Ally Vincent
Professor Radetich
ENG-102
01 May 2023
Socially Acceptable?
A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not correspond with the sex
they were assigned at birth. Nearly one in five people who identify as transgender are ages
thirteen through seventeen. The amount of people who claim to be transgender has doubled in
recent years. This condition has become a trend in the world. This rising transgender movement
has presented some issues. What kind of repercussions will this have? Should our children be
susceptible to this? How will this affect feminism? This whole thing started as activism for the
very small amount of people who have discomfort in their biological bodies, but now it has
crossed the line. We as a society need to protect our youth. Why must we be forced to accept
these conditions and allow them to affect our women and children? We need to take a stand
before it is too late. This normalization of gender changes and ideology is negatively impacting
our youth, women, and school systems.
Speaking of the issues involving our youth when it comes to gender identity and gender
ideology the main concern is that children are easily influenced into decisions whether true or
not. Another main issue involving children would be those suffering from ASD. ASD is known
as Autism Spectrum Disorder, this is a developmental disorder that impairs the ability to
communicate and interact with those around them. Introducing gender ideology to these
individuals may cause unnecessary confusion about gender identity. Dr. Susan Bradley, a child
psychiatrist, has an article about how trans activists are influencing young autistic children to
change genders. Bradley discusses an article written by Elise Ehrhard about how these activists
are taking advantage of these disabled children. Elise particularly discusses a story about an ASD
daughter who was convinced she was really a man trapped in a woman’s body. The teenage
daughter then was put on hormone-changing drugs and had her breasts cut off. The mother of
this teenage daughter has realized her daughter experiences increased psychological confusion
and is internally pained. More and more of these children that are transitioning are actually
autistic. Some studies have made connections between gender dysphoria and Autism but some
people who have the wrong motives are pushing for transitioning. The people pushing these sex
changes are pushing the narrative that it is necessary for the well-being of Autistic children but in
fact, it is more destructive to these individuals. In adolescence with girls with Asperger’s find it
easier to relate to boys than girls their age. Some women with Asperger’s have explained to
psychologists that they sometimes think they have a male brain and not a female brain, these
young girls are often bullied which causes them to further associate with boys their age rather
than the mean girls bullying them. These girls are not transgender though, these are young
women who think differently and are misunderstood by their female peers. They do not need to
be encouraged that they are a boy trapped in a girl’s body, others need to understand them as
unique young ladies.
Another issue that contributes to children’s misled gender identity is gender ideology
being practiced in public school systems. Inherently there is no issue with children being heard
about their issues but when it comes to children wanting to change their gender identity this is
something that parents should not be excluded from. As of right now in the public school system,
teachers and admin do not have to alert parents of their children wanting gender identity changes.
Additionally, changes are being made by some students and it is expected that their peers abide
by these name changes and other gender-affirming changes requested by some students and the
school system. Why are we forcing such things onto children? In New Jersey alone policy 5756
was adopted by about 600 school districts. Policy 5756 essentially does not require the school
district to inform parents if a student changes their gender. Why is it to be left in the school’s
hands with what happens to our children? This is completely absurd. Gender dysphoria is a rare
medical condition where people feel mismatched with their bodies and only truly occurs in 0.6
percent of the population. It does start to occur in childhood but school systems should not be
altering the school curriculum to relate to the very few affected. Nor should it be left in the hands
of these school systems. These kinds of situations should be between parents, students, and
doctors. We know that parents are what first shape the psychosocial adaptation and mental health
in children, so why are schools trying to teach kids things without parents being made aware? An
article by the New York Times states, “One mother in California shared messages that her
teenagers teacher had sent through the schools web portal encouraging the student to obtain
medical care, housing, and legal advice without the parents knowledge.”(Baker 3). In what world
is it okay for teachers to be privately messaging students without parental consent about such
information? Schools should not be allowed to keep such things from parents about their
children. In addition, there is no wonder why more children are coming out as transgender when
schools are teaching about it. Some schools have presented the book “I am Jazz” the story of a
transgender girl or even “Pink, Blue, and Purple” a book intended for first graders and explains
that gender is not a fixed attribute. I don’t understand why we are teaching about gender or sex to
children so young. I don’t even remember learning about the female reproductive system until
fifth grade! They are pushing this information onto children as young as five years old. Schools
are meant to teach our kids about Algebra, English, Physics, etc. Schools should not be telling
our kids how boys can be girls and vice versa. It is not their place. It is a parent’s responsibility
to teach sex and gender to their children and should not be in the school systems curriculum.
