America is awash in culture wars. It can feel dizzying as we hear the narratives being weaponized to push people towards one ‘side’ or another-especially when it comes to vulnerable populations like trans kids.
Almost nowhere do we see people cultivating compassion or understanding, carefully considering the nuances, exactly the steps that will help bring about peace in the world.
In addition, there are so many more important problems we are facing currently, it seems like a gross distraction to spend so much time and energy being upset about a stranger’s gender identity.
As the writer Caitlin Johnstone recently said: “Imagine living on a dying world where people are brainwashed from birth into mindless consumerism and saturated in propaganda promoting war, status quo kleptocracy and exploitation, and deciding that the real sign of societal deterioration is teenagers using different pronouns.”
And yet, here we are.
As a cis-gender woman, I can’t truly know what a trans person feels. In an effort to understand, I look to the experts. What do they say?
The Experts on Trans Kids Weigh In
ALL of the leading medical, psychological and public health groups below recognize the medical necessity of treatments for gender dysphoria and endorse such treatments. You can read their statements (all 29 of them) by clicking on the links below.
The experts who are in the medical and psychological trenches with these kids ALL support gender affirming care. So why do we have politicians and pundits with no medical background and no personal stake in the issue making laws preventing this care?
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- American Academy of Dermatology
- American Academy of Family Physicians
- American Academy of Nursing
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- American Academy of Physician Assistants
- American College Health Association
- American College of Nurse-Midwives
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
- American College of Physicians
- American Counseling Association
- American Heart Association
- American Medical Association
- American Medical Student Association
- American Nurses Association
- American Osteopathic Association
- American Psychiatric Association
- American Psychological Association
- American Public Health Association
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Endocrine Society
- GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality
- National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
- National Association of Social Workers
- National Commission on Correctional Health Care
- Pediatric Endocrine Society
- Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
- World Medical Association
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health
Maybe you too can’t understand what it’s like to be trans. Maybe it rocks your worldview. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t support those who are different from us and who are suffering.
From a spiritual standpoint, I can’t help wondering if trans youth aren’t a sign of hope; the earth’s way of correcting humanity’s overpopulation of the earth.
No matter the reason, I believe that all beings have the right to bodily autonomy.
Let’s Get Personal
Let me introduce you to someone who is trans and who has been working on behalf of trans kids since 2008. I am honored to introduce you to my friend Tony Ferriaolo. I challenge you to listen to this whole interview and not come away with an increased understanding and more compassion. Tony humanizes the issue in an important way and his stories are powerful.
Click below to listen:
Tony generously opens up and we talk about all the hard questions:
🌈-what is the most emotionally damaging thing for a trans kid?
🌈-what is the ‘secret sauce’ that helps someone go from wanting to die to loving themself and their life
🌈-what’s the deal with kids being ‘groomed’?
🌈-should we be doing surgery on kids who aren’t fully grown and may just be confused?
🌈-what’s the deal with pronouns and why does it matter?
🌈-how kindness has a boomerang effect (and it’s free!)
Tony is a gift to humanity. Listen to hear how he went from cutting himself everyday to leading workshops on compassion. Let’s spread empathy and understanding. For more information: https://tonyferraiolo.com/ This interview is dedicated in memory of Lauri Klein who was an avid supporter of LGBTQ+ youth. Donations in her name can be made to: The Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth (Bagly). 
May all beings be safe, protected from harm, and be free from suffering.
