Transgender Psychologist Issues Warning About Teens Transitioning
A transgender psychologist is speaking out about teens transitioning, saying it has “gone too far.” Erica Anderson told the Los Angeles Times, “For a while, we were all happy that society was becoming more accepting and…
A Transgender psychologist is speaking out about teens transitioning, saying it has “gone too far.”
Erica Anderson told the Los Angeles Times, “For a while, we were all happy that society was becoming more accepting and more families than ever were embracing children that were gender variant.”
Anderson added, “Now it’s got to the point where there are kids presenting at clinics whose parents say, ‘This just doesn’t make sense.'”
The psychologist explained, “I have these private thoughts: ‘This has gone too far. It’s going to get worse. I don’t want any part of it.'”
Anderson worries “that people will accuse me of setting the train in motion, as part of those who advocated the affirmative approach to gender in youth, even though that’s not a reasonable account of what happened.”
Anderson previously told The Washington Post, “A fair number of kids are getting into it because it’s trendy,” adding, “I think in our haste to be supportive, we’re missing that element.”
During the interview, Anderson asked the Times, “What happens when the perfect storm — of social isolation, exponentially increased consumption of social media, the popularity of alternative identities — affects the actual development of individual kids.”
According to Anderson, “questioning is a good thing,” adding, “How are you going to find out if you are lockstep with whatever conclusion you come to first?”
NPR reported only about 150,000 American youth say they are Transgender.
A report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law claims more than 54,000 Transgender youth ages 13 through 17 who are transitioning are at risk of losing gender-affirming care amid a wave of LGBTQ related bills led by Republicans, as NPR reported.
“In each of these states, the bills would either criminalize health care providers who provide gender-affirming care to minors or subject them to discipline from state licensing boards,” the report says.
Lead study author Kerith Conron said in a statement research “shows that gender-affirming care improves mental health and overall well-being of Transgender people, including youth.”
Last month, the White House commented on the mental health aspect of transitioning.
“Transgender children are put at higher risk of attempted suicide or mental health challenges when they face bullying, rejection, or denial of health care,” the administration said in a statement.