Riley Gaines, a twelve-time NCAA all-American in women’s swimming was forced to
compete against a biological male named Lia Thomas. Thomas was allowed to compete in the
women’s division after competing in the men’s division for three years. Thomas and Gaines
raced against each other in the 200 freestyle which ended up in a tie. The NCAA only having one
trophy on hand handed Thomas the trophy, leaving Riley to go home empty-handed and be
mailed hers on a later date. Upon questioning the NCAA Gaines was told for photo purposes the
trophy had to go to Lia. Not only are these female athletes forced to compete against a biological
male but with no forewarning they were forced to share a locker room with Thomas. A swim
locker room is by no means a modest setting. A biological male with fully intact male genitalia
in a women’s locker room where these women were not asked about their feelings on their
matter, their consent, and were not even notified of this decision. Not only to be displaced by a
biological male in a women’s sport but as well as the discomfort of seeing male genitalia in a
women’s locker room. How is it okay to place a biological man up against a biological woman
and call it fair and inclusive? Women’s sports were started so that women can compete fairly. In
no way can a transgender woman ever completely be a woman. No matter what surgery they
undergo men with sex change surgery will never experience a menstrual cycle or be able to
deliver a baby. No matter the hormone injections they will not be a woman. We are watching a
regression in women’s representation happen right in front of our eyes and letting it happen.
Women’s sports were put in place to show women that they too can be athletic and strong by not
having them compete against men. Science tells us over and over again that men are biologically
stronger than women. Women need a separate category in sports to compete fairly with one
another. Women and men are completely different when it comes down to the reproductive
system, the skeletal system, and all the way down to the chromosomes. It would be acceptable
and responsible to start a separate category for transgender men and women but to allow
transgender women to compete against biological women is to set these women up for a
disadvantage. It disregards their feelings and abilities. We should be protecting women’s rights
not disregarding them for the few.
In addition, what had started as righteous activism for the few who do not feel
comfortable in their own bodies has turned into a trend crossing ethical lines. We do not need to
take away others’ rights to add to others. Some may disagree and say that the whole point of
transitioning is so that someone can be their true self. What evidence do we actually have that
these transgender people are actually happier after their sex changes or after identifying
differently? The is research that states the opposite in fact. About ten to fifteen years after sex
reassignment surgery the suicide rate can increase by twenty times. Sex change frequently does
not provide the long-term wholeness and happiness that people seek. There was even an
experiment done by John Money on a set of twins that were both boys at birth. One of the twins
had a botched circumcision and the penis was beyond being fixed. John Money, a reputable
psychologist from John Hopkins University had told David’s parents (the unfortunate twin) to
have David be “Sex reassigned”. He advised them to make David a girl through hormones,
psychological treatments, and surgical changes. Money believed gender to be a learned trait as in
nurture vs nature. He believed gender identity could be changed through behavioral interventions
and that this would be the solution for any child with intersex traits or atypical sex anatomies. At
just 22 months old David was stripped of his male parts and reconstructed with female parts as
well as given estrogen during his adolescence so he would develop breasts. He was forced to do
typical girl traits expected in the 1960s such as wearing dresses and playing with dolls. David’s
twin brother Brian was considered a control in this experiment because they were biologically
the same makeup. David was never told of the issue throughout his childhood and John would
continue to have checkups with the twins normally. During these checkups, Money would have
the twins perform sexual acts toward each other and photograph these things. Money claimed
that this sick sexual child exploration was good for the children. Money had proclaimed David’s
transition successful. In reality, it was far from it. David never accepted his identity as a girl and
rejected it, at the age of fifteen he was told the truth of his situation. He then underwent treatment
to reverse the transition and at 22 ended up marrying a woman and adopting three children.
David suffered psychological trauma from Moneys experiment. David’s twin Brian was found
dead at age 36 from a drug overdose and David committed suicide at age 38. Who are we to say
what is right and wrong or if physical gender is tied to someone’s true self? What I know is that
it cannot be right what is currently happening. There have to be better ways to go about these
situations.
In conclusion, gender is not only a social construct and should not only be determined to
be psychological. In David Riemer's case, he had no prior knowledge of his biological sex
history and still rejected his girl-gender identity. There is nothing known for certain but I believe
that more research needs to be done rather than just agreeing with someone when they claim to
feel discomfort with their assigned gender. More research needs to be done and although
inclusion is important it needs to be fair for everyone. However, under no circumstances should
we be pushing these ideologies onto just children. We must find better ways to go about these
situations otherwise we could potentially have a bigger issue with our younger generations.
