Watson

What happened in 2013? A rising number of teen girls started presenting at gender clinics to address gender dysphoria. Girls - who weren’t dysphoric as kids and instead developed dysphoria *after* hitting their teens – suddenly believed they were boys born in the wrong body. 1/8

We’re told the soaring number of dysphoric girls is due to an increase in awareness and acceptance of trans people. I’ll return to that in a minute. But first, another question: why are more and more detransitioners popping up? 2/8

The concept that one’s body is inherently “wrong” and in need of fixing can only intensify the likelihood that dysphoric kids will detach from and/or harm themselves. Affirming trans-identified kids, who may not even *be* trans, is a risk we shouldn’t be taking. 3/8

Currently, we have no way of knowing whether or not a dysphoric kid will grow up to be trans. We hand them over to pro-affirmation clinicians and hope for the best. I mean, it’s not as if HRT is irreversible. 4/8

Ever notice how remarkably similar gender dysphoria is to the average teenaged experience? As a teen, did you dislike your body? Feel uncomfortable with your looks? Struggle with insecurity? Feel unsure of who you were? Defy gender norms? Suffer from depression or anxiety? 5/8

Normal instances of kid’s play (dress-up), can be exaggerated and used as proof of one’s transness. A tomboy who disliked girly things suddenly *hated* being female. Trivial non-conforming traits, once not given a second thought, are now “proof” you’ve been trans all along. 6/8

I believe the soaring number of dysphoric girls is not due to an increase in awareness and acceptance of trans people – but that an increase in awareness and acceptance of trans people is *causing* soaring numbers of girls to identify as trans. 7/8