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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
medium-paced
There are a lot of valid and interesting points in this about the way young girls socialize, the validity of their need to belong, the difficulty of finding your place, and other esteem issues that are always rampant in that age demographic. I think that those core issues are important when looking at pre-teens and teens who want to make permanent or nearly permanent changes to their body.
I appreciated the kindness that adult Trans people were given and the way their humanity was carefully laid out before each interview with them even if the author had issues with their videos and/or choices.
I also thought that the section on Doctor’s responsibilities in all of this was a great addition, and the emphasis needed on being able as a medical professional to question the choices and wants of a teenager was super important as well. The culpability of these children’s choices aren’t on them or even their parents, but on the medical professionals that validate these dangerous choices out of fears of not being inclusionary.
However, there was a lot here that I think went way off the path and can be dangerous for the audience that will pick this up the most.
There was a lot of snide side comments on therapy and therapists for children. This is extremely dangerous because while the conversation on the over-medication of children and the Mis-diagnosis of children’s mental health issues are valid, dismissing therapy for children at best and villianizing it at worst is exceptionally dangerous.
I also thought the suggestions of taking away a child’s access for the Internet, phone, and even moving them to more remote locations to combat the issues presented as horrible. Genuinely horrible. This, in my personal opinion, would only push children more into seeing their online friends and in person friend groups as safer places than their homes. It only further alienates them from their family.
Lastly, I still find myself unsure of who exactly the audience of this book is supposed to be. A lot of the parents interviewed are more socially-liberal and accepting in broad terms but found issue with their daughter’s choice due to what they saw as bad reasoning and decision making. A majority of the audience this will find though are not accepting of the LGBT community period and the suggestions, comments, and other POV’s pushed in this could only make their children’s life less happy and more dangerous possibly. I don’t know if it’s entirety can be appreciated by either political side of the issue really which makes me further confused on who exactly it was written for.
I appreciated the kindness that adult Trans people were given and the way their humanity was carefully laid out before each interview with them even if the author had issues with their videos and/or choices.
I also thought that the section on Doctor’s responsibilities in all of this was a great addition, and the emphasis needed on being able as a medical professional to question the choices and wants of a teenager was super important as well. The culpability of these children’s choices aren’t on them or even their parents, but on the medical professionals that validate these dangerous choices out of fears of not being inclusionary.
However, there was a lot here that I think went way off the path and can be dangerous for the audience that will pick this up the most.
There was a lot of snide side comments on therapy and therapists for children. This is extremely dangerous because while the conversation on the over-medication of children and the Mis-diagnosis of children’s mental health issues are valid, dismissing therapy for children at best and villianizing it at worst is exceptionally dangerous.
I also thought the suggestions of taking away a child’s access for the Internet, phone, and even moving them to more remote locations to combat the issues presented as horrible. Genuinely horrible. This, in my personal opinion, would only push children more into seeing their online friends and in person friend groups as safer places than their homes. It only further alienates them from their family.
Lastly, I still find myself unsure of who exactly the audience of this book is supposed to be. A lot of the parents interviewed are more socially-liberal and accepting in broad terms but found issue with their daughter’s choice due to what they saw as bad reasoning and decision making. A majority of the audience this will find though are not accepting of the LGBT community period and the suggestions, comments, and other POV’s pushed in this could only make their children’s life less happy and more dangerous possibly. I don’t know if it’s entirety can be appreciated by either political side of the issue really which makes me further confused on who exactly it was written for.
challenging
informative
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing
Harmful, transphobic and based on pseudo-science that anyone with a basic level of biology will know is completely incorrect.
I will not read this book and I’m ashamed and angry that this exists. Instead of learning how to advocate for trans youth and trans folx, this attacks them. Read a book written by a trans person instead. Fuck this
challenging
informative
tense
medium-paced
How? How does this have 3.95 stars, but some of my favorite books of all time have 3.8? How in the name of all heaven did this get published?
Since the author doesn't seem to understand shit about anything, here's you're friendly neighborhood Al (and a friendly professional) to explain some things.
"Irreversible Damage is an exploration of a mystery: Why, in the last decade, has the diagnosis "gender dysphoria," transformed from a vanishingly rare affliction, applying almost exclusively to boys and men, to an epidemic among teenage girls?"
I don't know, Shrier. Maybe it's the same reason why the divorce rate launched up when women got rights. It's really amazing when you give somebody the opportunity to express themselves instead of 1. shunning them 2. killing them and 3. harming them, they'll actually... oh, I dunno... present more information about themselves than when it was literally fucking illegal to share that information?
Author Abigail Shrier presents shocking statistics and stories from real families to show that America and the West have become fertile ground for a "transgender craze" that has nothing to do with real gender dysphoria and everything to do with our cultural frailty. Teenage girls are taking courses of testosterone and disfiguring their bodies.