Works Cited
1. Biagini, William. “Trans Athletes Should Not Compete in Women's Sports.” FSView,
FSU News, 20 Mar. 2022,
https://www.fsunews.com/story/opinion/2022/03/20/trans-athletes-should-not-compete-w
omens-sports/7108799001/
2. Anderer, John. “Do Transgender Women Have the Advantage in Sports Competitions?”
Study Finds, 6 Oct. 2022, https://studyfinds.org/transgender-women-sports/.
3. Smith, Wesley J. “Autistic Children Pushed to Become Transgender?” National Review,
National Review, 19 Nov. 2018,
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/autistic-children-pushed-to-become-transgender/.
4. Staff, ERLC, et al. “Why Transgender Ideology Is Harmful for Children (and Everyone).”
ERLC, 3 Dec. 2020,
https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/why-transgender-ideology-is-harmful-for-childre
n-and-everyone/.
5. McCaughey, Betsy. “How Public Schools Brainwash Young Kids with Harmful
Transgender Ideology.” New York Post, New York Post, 22 Dec. 2021,
https://nypost.com/2021/12/22/how-public-schools-brainwash-young-kids-with-harmful-t
ransgender-ideology/.
6. thisisloyal.com, Loyal |. “How Many Adults and Youth Identify as Transgender in the
United States?” Williams Institute, 27 Sept. 2022,
https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/publications/trans-adults-united-states/.
7. “Susan Bradley: How Trans Activists Are Unethically Influencing Autistic Children to
Change Genders.” PUC News Link,
https://www.parentsunitedcanada.com/news/activists/susan-bradley-how-trans-activists-a
re-unethically-influencing-autistic-children-to-change-genders/.
8. Elise Ehrhard
Elise Ehrhard has been a freelance
writer for twenty years and a homeschool mom for five. Her most recent articles have
appeared in Catholic World Report, et al. “The Transgender Movement Targets Autistic
Children.” Crisis Magazine, 26 Oct. 2022,
https://www.crisismagazine.com/opinion/autism-transgendered-movement.
9. Anderson, Ryan. “Sex Reassignment Doesn't Work. Here Is the Evidence.” The Heritage
Foundation,
https://www.heritage.org/gender/commentary/sex-reassignment-doesnt-work-here-the-evi
dence.
10. Mion, Landon. “Parents Rail against NJ School District's 'Woke' Transgender
Curriculum: 'Can We Just Get Back to Teaching?'.” Fox News, FOX News Network,
https://www.foxnews.com/us/parents-rail-against-nj-school-districts-woke-transgender-cu
rriculum-can-we-just-get-back-teaching.
11. Baker, Katie J. “When Students Change Gender Identity, and Parents Don't Know.” The
New York Times, The New York Times, 22 Jan. 2023,
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/22/us/gender-identity-students-parents.html#:~:text=S
ome%20states%2C%20such%20as%20California,that%20is%20open%20to%20interpret
ation.
12. “Gender Identity Lessons, Banned in Some Schools, Are Rising in Others.” The
Washington Post, WP Company, 3 June 2022,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/06/03/schools-gender-identity-transgen
der-lessons/.
13. Swimming World Editorial Staff
24 March
2022, et al. “Riley Gaines: 'I Left There with No Trophy' after Tie with Lia Thomas;
Kentucky Standout Disappointed with NCAA.” Swimming World News, 7 Apr. 2022,
https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/riley-gaines-i-left-there-with-no-trophy
-after-tie-with-lia-thomas-kentucky-standout-disappointed-with-ncaa/.
14. Anderson, Ryan. “Sex Reassignment Doesn't Work. Here Is the Evidence.” The Heritage
Foundation,
https://www.heritage.org/gender/commentary/sex-reassignment-doesnt-work-here-the-evi
dence
15. Simkus, Julia, and Julia SimkusResearch Assistant at Princeton UniversityUndergraduate
at Princeton UniversityJulia Simkus is a Psychology student at Princeton University. She
will graduate in May of 2023 and go on to pursue her doctorate in Clinical
Psychology.Learn about . “David Reimer and John Money Gender Reassignment.”
Simply Psychology, 12 Apr. 2023, https://www.simplypsychology.org/david-reimer.html.