Originally Posted by
iris lilies
i’ve been going down a trans literature rabbit hole and will be reading Julia Serano’s seminal work Whipping Girl. I may or may not report on that.
As for this article, it is easy to shoot the messenger and I don’t intend that, but I think it’s important to understand that Julia Serrano is a trans person and a trans activist, and she makes her living writing about trans issues. She calls herself a “scientist “but she certainly is not a practicing professional in the mental or physical health community.
As an aside, I find these days that calling oneself a “scientist” is intended as a discussion limiting label because if I am a scientist, you may not disagree with any of my assertions which, of course,is not at all the scientific method.
Anyway—-
The tone of this article is reasonable and she makes a couple good points, mainly that more trans people are coming out in society because it is more acceptable. She references the left hand/right hand analogy. She also strongly asserts that backing off from “affirmative care “is actually no care and it is harmful care. I disagree because careful thoughtful therapy is always appropriate yet transactivists consider that “conversion” therapy. Nonsense.
I do like the fact that Julia cites several recent studies from the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 but they do, of course bolster her arguments. And she realistically says that those who disagree with her can go out and find Other studies that will bolster THEIR argument.Her recognition of this adds to the reasonableness of her argument.
It does not mention at all, and this is a major lack, of the co morbidities that many trans youth have. In other words, they have mental illness challenges, autism, etc.
She cites the old chestnut of suicides for trans folks not supported despite those comorbidities, and studies that give context and elsborate and even conflict with that.
The. Umber of detransitioners cannot be measured but there are growing communities of them, oroviding support firvezch other that the LGB?t etc community does not provide.
So yeah, I see this as a well written article from a decided point of view from someone who makes their living promoting a specific point of view about transgender individuals.
In the rabbit hole I’ve gone down, I encountered the Utah legislator, who is a Republican, who is very pro trans for his state, but in reality, he’s really a libertarian. So, it’s not hard to be a libertarian and want the state to stay out of private matters such as specific health treatments.
I also watched a video about Dr. Marci Bowers who is probably the leading trans surgeon in the country, and several things came out of that I found interesting which I may expound on further at another time.
A final thought: my voice to text software writes “trance” instead of “ trans.” Does that mean he/she/they are transphobic since they won’t even use the word?