I have not read the book, so I cannot confirm nor deny if she's using 'actual statics.' I can already hear the transphobes screaming 'oh, well, you don't know.' Actually, I do know. Because I read an article by an actual professional (unlike the author) who debunked literally everything the author is spewing.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/political-minds/202012/new-book-irreversible-damage-is-full-misinformation?fbclid=IwAR0RFxrLYFO5SZztAQ9ROFqHHYG3TcOZGYP7hCMVKEHhunUTpxhe2Ty6ZL0
Shrier did not interview most of the transgender adolescents she wrote about.
Shrier's book tells the stories of several young people who came out as transgender to their parents. The book claims that these adolescents and young adults were not actually transgender, but actually just confused. The problem is Shrier didn't actually interview any of these people she wrote about.
Hmmm, I wonder why you would feel the need to lie about your statics to prove your point? Is that maybe because your point isn't valid?
'The author’s note points out that she only interviewed their parents, who uniformly did not accept their children’s transgender identities. Many of them were estranged from their kids because the children were so hurt by their parents' rejection. To actually understand the psychology of these young people, one would need to talk to them, not simply rely on stories from parents with whom they do not speak.'
I know you guys cannot see me right now, but I am going red in the face. You're telling me, that this woman admitted to not talking to the people she's writing a book about, but, instead, to people who agree with her opinion, people she knows are going to agree with her opinion. Tell me, does that seem like an unbiased study?
Shrier claims that “in most cases—nearly 70 percent—gender dysphoria resolves," and thus youth should not be provided gender-affirming medical care. That statistic is false.
Shrier incorrectly uses this statistic to claim that trans youth shouldn't be offered gender-affirming medical interventions because most will change their minds and later regret their decision. The studies Shrier refers to used an old diagnosis of “gender identity disorder,” not the DSM-5 diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
You're telling me, that not only is she spreading misinformation, but not even spreading misinformation about the correct diagnoses?
She argues that these kids aren't really transgender but rather just afraid to tell people they are LGB, so they choose to transition. This is complete nonsense. A recent large study by GLSEN found that transgender students experience more hostility at school than LGB students. The same study found that nearly 1 in 4 transgender kids needed to change schools because they were harassed for being transgender. Data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that adolescents are far more likely to self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (10.5 percent) than transgender (1.8 percent).
So, in this book, she says that children say they are trans because they are afraid to state that they are not straight. I can kind of see where she's coming from with this, but I also can't. As the writer of the article states, transgender kids are bullied a lot more than gay kids. And, yeah, she could make the argument that 'oh, they didn't know trans kids got bullied more', except you see it everywhere. Most of the heat (certainly not all of it) has come off of people who are not straight but cis and has instead shifted to people who not cisgender.
If you see a gay person being discriminated against, you bet your ass you will see trans people getting at least a bucket of discrimination, too.
'First off, it’s inappropriate to suggest that being transgender is a bad outcome. However, Shrier also simply misunderstands the scientific literature. She notes that only 1.9 percent of adolescents who started pubertal suppression in a large study in The Netherlands did not proceed to gender-affirming hormones (i.e., estrogen or testosterone). This is not because pubertal suppression made them identify more strongly as transgender. Rather, it is a result of the strict guidelines followed in the Netherlands before an adolescent is considered eligible for pubertal suppression: six months of attending a specialized gender clinic and undergoing rigorous assessment.
Shrier ignores all of the data showing that gender-affirming medical care results in improved mental health outcomes for transgender youth.'
Ah, yes, ignoring valuable data.
Long story short, I will not be reading this. I have lost my faith in humanity for the... let's see, is that the third time this week? And it is only Wednesday.
Since the author doesn't seem to understand shit about anything, here's you're friendly neighborhood Al (and a friendly professional) to explain some things.
"Irreversible Damage is an exploration of a mystery: Why, in the last decade, has the diagnosis "gender dysphoria," transformed from a vanishingly rare affliction, applying almost exclusively to boys and men, to an epidemic among teenage girls?"
I don't know, Shrier. Maybe it's the same reason why the divorce rate launched up when women got rights. It's really amazing when you give somebody the opportunity to express themselves instead of 1. shunning them 2. killing them and 3. harming them, they'll actually... oh, I dunno... present more information about themselves than when it was literally fucking illegal to share that information?
Author Abigail Shrier presents shocking statistics and stories from real families to show that America and the West have become fertile ground for a "transgender craze" that has nothing to do with real gender dysphoria and everything to do with our cultural frailty. Teenage girls are taking courses of testosterone and disfiguring their bodies.
