Several years ago, Abigail Shrier (https://www.abigailshrier.com/), a writer at the Wall Street Journal, came across the story of the rising number of teenage girls making claims of transgenderism and other gender identities at high rates. Failing to find a colleague to investigate further, she rolled up her sleeves, interviewed hundreds, and in 2020 published the best selling investigation into the teen girl phenomena of rapid onset gender dysphoria, Irreversible Damage. Communities across our country are experiencing this explosion, which can be seen here in Oakwood as well. As Shrier notes, in 2007 there was a single gender clinic in the US, and today there are over 300 across our country. Some schools are seeing nearly 20-30% of the population claiming to be transgender or some other type of gender identity. What is driving this movement?
In a presentation to Hillsdale College students in May 2021, Shrier lays out the details of her investigation and detailed thoughts on the subject of her book. She notes that there are three distinct categories resulting from her investigation, which will be described through this post.
The first group to consider are the young children who do indeed experience gender dysphoria. Historically, this has been restricted to boys and men with clear clinical criteria to be met. This cohort is still quite rare, with 1 in 10,000 boys experiencing these feelings of discomfort with their bodies. This was typically treated through watchful waiting, and typically would be outgrown through puberty and the vast majority would live fruitful lives as their born sex. These children today are now offered puberty blockers such as Lupron, which can cause long term stunting of growth and sterility. Many suggest that affirmation is the only appropriate way to approach these children, yet there are no long term studies available to support this hypothesis.
A second group for consideration is the explosion of gender identity claims and transgender claims among young girls. This is a category that did not exist 10-15 years ago, but is expanding rapidly today (over 4,000% by some estimates). Scientists such as Lisa Litman of Brown University have proposed that this phenomena is a form of social contagion and calls this Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria. This seems to occur among young girls who have moderate to high social anxiety and are susceptible to social contagions. Social media may be playing a significant role here, as several social scientists have sounded the alarm at the increase in depression among young girls as well. Trans identification often comes with the adulation of peers and authority figures such as parents, counselors, and teachers. Children can self-identify and are affirmed in this choice. But there is evidence mounting that this is not the path to long lasting happiness, with many “de-transitioners” speaking out about being deceived by the medical community, and in some instances court cases showing a massive failure to support kids who need genuine treatment for their mental health, and not just affirmation.
The third group is made up of the activists who exploit the groups above to suit their political and other agendas. An example of this are those who ban appropriate treatment of teens struggling with gender, or those who push to allow men to have access to women’s spaces, like sports, bathrooms, and even prisons. These groups will exaggerate medical claims, attack truth tellers who oppose them, and lie about suicide to create false compassion, demonize opponents, and claim the moral high ground. These people oppose freedom of speech and pursue power in order to push their agenda in every facet of our society.
This activist philosophy is promoted across our society by our government, the medical industry, media, and even in our schools. This top cover allows for a distortion of science and good medical practice. Those who oppose are told they are heteronormative oppressors or homophobic individuals and are not permitted to bring legitimate claims forward. The activists weaponize empathy at the risk of irreversibly damaging innocent children in our community.
If you would like to learn more and better understand what is going on in our culture and right here in Oakwood, then please consider listening to Abigail Shrier’s full presentation on YouTube.
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