Why are you deleting my posts in the Explaining Transgenderism thread?

[Anonymous]

Jeff,
I typically agree with your policing of the site and keeping trolls and racists away. I disagree with OP on transgender and have several friends and family that are transgender. That said, the OPs posts were not so far off topic to be removed. Nor is pointing to the DSM "wrong" or "trolling" or "inflammatory." I personally disagree with how the DSM categorizes transgender, but I'm not offended by someone pointing it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I’m not wrong about it. Why do you say that? Because someone posted a HuffPo article? Can I go back to the original thread and explain why I’m not wrong? I didn’t hijack the thread. The relevance of it being a mental illness to what you tell your kids is pretty obvious but if you want me to spell that out in every post I make, fine.

I personally have zero understanding of the DSM or what it says. But, I don't think that I would be alone in giving more credit to a bylined Huffington Post article than a post by "Anonymous". Like all other posters, you are welcome to advise the OP in how to address this topic with her child. A debate on the broader topic is not welcome.

In the latest version of the DSM, being transgender is NOT classified as a mental illness.
"Gender Dysphoria," which is a the sadness and anxiety that comes along with being seen as the wrong gender IS. The "cure" is to transition to the new gender. Then you are still transgendered, but you are no longer mentally ill.

I disagree with the semantic lines you are trying to draw. Being bipolar is in the DSM. If you take lithium, a treatment for being bipolar, you are “cured” in your terminology. But you’re still bipolar. You don’t stop being mentally disordered just because, in the case of gender dysmorphia, the most effective thing to do may be not to fight it and just transition.

You literally have no idea what gender dysmorphia is. It's the DISTRESS. Again, if you are fine with the transition and not feeling distressed, then by definition you are not experiencing gender dysmorphia. If you're going to argue this fervently about something, then please know what you're talking about.

Why don’t you capitalize a few more words to make your point? I disagree and have explained it logically in multiple posts now. If you’d like to attack my logic, do so. But I won’t hold my breath.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

It cures the dysmorphia, which is a disease. In fact, it's very much the same as depression, just responds to different meds.
It does not cure being trans, which is not a disease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sick of people whining about Jeff deleting their posts. Get over it. It's his website you're using for free.

That’s fine and I’m asking him to reconsider. And if he refuses constructive feedback and manages his free website in a ridiculous manner, I’ll go elsewhere.

Please do.

You know, it totally cracks me up that you’re shunning me because I don’t agree with you on this topic. I’m about as far from a Trumpster as you can get, but no wonder people having a bad impression of liberals who can’t tolerate any moderate dissent.

I'm not a liberal. I just hate whiners.

Then stop whining about whiners and go do whatever awesome things you’re doing with your life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff,
I typically agree with your policing of the site and keeping trolls and racists away. I disagree with OP on transgender and have several friends and family that are transgender. That said, the OPs posts were not so far off topic to be removed. Nor is pointing to the DSM "wrong" or "trolling" or "inflammatory." I personally disagree with how the DSM categorizes transgender, but I'm not offended by someone pointing it out.

You say this but should realize that one big way that Jeff and many other Liberals police and restrict speech they do not like is by labeling any speaker with whom they disagree, a racist or troll or bigot or what have you. If OP did not have the DSM backing her up, most people would be calling her a bigot and a troll despite her being neither.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

Your attempt at playing doctor is... worse? Some people just randomly transition despite never having been distressed with being in the wrong body? That’s extraordinarily rare. You don’t wake up one day and just transition. In any event, I have a reasonable disagreement with you so cut it out with the insults and troll-reporting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

Your attempt at playing doctor is... worse? Some people just randomly transition despite never having been distressed with being in the wrong body? That’s extraordinarily rare. You don’t wake up one day and just transition. In any event, I have a reasonable disagreement with you so cut it out with the insults and troll-reporting.

I'm not a doctor but I have a job that actually requires me to know a great deal about the psychology of being transgender (which is why I chimed in on this thread in the first place). I guarantee you that my knowledge of the medical issues regarding gender identity is far informed than whatever you dreamed up in your head.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

Your attempt at playing doctor is... worse? Some people just randomly transition despite never having been distressed with being in the wrong body? That’s extraordinarily rare. You don’t wake up one day and just transition. In any event, I have a reasonable disagreement with you so cut it out with the insults and troll-reporting.

I'm not a doctor but I have a job that actually requires me to know a great deal about the psychology of being transgender (which is why I chimed in on this thread in the first place). I guarantee you that my knowledge of the medical issues regarding gender identity is far informed than whatever you dreamed up in your head.

Okay, just keep on insulting me then. Great job, dude. All your “great deal” of knowledge is really shining through.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff,
I typically agree with your policing of the site and keeping trolls and racists away. I disagree with OP on transgender and have several friends and family that are transgender. That said, the OPs posts were not so far off topic to be removed. Nor is pointing to the DSM "wrong" or "trolling" or "inflammatory." I personally disagree with how the DSM categorizes transgender, but I'm not offended by someone pointing it out.

You say this but should realize that one big way that Jeff and many other Liberals police and restrict speech they do not like is by labeling any speaker with whom they disagree, a racist or troll or bigot or what have you. If OP did not have the DSM backing her up, most people would be calling her a bigot and a troll despite her being neither.

