A recent survey by Aya Sadamasu, et al entitled Transgender athletes and the sex category: change in competition level was greeted with a great big, No duh.
The disappointing thing for me is that scientists feel there is a biological question regarding gender confusion or gender dysphoria. This is a mental illness, not a question of biology. To properly treat a psychiatric problem one needs to accept the reality that there are only two genders/sexes, those with XX chromosomes and those with XY chromosomes. Gender dysphoria is a psychosis that affects one's ability to deal with reality, like schizophrenia. The illness requires psychiatric help, not enablers or codependents. Anyone familiar with psychiatry or psychology should know this. Medical doctors may be confused as to the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of gender dysphoria, but there really is no physical medicine treatment approach for the illness. To believe so would also be out of touch with reality. Papers like this confuse the issue regarding gender dysphoria by accepting a "transgender" premise. Whether "transgender" individuals should or shouldn't participate in opposite gender activities such as athletics should be a moot point because men aren't women and women aren't men. The humane approach therefore is to treat gender dysphoria and reject the enabling and codependency exhibited by those choosing to "support" the ill individual. No other psychosis is regarded in such a manner. Behavioral and verbal evidence regarding gender dysphoria should be enough for normal individuals to realize the condition and then seek professional psychiatric assistance. To do anything else is immoral, unethical and counterproductive. Medical professionals who enable or become codependent with gender dysphoric individuals should lose their licenses and then be subject to malpractice litigation.
I have been saying the same thing forever. “Textbook” psychiatric response to a delusion is never affirming it, but affirming the impact is real and upsetting, but never denying reality or else you risk making the delusion even firmer, and potentially causing serious harm to the patient and those around them, including violence.
This is the definition of arbitrary or whimsical - a person could compete in both female and male categories - female as trans and male as biological.
Right. And to qualify male or female with the words trans or biological is to affirm the psychosis, which would be unprofessional and counterproductive.
I agree with the majority of your analysis except for comparing gender dysphoria to schizophrenia. These people mostly have one discreet delusion and that's regarding their sex. The gender psychosis is more like anorexia where the sufferers believe their bodies are full of fat and no amount of reasoning can convince them otherwise. Anorexia tear their families apart out of concern for them and anorexics risk their own lives to meet their bodily delusions. Otherwise these, mostly women, people seem normal with average intelligence. Their delusional ideation often doesn't affect other areas of anorexics lives. A difference between anorexics and sex delusionals seems that the latter sometimes fakes their malady for nefarious purposes - like getting on girls teams or in women's bathrooms and shelters.
I agree but it doesn’t seem possible at this point to get the genie back in the bottle. Focus on: no XYs in women’s sports and no drugs or surgery on minors.
I agree. We need to not affirm the language of enablers and codependents. Never use "biological man," or "trans," "transgender." There are gender dysphoric, transvestites and transsexuals. The latter two may or may not be gender dysphoric, but they are abnormal and need psychiatric help, again, not enablers or codependents. We must engage our legislators, law enforcement, religious and community leaders, especially local law makers, sheriffs, social workers, school superintendents, principals and school boards in order to coordinate the language of the issue. Sexualizing children is GROOMING, which is CHILD SEX ABUSE, which should be PROSECUTED to the fullest extent of the law. Discussing developmentally inappropriate subject matter of a sexual nature to children, including the LGBTQ+ flag, status, "trans" subjects, etc., sexualizes children and is illegal. Learn local code (law) as it pertains to sexualizing/grooming/sexually abusing children. Many places don't name "grooming" as a code violation or crime, instead, they use the term "endangering the welfare of a child." It's worth it to know the differences and what the local authorities call these offenses, believe me, they know.
Fascinating. I have also been saying the same thing for years, I’m glad to hear another voice speak the exact language. I use “trans” only in the sense that “trans” are sex delusional. I am stopping gender dysphoric for puberty dysphoric. I don’t say gender I say “sex stereotype” as in “my sex stereotype identity”. It’s vastly clearer. Thanks for speak up.
This isn’t about sports but it still irritates me. La Leche League was founded in 1954 as a support group for nursing mothers. Of course:
Like so many women’s organisations, LLL has been destroyed by gender ideology, as demands are made for language to be changed, and workers at grass roots level - and even entire boards of directors - fall out over the fundamentals of their purpose.
