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Who should decide when a child can change gender?

20 Comments
By Hugo Greenhalgh

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Any decisions in that regard should be made after the child has become an adult and his/her brain has matured.

"Their" brain ;)

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When's the last time anyone was born neither male nor female?

Probably in the last hour or so.

I find the article annoying as it doesn't make clear the situation of the children who are affected. Is it about self-identification or the actual biological distinctions that class someone as intersex (chromosomes, hormones, and genitalia)? I feel sorry for kids whose sex is biologically undetermined being caught up in this ugly debate.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It is insane that we even have to debate this. Children are not allowed to drink, smoke, drive a car or vote, but the should make decisions about something so radical as massive medical intervention that changes their body permanently?

Neither should their parents be allowed to make such decision. Any decisions in that regard should be made after the child has become an adult and his/her brain has matured.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

@Jimizo

I'm saying that the broad secular/liberal/globalist agenda (of which LGBTQ agendas like this article is a part) was one of many factors in Trump, Brexit and Morrison victories. You and elite secular/liberals can deny it all you like, but it's true. In fact I saw some such liberal media commentators admit as much on TV after the results of each.

You want evidence? Go to the heartland of these countries and ask the people this question "Was the broad secular/liberal/globalist agenda (of which LGBTQ agendas like this article are a part) a factor in the Trump, Brexit and Morrison victories?"

If even a few percent answer yes, then that was enough to swing all those election results.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I know. I’m saying the ‘LGBTQ agenda’ itself had nothing to do with Brexit. Transgenderism had absolutely zero to do with it,

I beg to differ (especially in the cases of the US and OZ)

Please provide evidence of this, Also, the US and OZ didn’t vote on Brexit.

Secular liberals

As I said before, you have a habit of seeing the world through US eyes. Even the word ‘liberal’ is used in a different sense in the UK. Basically all politics in the UK ( NI an exception ) is secular. Religion plays little or no role in how people vote in one of the world’s least religious countries. As a spokesperson for Tony Blair said, “we don’t do god”. The Tories may like to have a photo-op at a C of E service as a nod to tradition but that’s about it.

The winners of the last election, the Conservative Party, are ‘secular liberals’ by US standards. The people of the UK like this. That’s why even the Tories ‘don’t do god’ or keep it quiet.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Jimizo

I know. I’m saying the ‘LGBTQ agenda’ itself had nothing to do with Brexit. Transgenderism had absolutely zero to do with it,

I beg to differ (especially in the cases of the US and OZ), for the reasons I outlined above. Secular liberals, UN and EU elites, etc need to, as they say in Japan, 'read the air', or face further humiliating defeats.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Regarding this article and the LGBTQ agenda I wrote 'This issue is one of many reasons for Trump, Brexit and Australia's Scott Morrison'....not the only reason.

I know. I’m saying the ‘LGBTQ agenda’ itself had nothing to do with Brexit. Transgenderism had absolutely zero to do with it,

Your unfocused complaints about globalists and ‘left-leaning’ people hasn’t changed this.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Jimizo

Nothing to do with Brexit. You are overstretching your point here. I followed the Brexit debate in detail. It had nothing to do with people’s voting intention. For example, the UK introduced same-sex marriage under Cameron with polls showing a majority in favour - it had zero to do with the EU or even the UN. I think you have a habit of seeing the world from a US perspective - the UK is far less hung up on the issues you get hung up about.

ps. Cameron, the PM who championed same-sex marriage, was the leader of the Conservative Party - not the leader of activist liberals forcing their agenda down the throats of conservatives.

Firstly, the US and its perspective is not my major concern.

Regarding this article and the LGBTQ agenda I wrote 'This issue is one of many reasons for Trump, Brexit and Australia's Scott Morrison'....not the only reason.

The reason I say so is that conservative voters in those nations have largely felt demeaned, ignored and betrayed by the politicians, the elite class and the media. Many of those conservative voters value faith and the traditional family very highly and resent government interference in these areas of life. Many of these voters were (and still are) called bigots, homophobes, etc for not supporting SSM, trans story telling to kids in public libraries, surreptitiously introduced LGBTQ promoting school curriculums, etc. My many Ozzie friends and associates tell me that many of them stayed away from the polls when the referendum on SSM was held or felt compelled to vote 'yes' for fear of the bigot label. Other conservative voters were happy to agree to SSM but resented the bullying and moralising of those pushing it. In general elections these conservatives, for this and many other reasons, quietly made their feelings known that they are not happy with the secular/liberal/globalist agenda pushed by the UN, EU and left leaning political parties.