Given the apparent restrictions on speech that I enforce, I am surprised to read criticism of me such as this. Logically, I should have deleted such posts. For that matter, if I disliked contrary opinions as much as you suggest, I would have deleted this entire thread.

I really believe that the actual mental disorder demonstrated in this thread is not related to transgenderism, but to the fanatical demand by some posters to post anything they want in any thread regardless of the circumstances. If you want to discuss what the DSM says about transgenderism, start a thread. It is probably best suited for the Health and Medicine forum. I know that you are much more interested in incessant whining about how mean I am, but frankly, that gets tiring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff,
I typically agree with your policing of the site and keeping trolls and racists away. I disagree with OP on transgender and have several friends and family that are transgender. That said, the OPs posts were not so far off topic to be removed. Nor is pointing to the DSM "wrong" or "trolling" or "inflammatory." I personally disagree with how the DSM categorizes transgender, but I'm not offended by someone pointing it out.

You say this but should realize that one big way that Jeff and many other Liberals police and restrict speech they do not like is by labeling any speaker with whom they disagree, a racist or troll or bigot or what have you. If OP did not have the DSM backing her up, most people would be calling her a bigot and a troll despite her being neither.

There are quite a few people posting they don’t understand transgender or it’s a fad or trendy or they should just accept how they are born, etc. I don’t see all of those getting deleted, so I do not buy into your theory that Jeff is deleting everything and labeling non-liberals as trolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

Your attempt at playing doctor is... worse? Some people just randomly transition despite never having been distressed with being in the wrong body? That’s extraordinarily rare. You don’t wake up one day and just transition. In any event, I have a reasonable disagreement with you so cut it out with the insults and troll-reporting.

I'm not a doctor but I have a job that actually requires me to know a great deal about the psychology of being transgender (which is why I chimed in on this thread in the first place). I guarantee you that my knowledge of the medical issues regarding gender identity is far informed than whatever you dreamed up in your head.

Okay, just keep on insulting me then. Great job, dude. All your “great deal” of knowledge is really shining through.

I'm not sure where I insulted you. By accusing you of trying to play doctor? I mean, isn't that what you were doing? I didn't report you to anyone. I'm simply trying to counter the incorrect information you're disseminating. I hope you have a nice day, and that in the future you learn more about a topic before spreading false information.

[Anonymous]

NP here.

I participated in the Non-binary thread yesterday and had two posts removed (I asked Jeff about one of them, and it turned out I had made a mistake).

Basically, the impression I get is that posts are going to be aggressively vetted if they suggest that people with non-traditional gender identities are in any way mentally perturbed, or if they suggest antagonism toward gender fluidity and exploration.

Which is fine. I support the owner and moderator of this site doing exactly as he pleases with his website.

Now as a scientist, for me the DSM is something to take seriously. People should also be aware that it contains out-of-date information - the one I am most informed about is ADHD. Each version of the DSM takes years to put together and is hotly debated by experts.

Also, even though it may be factually correct to say transgenderism is a mental illness, it's not really how you want your kid to explain it to another kid, is it? It's not a very compassionate way to put things, considering mental illness is still quite taboo in our society (which is sad in itself).

So... the most important skill we should develop is to respect other people's points of view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Transgenderism is not a mental disorder in the DSM. Gender dysmorphia (feeling strongly that your identity does not match your body to the point where it causes you problems) is the relevant disorder. Actually transitioning to a gender that matches your identity is a TREATMENT for gender dysmorphia.

But people don’t use the terminology in that way in the thread or in real life. OP asked about a “transgender” kid but that kid hadn’t fully transitioned but is rather suffering from gender dysmorphia. It’s semantics.

No, it's not. Because the relevant problem with the disorder is the DISTRESS. If someone is transitioning and isn't distressed about it, then they don't have gender dysmorphia. Shouldn't be a huge surprise that someone who is experiencing a certain kind of severe distress is classified as having a disorder.

As I said in my previous post, treating the distress does not mean your disordered thinking is now normal. By analogy: I have depression. I treat it. I still have depression even if it’s treated. Treatment for a fully transitioned transgender person is long-term hormones and other therapies. It’s not a one-time “cure.”

I mean, it's great that you're trying to play doctor here, but you're just wrong. Many transgender people never experience gender dysmorphia. They just transition and are fine. Gender dysmorphia is something that sometimes happens, and sometimes doesn't. You can experience gender dysmorphia and never transition. You can transition without ever experiencing it. They are two different things. Your attempts to make them the same are simply medically incorrect.

Your attempt at playing doctor is... worse? Some people just randomly transition despite never having been distressed with being in the wrong body? That’s extraordinarily rare. You don’t wake up one day and just transition. In any event, I have a reasonable disagreement with you so cut it out with the insults and troll-reporting.

I'm not a doctor but I have a job that actually requires me to know a great deal about the psychology of being transgender (which is why I chimed in on this thread in the first place). I guarantee you that my knowledge of the medical issues regarding gender identity is far informed than whatever you dreamed up in your head.

NP

According to this article (which I assume to be a reputable source) distress does not define gender dysphoria. It is merely feeling conflicted between the persons physical gender and the gender with which they identify:

https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/gender-dysphoria/what-is-gender-dysphoria