Trans Youth Speaks Out As Alabama Debates Banning Medical Treatment

[BmorePat87]

(03-30-2021, 01:13 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Understandable, but that needs to be stated.


Which would be wrong.  It would also not be in line with the actual subject of this thread.



Believe me, I can completely relate.  In the Asian hate crime thread I related that I have friends who have been directly affected.  Unfortunately, no one in that thread afforded me any special insight or consideration due to this.


While I can completely understand this position I don't think this statement can be applied, in any reasonable degree, to the posts made by myself or Beaker.  Both of which I think address this issue in a considered and rational fashion.


Again, an understandable response.  However, neither myself or Beaker are posting from there or supporting that position.

I responded to the topic of the thread, not the responses made by anyone in it. 

However, if you want me to I will address your post. I think jumping into a discussion centered around what medical decisions a family can make by reframing it as only a question of minors making unilateral medical decisions and then comparing it to holding them criminal responsible is a really bizarre argument. The comparison is irrelevant to the conversation and only serves to distract from the issue by creating a false premise that needs to be answered. 

You used a slippery slope argument, acknowledging the benefits of hormone therapy for teens before then focusing on extreme examples of teens trying to unilaterally make the decision or being peer pressured into being trans.

We're talking about a bill that would make it a felony to treat a teen with hormone therapy after the teen, their parent, their therapist, and their doctor decided it was appropriate. In reality, that's who is involved in this process. The bill would also require teachers to out trans kids to their parents, which would only serve to cause more harm to the child. 

The author of the bill admitted that he had never once spoken to a trans kid in his entire life. He didn't even know if hormone therapy was occurring for juveniles in Alabama. He just decided this was something he wanted to outlaw. As I said, the purpose of this law is to hurt trans people, not help them. 

Moving aware from the absolute harm of the the bill at its surface by presenting these rare what-if scenarios seemingly as a justification for it, is harmful rhetoric. It contributes to the narrative that trans juveniles lack agency, that they are incapable of knowing themselves, and that their feelings are transient.

It also is better addressed through completely separate policy. There's a huge difference between "make it a felony and compel teachers to out students" and "ensure that the decision is made with consultation of a therapist and doctor". One method treats trans kids as subhuman. One respects their humanity.