Those are the underlying sentiments that multitudes are feeling but are afraid to say to pollsters or even out loud anywhere. The sooner secular liberal US Democrats and UK/Ozzie Labor parties learn to respect these voters, the better for them. Why? Because these parties traditionally have been worker friendly and I support that and would like to see them retain those policies. Of course US Democrats have abandoned the working class....but that's another topic.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Gender is social, sex is biological.

No, gender is biological. Some people have changed the definition to suit an extremist agenda. Some people believe it at face value. Don't know which you are. You are welcome to live however you want, wear whatever you want, walk however you want, marry whoever you want. But medically condemning kids to an uncertain future is a crime by any moral standards of any worth.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Ps: This issue is one of many reasons for Trump, Brexit and Australia's Scott Morrison.

Nothing to do with Brexit. You are overstretching your point here. I followed the Brexit debate in detail. It had nothing to do with people’s voting intention. For example, the UK introduced same-sex marriage under Cameron with polls showing a majority in favour - it had zero to do with the EU or even the UN. I think you have a habit of seeing the world from a US perspective - the UK is far less hung up on the issues you get hung up about.

ps. Cameron, the PM who championed same-sex marriage, was the leader of the Conservative Party - not the leader of activist liberals forcing their agenda down the throats of conservatives.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Jimizo

About right. I’d go with 18.

Agreed.

Well, governments already and rightly have roles to play in terms of what you can do to your children in terms of punishment, providing education and medical decisions.....

Government's role is limited to punishing neglect and abuse in the areas of failure to provide education, medical care, basic needs, etc, and physical abuse. This is proper use of government power.

LGBTQ activists are attempting to have refusal by parents to agree to their minors transitioning classified as abuse and illegal. This is would be an abuse of power.

In some places legislation has already been proposed to outlaw parents encouraging children to be hetero rather than LGBTQ, placing such parental opinions/suggestions under the umbrella of 'conversion therapy'.

So a parent can advise a child for or against anything under the sun but not about sexuality, transgenderism, etc?!

Many parents have wisened up to the ultimate goals of some LGBTQ activists, some governments and the U.N.....dictatorial control over the parents and their children and are fighting back. As I said, over my dead body.

Ps: This issue is one of many reasons for Trump, Brexit and Australia's Scott Morrison.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Like smoking, drinking or a tattoo, anything that causes a permanent change or damage to the body should not be allowed until the person reaches the full age of majority and understands the severity and seriousness of their decision.

About right. I’d go with 18.

You parents can do all the hard work of bearing, raising and paying for the children. But the children are the property of the state and we will tell you how to raise them, how to educate them, what morals they will learn and make medical decisions on their behalf. Over my dead body!

Well, governments already and rightly have roles to play in terms of what you can do to your children in terms of punishment, providing education and medical decisions. A recent example from the US was a couple thrown in jail for not finding adequate medical care for their child and relying on faith healing instead. A child’s dead body resulted.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

When the child reaches at least the age of 18.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@expat - “Science tells us that gender is biologically determined. When's the last time anyone was born neither male nor female?”

You’re confusing gender with sex. Gender is social, sex is biological.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

First of all, no one can change their sex. They can only change their view of their gender and how they behave.

As for gender reassignment surgery, puberty blockers, chest binding, etc. in the case of minors of course it is the parents who have the final say on this. How dare any governments attempt to strip parents of their rights? This is another step in an ongoing battle by governments around the world, egged on by the UN to usurp parental rights. When parental rights are usurped you have communistic dictatorship.

In other words 'You parents can do all the hard work of bearing, raising and paying for the children. But the children are the property of the state and we will tell you how to raise them, how to educate them, what morals they will learn and make medical decisions on their behalf'. Over my dead body!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

There have been studies showing 94% of children who identify as transgender will eventually just 'grow out of it', suggesting that any treatment is likely to be medically unnecessary in most cases. Studies also show that puberty blockers affect brain development and lead to permanent cognitive deficits. Many who actually undergo gender reassignment surgeries end up with horrific and permanent side effects requiring them to wear colostomy bags for the rest of their lives and the rate of post-op suicides are astounding.

Lawyers are watching this unfold from the sidelines and I predict future class action suits will lead to a complete shutdown of the transgender-medical industry (at least in developed countries). Medical insurers will just stop underwriting doctors engaged in this sort of practice once juries award a few multimillion dollar judgements (unless they can convince politicians to pass laws giving them immunity).

0 ( +4 / -4 )

In Canada, medical regulations state puberty blockers may be used for girls as young as 10-and-a-half and boys aged 11-and-a-half. Hormones may be administered to teenagers from the age 16.

My son is nearly twelve. He's smart and funny, but I don't think he's anywhere near mature enough to make a decision like this. It is of course possible to like everything society associates with women and have what society may say are female personality traits but still be a man. You can be effeminate and not physically change yourself into a woman. That's a big call for eleven and a half.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

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