Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

In the past, a person who felt like they were trapped in the body of a biological sex they didn’t choose was classified by the psychological community as having a disorder, however, the latest DSM classifies it as “dysphoria,” which is defined as the opposite of euphoria, or a state where there is a dissatisfaction with life. In the case of gender dysphoria, this dissatisfaction occurs with a conflict between how a person perceives himself/herself with their male or female anatomy.  

A great deal of debate has occurred as a result of the change in psychological perspectives about it, and much of the debate involves whether or not children should be taught about gender at young ages. Florida passed a law that prevents teachers from discussing this sensitive topic with children in grades K-3, and many other states are proposing similar legislation.  

In other words, psychologically speaking, a person’s dissatisfaction with their own anatomy and how they feel about it is a topic affords adults an opportunity to make whatever choices that they deem necessary to promote their happiness as long as these choices are legal. Few people are at odds with this situation because adults have freedom of choice. However, when it comes to children, who is to make these decisions? Can a child, who can’t even decide his or her own bedtime, make a competent decision about their own gender at the age of 4 or 5? 

As stated in my previous article, the DSM is a guide that is used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose mental disorders. Below is the DSM IV and V’s classification for transgenderism. 

The DSM IV classified transgenderism as “Gender Identity Disorder” and for children, it was described as follows:

• A strong persistent cross-gender identification (not merely a desire for any perceived cultural advantages of being the other sex). In children, the disturbance is manifested by four (or more) of the following:
  1. Repeatedly stated desire to be, or insistence that he or she is, the other sex.
  2. In boys, preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; In girls, insistence on wearing only stereotypical masculine clothing.
  3. Strong and persistent preferences for cross-sex roles in make believe play or persistent fantasies of being the other sex.
  4. Intense desire to participate in the stereotypical games and pastimes of the other sex.
  5. Strong preference for playmates of the other sex.

 

Compare this with the DSM V classification of gender dysphoria (which is no longer considered a disorder.)

The DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Gender Dysphoria —   Children (6 out of 8 symptoms must be shown here to classify a child as gender dysphoric)

 A. A marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender, of at least 6 months’ duration, as manifested by at least six of the following (one of which must be Criterion A1):

1. A strong desire to be of the other gender or an insistence that one is the other gender (or some alternative gender different from one’s assigned gender)
2. In boys (assigned gender), a strong preference for cross-dressing or simulating female attire; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong preference for wearing only typical masculine clothing and a strong resistance to the wearing of typical feminine clothing
3. A strong preference for cross-gender roles in make-believe play or fantasy play
4. A strong preference for the toys, games, or activities stereotypically used or engaged in by the other gender
5. A strong preference for playmates of the other gender
6. In boys (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically masculine toys, games, and activities and a strong avoidance of rough-and-tumble play; or in girls (assigned gender), a strong rejection of typically feminine toys, games, and activities
7. A strong dislike of one’s sexual anatomy
8. A strong desire for the primary and/or secondary sex characteristics that match one’s experienced gender

 B. The condition is associated with clinically significant distress or impairment in social, school, or other important areas of functioning.

 

Let’s look at some of these criteria that are common to both the DSM IV and V, which are similar:

A child who has a strong desire to be another gender. Children have very active imaginations, which include talking to invisible friends, or talking to their toys as if they are real people.  This is behavior that would definitely be a problem if someone is doing it as an adult, however, childhood “hallucinations” are a product of their fantasy play world and most (except for woke progressives) grow out of this kind of behavior.  

Crossdressing or girls wearing male clothing. How many little boys experienced putting on their mom’s high heels and how many little girls were tomboys? Did these behaviors lead to these kids surgically altering themselves as adults? Is this an indication that a child is transgendered? Is it rational to diagnose a child as transgendered because they prefer to play games that are more masculine or feminine? Have people who make these rash conclusions ever watched children at play? A child who prefers to have playmates of their opposite sex?  I guess Forrest Gump would have been a candidate for being transgender because his best friend was Jenny, a girl. Given these criteria, is it any wonder why the number of transgendered adolescents who have been exposed to this kind of indoctrination has risen dramatically over the past few years?

The DSM V indicates that one of the issues is a strong dislike of their anatomy.  Does a 5-year-old boy have a “strong dislike” for his penis?  Does a girl have a “strong dislike” for her vagina?  Does a 6-year-old little girl even understand that she has a clitoris?  Do children at these young ages have any understanding of their genitalia or are they reacting to what they are being told?  There was once a psychological idea known as androgyny, which basically had boys and girls do things that they liked, so if a little boy wanted to play with Barbie dolls and a little girl liked to shoot a toy gun, it was ok. Yet, now we are told that if children play with toys that are categorized as opposite-sex toys, it’s a way to determine if they are transgender. What is wrong with this message?

I have seen numerous videos of parents dressing little boys in dresses and having them grow their hair long, and it appears more likely that these children are being used to fulfill some warped parental idea and imposed on what is basically a blank slate: their child. I have seen videos of teachers who discuss sexual topics with children with the intention of having these children think about things that they would not or could not think about on their own. To ignore the developmental process of a child and deny that children have many fantasies, and to insist that a child’s fantasy is a life choice is either ignorance or selfishness, and to plant a seed in a child’s mind that they can choose to have surgery, puberty blockers or other hormone therapy is child abuse.  

The manipulation of the inexact science of psychology as a weapon that can be used to manipulate children to promote a political agenda is unconscionable. It is a predatory act where an adult grooms what could be very serious consequences under the guise of “education.” It is human nature for people to want others to join their “club,” but adult clubs that actively recruit children and justify it through the use of questionable “predilections” are rarely doing so for the benefit of the children that they seek to indoctrinate. 

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