The difference in regional perspectives is very interesting. Thank you.
In our part of the world, I recently learned about Nicole Powers, a trans woman athlete, who used to compete against woman, but now only competes against men because of the unfair advantage. She is very candid about being a biologically male who has retained male physical abilities ten years post transition.
I feel like a firm grasp on reality/biology is healthier for everyone, including trans athletes. Having an identity and a worldview that's compatible with reality just seems healthier, stronger, more resilient—it doesn't demand that the rest of the world change for you.
This report from Japan is confusing for its implication that conservative countries don't have sex impersonators. Years ago, I read about Iranian women struggling for years to have their soccer team accepted in the Olympics despite their wearing the hijab. When finally, after years of rejection, they were accepted a bunch of blokes (eight of them) took over their team causing the women who struggled to be accepted to be sidelined in favor of men wearing hijabs . AAARGH!
Really irrational . However I had heard that some countries allow M-F transition as an alternative to prison or more draconian punishments for homosexuality . As a Muslim I was routinely accused of approving this . I don't and it is not in the Koran but Islamophobia is officially approved and so does not need to be at all accurate .
What I don’t understand, is why none of the trans males ever try to compete in the Mail category, they all choose to compete in the category of their natural birth. Females naturally understand that they cannot compete with males because physiologically from the time they are born males are more powerful than females. It’s interesting that we’re only having this conversation in regards to trans females.
Ech, this ideological language is so dang confusing! I think you mean women who identify as male often choose to remain in their sex (female) category because they know inherently that sex matters but can't actually voice that truth because it goes counter to the trans mantra "a trans man is a man." What I found surprising about this study was the rather high (69%) of women-who-identify-as-men who DID switch to the male category, AND that 82% of them remained at the same level of competitiveness when they did so. That goes counter to the few examples I know, that I mentioned in the post. It is almost certain they are taking testosterone, which could account for some performance equalization once in the male category...I have to think most of the females who maintained their rank when switching to the male category were at the regional, maybe national, level rather than international. At truly elite levels, I think the performance gap between males-females is just too large
Sarah I am so sorry I am just now seeing your response and you are correct I was speaking of women who identify as males. Studies have shown for decades that boys are naturally stronger than females, have more upper body strength, have harder bones and longer arm reach. None of those change when they decide to identify as a female so no matter what they’re going to have an advantage. Thank you for covering this very important topic!
Very interesting ! Especially the way that different results can occur depending on different views on sexual differences so that more Western views are seen as 'progressive' ie making special rules to be trans inclusive whereas traditional views don't as often allow for this . Is this good or bad or changing ? And to be more modern/western/inclusive or to retain segregation only for traditional reasons - usually judged to be bad by the West !
I’m interested to know where the evidence is of the injection of testosterone has more effect than patches. The testosterone is gradual release form, I know that the injections is to ensure the level of hormone remains stable, I only know this as my husband had testicular cancer and has the injections every three months, we know when he is due as his mood and energy levels start dropping. Patches and implants didn’t work his body rejected them. I’m just interested to find out where you can point to me in the evidence of the injection releases more than patches I would be interested. I know in my country with football at national level the players are routinely drug tested, however in my county we have self id and our national sporting bodies allows men to compete in the women’s category, however this is about to change as our new government has opposed this regressive policy.
Thanks for your comment. The email response from Aya Sadamasu, which I printed in full, is where I got the information about injected T causing a (temporarily?) level of T much higher than average male level. I do not have a citation for that statement. I did a real fast search and came up with this: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2293080
Thanks Sarah I will take a look and very interesting to know. The injection is given in the buttocks and is very painful and the medication is a thick and only lasts for 12 weeks however my husband’s is 10 weeks.
Interesting about Japan. The only foreign country I’ve read about is Iran, which has strict rules about same sex relations. It’s forbidden. But a man can transition and be called a woman and allowed to marry a man. Not sure if women can do the same.
Yes, I've also read that in Iran lots of gay men transition to claim womanhood because in this way they avoid persecution and embrace their gayness in the guise of a woman.
