(1) gender dysphoria (imposed) and (2) transgender identity in the very young

When David Reimer shot and killed himself at age 38, it was the spectacularly tragic end of a well-meant but infamous experiment in the “plasticity” of gender identity in the young. (Purists may note that the mortal consequences for David and his entire family were not directly visited on the hubristic actor in this case, Dr. John Money, erstwhile champion of infant sex assignment through surgery and socialization.) As John Colapinto points out in his reflections on David’s death published on Slate (June 3, 2004, 3:58 PM ET), there were certainly other contributing factors in the Reimer family history, but the mere facts of the experiment were such as might have driven anyone to despair.

My recent acquaintance with the Reimer case was occasioned by Graeme’s posts at DeweyWriter.com, including information on a BBC documentary on the experiment and its aftermath, and transcribing a fascinating (in context) article on transgender identity in children – some as young as 18 months – published in a very mainstream Australian parenting magazine. Thanks to Graeme for his alerts and his labor.

There’s some redundancy in the links posted here, but also some interesting variations in the facts of David Reimer’s life. The first link, to Wikipedia, ends with a brief discussion of the clinical and social impact of the Reimer/Money affair; the BBC page links further to a transcript of the documentary.

photo of David Reimer by Reuters

“Youth in the Crosshairs: the Third Wave of Ex-Gay Activism” targets children as young as 5 years old

Whether through ex-gay teen programs or traveling ex-gay conferences like Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out ex-gay programs are recommending that parents commit their children to treatment of “prehomosexuality” even if it is against their children’s wishes. Heterosexual youth are also being recruited in schools and churches to spread the message that homosexuality is a treatable mental illness.“One of the most disturbing accounts in this report is a case involving a 5-year-old boy who was subjected to conversion therapy to address ‘prehomosexuality.’ The case involves a psychologist who claims that his theories and treatments are scientific,” said study co-author Jason Cianciotto, the [National Gay and Lesbian Task Force] Policy Institute’s research director. “To the contrary, conversion therapy is opposed by nearly every medical and mental health professional association, including the American Academy of Pediatrics….Tragically, ex-gay and evangelical Christian right leaders are using bogus theories and discredited research to frighten parents into doing something more likely to harm than help their children.”

The Policy Institute’s full report (78 pages not including the back matter and including a nine-page “executive summary”) is downloadable as a PDF. The same page also offers an mp3 version. For a shorter summary, see the Institute’s press release, quoted above (emphasis added).

positive body image makes young men riskier, young women safer in their sexual behavior

Young men who feel good about their looks are more likely than their peers with a less positive body image to engage in risky sexual behavior, a new study of college students shows.The men who were most satisfied with their appearance, and the most appearance-oriented — meaning they were highly invested in their looks and considered appearance to be important — were also the most likely to have sex without condoms and to have sex with multiple partners….Among young women, in contrast, those with a more positive body image were less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, [Dr. Eva S. Lefkowitz of Pennsylvania State University in University Park and colleagues] found.
….
While sexually active students reported less dissatisfaction with their looks and a more positive body image on average, “it’s important to point out that we don’t know which comes first,” Lefkowitz said. People who feel better about their looks may be more likely to have sex, or being sexually active may confer a better body image, she explained.

For more, see the Reuters report as published in The Sydney Morning Herald, March 28, 2006.

Happy Valentines Day!

and now a word from our sponsor: Anxiety Management

Dear Friends,

Here’s a post I made on another board. It occurred to me as I was writing it that it serves the purpose of the note that I said I might post here about the shift in focus of this blog. It’s also a way of reintroducing that foundational theme, since I’m sure I’ll have occasion to visit it again from time to time.

All the best to all of you,
M.
————————————————————-
Dear J,

Have any of us known paralyzing anxiety? I have. I do still, although it’s much more manageable once one learns to recognize it for what it is rather than for any of the many disguises it can take.

You are lucky – yes, that is a considered judgment – to recognize the anxiety, to know at least some of its sources, and to be working with a therapist you describe as “gifted” on furthering your recognition and management.

I have spoken twice of management because this is not, in my experience, something that goes away, is outgrown, or gets cured or fixed. I hasten to add that, paradoxically if you like, paying focused attention to it as appropriate frees one to go on living without being in thrall to it.

I’ve found it helpful lately to think of my anxiety (or neurosis, as it was known in my youth) as a given, like being male, American, Caucasian, or having been raised Catholic. There’s nothing I can do to change those facts, or in the case of the anxiety to change the facts that caused or precipitated it, but I can place those facts in a larger context and go on living my life without it being overdetermined by any of them (all of which create some tension in my life about who I am and want to be).

Realizing there was a new way of looking at my givens was part of my decision to abandon the first focus of the blog that I had begun as an adjunct to my current therapy – which is going well, thanks for asking. ;^) (The older, anxiety-specific posts run from February through May).

None of this is meant to minimize the reality of your childhood hardships, J, much less the bravery and underlying good heart and good judgment that kept you sane and functioning in a crazy-making situation. The task now – or the series of tasks – is to continue to honor and respect that courage and good heart, and even your childhood choices, as you come to terms with the fact of those choices and their consequences no longer being suited to the kind of life you want and need to live.

As always, you know how to reach me if you’d like to discuss these things further. I’m not sure it works, but I think I’ve enabled comments in my blog, so you’re welcome to try to respond there if you’re so moved.

Love,
M.

Zach’s father speaks out

Well, damned if I ever thought I’d post a link to the Christian Broadcasting Network, but Joe Stark, father of Zach (yes, that’s his real name, apparently), is defending his parental choices there.

Best to all,
M.

a broadside for “Zach”

The protest around these sexual suppression programs for teens, as galvanized and personified by “Zach”, continues in the vein of charmingly naive.

Best to all,
M.

“I would rather you commit suicide”: brainwashing gay teenagers (2)

I’ve been following the story of “Zach”, a gay teenager in Memphis whose parents have put him into a program that’s supposed to turn him straight, or desexualize him, or something. (Typically such programs hold out the promise of “converting” from homosexuality; typically their effect, if any, is simply to suppress someone’s sexuality entirely.)

The latest news, as reported at washingtonblade.com is that Tennessee Child Services is looking into (at least) licensing issues connected with the “Love in Action/Refuge” program, in the face of allegations of child (emotional) abuse following Zach’s blog entries as he faced going into the program.

Best to all,
M.

am I who I say I am?

An online acquaintance started a discussion thread asking:
Are you who you say you are? Do you create a persona just for online? Do you act this way in the real world or use the anonymity found here to act contrary to your normal behaviour?

…and here’s my response:
I strive for “what you see is what you get”, both online and in real life. I’m probably more patient and tolerant online than in RL, because of the small delay built into responding in writing. (As a “real” writer, I’m practically incapable of just writing stream-of-consciousness and hitting “send”, and I’m rather puzzled that anyone can regularly do that, as many claim.)

I’m only recently becoming aware of the various (largely transparent or translucent) masks I wear in different social situations. I’m also trying to improve the way I respond to people, situations, and new information. So where is the “real” me in all this? Well, finding that authenticity is an ongoing process for me.

Thanks for raising the question!

Best to all,
M.