WARNING: In the spirit of brutal but necessary honesty, this article contains graphic and disturbing descriptions and images. I wrote a book once, called Borderline, in which I explored the transhistorical, recursive, and co-developmental relation between war and masculinity constructed as domination and conquest. The background research involved a comprehensive exploration of feminist thought, the point being that this gender business is something I’ve sat with for a good long while . . . decades, in fact. I can, like anyone given the right circumstances, talk out of my ass about things, but on this account I’ve done the homework.
An anecdote from an American public high school you might appreciate… My daughter has a friend she let me know was considering top surgery. She and their other mutual friend tried to encourage the friend considering the procedure to not do it. I tried to convey concern but not too much, agreed with encouraging the friend to hold off on such a major irreversible surgery. I also tried to convey that gender procedures creates never ending dependency on the medical industry, an industry that promises more than it can deliver and profits handsomely. It is heartbreaking and surreal to witness what these kids are living through. I’m extremely grateful that we have a tight knit, close family. I tell my kids all the time their bodies are perfect the way they are. This piece was painful to read. Felt sick to my stomach through most of it. I researched these surgeries in graduate school. To be honest I would have thought they would have made more progress than this. Nope. Always brings to mind foot binding.
I really can't imagine the anguish of parents who are facing off against this cult through their kids; nor can I imagine what "affirming" parents will feel when they one day exhaust the last rationalizations and force themselves to face what they've done. We used to worry that our kids would get tattoos they'd regret. Thanks for this note.
This is extremely articulate and well structured. Thank you for the time and effort you put into research and writing this. It’s hard to connect the many elements of this wrecking ball of a movement in one cohesive piece. I appreciate how much you have covered here. Forwarding it on to some family!
An anecdote from an American public high school you might appreciate… My daughter has a friend she let me know was considering top surgery. She and their other mutual friend tried to encourage the friend considering the procedure to not do it. I tried to convey concern but not too much, agreed with encouraging the friend to hold off on such a major irreversible surgery. I also tried to convey that gender procedures creates never ending dependency on the medical industry, an industry that promises more than it can deliver and profits handsomely. It is heartbreaking and surreal to witness what these kids are living through. I’m extremely grateful that we have a tight knit, close family. I tell my kids all the time their bodies are perfect the way they are. This piece was painful to read. Felt sick to my stomach through most of it. I researched these surgeries in graduate school. To be honest I would have thought they would have made more progress than this. Nope. Always brings to mind foot binding.
I really can't imagine the anguish of parents who are facing off against this cult through their kids; nor can I imagine what "affirming" parents will feel when they one day exhaust the last rationalizations and force themselves to face what they've done. We used to worry that our kids would get tattoos they'd regret. Thanks for this note.
This is extremely articulate and well structured. Thank you for the time and effort you put into research and writing this. It’s hard to connect the many elements of this wrecking ball of a movement in one cohesive piece. I appreciate how much you have covered here. Forwarding it on to some family!