The disappointing thing for me is that scientists feel there is a biological question regarding gender confusion or gender dysphoria. This is a mental illness, not a question of biology. To properly treat a psychiatric problem one needs to accept the reality that there are only two genders/sexes, those with XX chromosomes and those with XY chromosomes. Gender dysphoria is a psychosis that affects one's ability to deal with reality, like schizophrenia. The illness requires psychiatric help, not enablers or codependents. Anyone familiar with psychiatry or psychology should know this. Medical doctors may be confused as to the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of gender dysphoria, but there really is no physical medicine treatment approach for the illness. To believe so would also be out of touch with reality. Papers like this confuse the issue regarding gender dysphoria by accepting a "transgender" premise. Whether "transgender" individuals should or shouldn't participate in opposite gender activities such as athletics should be a moot point because men aren't women and women aren't men. The humane approach therefore is to treat gender dysphoria and reject the enabling and codependency exhibited by those choosing to "support" the ill individual. No other psychosis is regarded in such a manner. Behavioral and verbal evidence regarding gender dysphoria should be enough for normal individuals to realize the condition and then seek professional psychiatric assistance. To do anything else is immoral, unethical and counterproductive. Medical professionals who enable or become codependent with gender dysphoric individuals should lose their licenses and then be subject to malpractice litigation.
I have been saying the same thing forever. “Textbook” psychiatric response to a delusion is never affirming it, but affirming the impact is real and upsetting, but never denying reality or else you risk making the delusion even firmer, and potentially causing serious harm to the patient and those around them, including violence.
This is the definition of arbitrary or whimsical - a person could compete in both female and male categories - female as trans and male as biological.
Right. And to qualify male or female with the words trans or biological is to affirm the psychosis, which would be unprofessional and counterproductive.
Substack has been deleting the last lines of postings, have you noticed? It just did it to you.
Try a page refresh and it should reappear.
It’s a new behavior on the app, and it is off-and-on chopping off postings. I don’t have a clue how to escalate.
I agree with the majority of your analysis except for comparing gender dysphoria to schizophrenia. These people mostly have one discreet delusion and that's regarding their sex. The gender psychosis is more like anorexia where the sufferers believe their bodies are full of fat and no amount of reasoning can convince them otherwise. Anorexia tear their families apart out of concern for them and anorexics risk their own lives to meet their bodily delusions. Otherwise these, mostly women, people seem normal with average intelligence. Their delusional ideation often doesn't affect other areas of anorexics lives. A difference between anorexics and sex delusionals seems that the latter sometimes fakes their malady for nefarious purposes - like getting on girls teams or in women's bathrooms and shelters.
I agree but it doesn’t seem possible at this point to get the genie back in the bottle. Focus on: no XYs in women’s sports and no drugs or surgery on minors.
I agree. We need to not affirm the language of enablers and codependents. Never use "biological man," or "trans," "transgender." There are gender dysphoric, transvestites and transsexuals. The latter two may or may not be gender dysphoric, but they are abnormal and need psychiatric help, again, not enablers or codependents. We must engage our legislators, law enforcement, religious and community leaders, especially local law makers, sheriffs, social workers, school superintendents, principals and school boards in order to coordinate the language of the issue. Sexualizing children is GROOMING, which is CHILD SEX ABUSE, which should be PROSECUTED to the fullest extent of the law. Discussing developmentally inappropriate subject matter of a sexual nature to children, including the LGBTQ+ flag, status, "trans" subjects, etc., sexualizes children and is illegal. Learn local code (law) as it pertains to sexualizing/grooming/sexually abusing children. Many places don't name "grooming" as a code violation or crime, instead, they use the term "endangering the welfare of a child." It's worth it to know the differences and what the local authorities call these offenses, believe me, they know.
Fascinating. I have also been saying the same thing for years, I’m glad to hear another voice speak the exact language. I use “trans” only in the sense that “trans” are sex delusional. I am stopping gender dysphoric for puberty dysphoric. I don’t say gender I say “sex stereotype” as in “my sex stereotype identity”. It’s vastly clearer. Thanks for speak up.
This isn’t about sports but it still irritates me. La Leche League was founded in 1954 as a support group for nursing mothers. Of course:
Like so many women’s organisations, LLL has been destroyed by gender ideology, as demands are made for language to be changed, and workers at grass roots level - and even entire boards of directors - fall out over the fundamentals of their purpose.
https://millihill.substack.com/p/founder-of-la-leche-league-resigns
She was the only founding member still active. (Free to read)
"Raging entitlement is, in fact, the most telling characteristic that a 'transwoman' is male" .... Yep.