I have not read the book, so I cannot confirm nor deny if she's using 'actual statics.' I can already hear the transphobes screaming 'oh, well, you don't know.' Actually, I do know. Because I read an article by an actual professional (unlike the author) who debunked literally everything the author is spewing.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/political-minds/202012/new-book-irreversible-damage-is-full-misinformation?fbclid=IwAR0RFxrLYFO5SZztAQ9ROFqHHYG3TcOZGYP7hCMVKEHhunUTpxhe2Ty6ZL0
Shrier did not interview most of the transgender adolescents she wrote about.
Shrier's book tells the stories of several young people who came out as transgender to their parents. The book claims that these adolescents and young adults were not actually transgender, but actually just confused. The problem is Shrier didn't actually interview any of these people she wrote about.
Hmmm, I wonder why you would feel the need to lie about your statics to prove your point? Is that maybe because your point isn't valid?
'The author’s note points out that she only interviewed their parents, who uniformly did not accept their children’s transgender identities. Many of them were estranged from their kids because the children were so hurt by their parents' rejection. To actually understand the psychology of these young people, one would need to talk to them, not simply rely on stories from parents with whom they do not speak.'
I know you guys cannot see me right now, but I am going red in the face. You're telling me, that this woman admitted to not talking to the people she's writing a book about, but, instead, to people who agree with her opinion, people she knows are going to agree with her opinion. Tell me, does that seem like an unbiased study?
Shrier claims that “in most cases—nearly 70 percent—gender dysphoria resolves," and thus youth should not be provided gender-affirming medical care. That statistic is false.
Shrier incorrectly uses this statistic to claim that trans youth shouldn't be offered gender-affirming medical interventions because most will change their minds and later regret their decision. The studies Shrier refers to used an old diagnosis of “gender identity disorder,” not the DSM-5 diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
You're telling me, that not only is she spreading misinformation, but not even spreading misinformation about the correct diagnoses?
She argues that these kids aren't really transgender but rather just afraid to tell people they are LGB, so they choose to transition. This is complete nonsense. A recent large study by GLSEN found that transgender students experience more hostility at school than LGB students. The same study found that nearly 1 in 4 transgender kids needed to change schools because they were harassed for being transgender. Data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that adolescents are far more likely to self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (10.5 percent) than transgender (1.8 percent).
So, in this book, she says that children say they are trans because they are afraid to state that they are not straight. I can kind of see where she's coming from with this, but I also can't. As the writer of the article states, transgender kids are bullied a lot more than gay kids. And, yeah, she could make the argument that 'oh, they didn't know trans kids got bullied more', except you see it everywhere. Most of the heat (certainly not all of it) has come off of people who are not straight but cis and has instead shifted to people who not cisgender.
If you see a gay person being discriminated against, you bet your ass you will see trans people getting at least a bucket of discrimination, too.
'First off, it’s inappropriate to suggest that being transgender is a bad outcome. However, Shrier also simply misunderstands the scientific literature. She notes that only 1.9 percent of adolescents who started pubertal suppression in a large study in The Netherlands did not proceed to gender-affirming hormones (i.e., estrogen or testosterone). This is not because pubertal suppression made them identify more strongly as transgender. Rather, it is a result of the strict guidelines followed in the Netherlands before an adolescent is considered eligible for pubertal suppression: six months of attending a specialized gender clinic and undergoing rigorous assessment.
Shrier ignores all of the data showing that gender-affirming medical care results in improved mental health outcomes for transgender youth.'
Ah, yes, ignoring valuable data.
Long story short, I will not be reading this. I have lost my faith in humanity for the... let's see, is that the third time this week? And it is only Wednesday.
Interesting and informative book with touching interviews and shocking statistics. Overall I really enjoyed it and found the information mostly "fair" and non-political.
Unfortunately, I removed a star because I found that the writing style at times came off towards condescending or excessively flippant towards the "Trans rights activists." I understand that she has her own opinion and that she wrote the book in a conversational, easy-to-read style, but there were a few points in the book where it rubbed me the wrong way. Someone who was looking for reasons to discredit this book would find ammo in that.
Unfortunately, I removed a star because I found that the writing style at times came off towards condescending or excessively flippant towards the "Trans rights activists." I understand that she has her own opinion and that she wrote the book in a conversational, easy-to-read style, but there were a few points in the book where it rubbed me the wrong way. Someone who was looking for reasons to discredit this book would find ammo in that.
I’m a Christian homeschooling mom. I was already skeptical of the morals being taught in most public schools, including the way that “lgbt” issues are handled. This book shocked even me, and I think that most secular people would be horrified about what is really going on with our kids, especially with teenage girls. This book is secular, and I had some disagreements with the author on that basis. I don’t think she realizes that the science that she believes around the issue of homosexuality is just as politicized and activism-driven, for example. That said, maybe some curious non-religious folks will be more open to hearing this info from someone who generally supports the LGBT movement. Very much enjoyed. Very much convicted me in our decision to homeschool.