pursuit of a fleeting clout.
A six-year-old child is a universe of possibilities, a budding flower barely beginning to understand the world around them. Their world is filled with dreams, often ephemeral, changing with the whimsy of their young hearts. One day, they are astronauts; the next day, they become superheroes. Another, they are race car drivers.
But you wouldn't put your 6 year old in a zero gravity chamber or let them wear a unitard and jump off the side of a building or get inside a formula-one race car. Why? Because you know, as a parent, that their understanding of themselves and their identities is fluid, unformed, and delicate as the morning dew.
So when a child declares a desire to change their gender, it's crucial to tread delicately especially in an age where they are being told by schools, media and others that this is normal and their right to do so.
You need to help them piece together the puzzle in their unfolding understanding of the world. Not allow them to make irreversible decisions based on these declarations leads to a minefield of psychological and physical repercussions that they could spend a lifetime understanding.
The child might face confusion, regret, or even resentment in later years, being given the chance to make such a permanent decision at such a tender age. The parents, on the other hand, might be haunted by guilt or blame, should their child express regret or suffer from the side-effects of transitioning.
This discussion is not an attempt to vilify or dismiss the experiences of those who genuinely grapple with gender dysphoria. It is simply a plea, a gentle caution in the whirlwind of change, urging for patience, and a profound understanding before we allow young souls to walk down a road that could alter the course of their lives.
We need to touch base with reality, to hold close the principles of safeguarding a child's physical and psychological well being, and to always approach their explorations with patience and love.