The difference in regional perspectives is very interesting. Thank you.
In our part of the world, I recently learned about Nicole Powers, a trans woman athlete, who used to compete against woman, but now only competes against men because of the unfair advantage. She is very candid about being a biologically male who has retained male physical abilities ten years post transition.
I feel like a firm grasp on reality/biology is healthier for everyone, including trans athletes. Having an identity and a worldview that's compatible with reality just seems healthier, stronger, more resilient—it doesn't demand that the rest of the world change for you.
This report from Japan is confusing for its implication that conservative countries don't have sex impersonators. Years ago, I read about Iranian women struggling for years to have their soccer team accepted in the Olympics despite their wearing the hijab. When finally, after years of rejection, they were accepted a bunch of blokes (eight of them) took over their team causing the women who struggled to be accepted to be sidelined in favor of men wearing hijabs . AAARGH!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=oFWiDiJ3c-E&si=ZERvPFtN4En7Iup1
https://www.thepinknews.com/2015/10/02/iranian-womens-football-squad-includes-eight-trans-women-report-claims/
Really irrational . However I had heard that some countries allow M-F transition as an alternative to prison or more draconian punishments for homosexuality . As a Muslim I was routinely accused of approving this . I don't and it is not in the Koran but Islamophobia is officially approved and so does not need to be at all accurate .
What I don’t understand, is why none of the trans males ever try to compete in the Mail category, they all choose to compete in the category of their natural birth. Females naturally understand that they cannot compete with males because physiologically from the time they are born males are more powerful than females. It’s interesting that we’re only having this conversation in regards to trans females.
Ech, this ideological language is so dang confusing! I think you mean women who identify as male often choose to remain in their sex (female) category because they know inherently that sex matters but can't actually voice that truth because it goes counter to the trans mantra "a trans man is a man." What I found surprising about this study was the rather high (69%) of women-who-identify-as-men who DID switch to the male category, AND that 82% of them remained at the same level of competitiveness when they did so. That goes counter to the few examples I know, that I mentioned in the post. It is almost certain they are taking testosterone, which could account for some performance equalization once in the male category...I have to think most of the females who maintained their rank when switching to the male category were at the regional, maybe national, level rather than international. At truly elite levels, I think the performance gap between males-females is just too large
Sarah I am so sorry I am just now seeing your response and you are correct I was speaking of women who identify as males. Studies have shown for decades that boys are naturally stronger than females, have more upper body strength, have harder bones and longer arm reach. None of those change when they decide to identify as a female so no matter what they’re going to have an advantage. Thank you for covering this very important topic!
Very interesting ! Especially the way that different results can occur depending on different views on sexual differences so that more Western views are seen as 'progressive' ie making special rules to be trans inclusive whereas traditional views don't as often allow for this . Is this good or bad or changing ? And to be more modern/western/inclusive or to retain segregation only for traditional reasons - usually judged to be bad by the West !
It's a conundrum, but not unsolvable by fairness and honesty.
I agree - but how to get fairness for WOMEN !
I’m interested to know where the evidence is of the injection of testosterone has more effect than patches. The testosterone is gradual release form, I know that the injections is to ensure the level of hormone remains stable, I only know this as my husband had testicular cancer and has the injections every three months, we know when he is due as his mood and energy levels start dropping. Patches and implants didn’t work his body rejected them. I’m just interested to find out where you can point to me in the evidence of the injection releases more than patches I would be interested. I know in my country with football at national level the players are routinely drug tested, however in my county we have self id and our national sporting bodies allows men to compete in the women’s category, however this is about to change as our new government has opposed this regressive policy.
Thanks for your comment. The email response from Aya Sadamasu, which I printed in full, is where I got the information about injected T causing a (temporarily?) level of T much higher than average male level. I do not have a citation for that statement. I did a real fast search and came up with this: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2293080
Thanks Sarah I will take a look and very interesting to know. The injection is given in the buttocks and is very painful and the medication is a thick and only lasts for 12 weeks however my husband’s is 10 weeks.
Interesting about Japan. The only foreign country I’ve read about is Iran, which has strict rules about same sex relations. It’s forbidden. But a man can transition and be called a woman and allowed to marry a man. Not sure if women can do the same.
Yes, I've also read that in Iran lots of gay men transition to claim womanhood because in this way they avoid persecution and embrace their gayness in the guise of a woman.