The fever swamps of the right wing are teeming with new life this week. Among the spawn to emerge:
Parents who are OK with their transgender kids should be investigated for criminal wrongdoing. That’s the brilliant idea from Matt Barber (pictured) of Liberty Action Counsel. Barber was responding to the case of Maryland parents with a six-year-old who is biologically female but identifies as a boy. The parents are allowing the child to live as a boy
“In order to be hip and cool and trendy to facilitate this gender confusion,” says Barber, “and then to even prepare this baby for hormone abuse, to try to stall the onset of puberty, and to pump testosterone into this child, is nothing short of child abuse.” Barber says that not forcing children into their biologically gender is “illustrative of the decline of our society when it comes to parental responsibility.”
Barber has had a banner week, also suggesting that attacks on antigay Christians will rise because “the life of the average homosexual is not controlled by reason” but instead by “the taste of blood.” Based on his comments, Barber hardly seems the best arbiter for determining what reason is.
The ever reliable Linda Harvey is back, with sex on the brain again. This time it’s the nefarious plot that gay activists have to make pedophilia acceptable. “It’s all part of a plan to introduce sex to children at younger and younger ages to convince them that normal friendship is actually a sexual attraction,” according to Harvey.
“There are people who advocate for sexual freedom who have been attempting to lower the age of consent for quite some time,” Harvey said. “For instance, they will be pushing under anti-bullying laws that there is nothing wrong with a 16-year-old having sexual relations with an 11-year-old.” Harvey didn’t name who these advocates might be. Perhaps because they exist only in her curdled imagination.
And finally, there’s the novel belief by Jane Porter of Faith2Action that the Disney Channel isn’t kid friendly. The reason: one program features (gasp!) lesbian moms. “Now, you can’t trust the Disney Channel,” Porter declares. “One of their more popular programs, ‘Good Luck Charlie’ will in a few months be introducing a family with two lesbian mothers. Caving into pressure to include homosexual characters in their programs, they plan to do this in the last episode of what is scheduled to be the final season of the show…In fact, there isn’t much on the Disney Channel safe for children to view. More reason to steer your kids elsewhere!” Presumably under a rock where your children will never be exposed to the reality of modern existence.
krystina rose
what did y’all expect they ARE right wingers after all
Snapdragon
I see the right wing christians choosing to isolate them self’s more and more to the point of bearly being a part of society and becoming more like some religious sect. They already have their own schools, I can see some of the big mega churches producing their own tv shows for kids that run on their religious channels. Its only a matter of time before we see them moving in together and dropping out of society all together.
Kieru
I assume this guy is going to extremes when he suggests the use of medical treatments on the Maryland child. If not; I would agree wholeheartedly that subjecting a 6-year old to gender re-assignment is nothing short of child abuse. At six years old a child cannot make an informed decision in this matter.
Children go through many fixations or phases that can confuse or enrage adults. Just because this child identifies as a boy now does not mean that she will continue to do so; but if the parents proceed she may have no choice. Hell, when I was that young and people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer for one year was ‘Doctor’ and another year ‘Vampire’ and another year ‘Sherlock!’
What I assume is the actual case though; is that these parents simply aren’t buying their little girl dresses and pink barbies and calling her “My little princess” but instead are just treating her as she has asked to be treated; as a boy.
Jared MacBride
Is that left wrist just a tad limp?
Thedrdonna
@Kieru: If a child remains trans for a period of time, usually years, then they go on medicine that will prevent them from undergoing puberty. Before they turn 18, this will be the only medical treatment they receive for being trans. Once they turn 18, they can choose which gender they wish to undergo puberty as, and also if they wish to have surgery. They may do things a little differently in other places where the age of consent is different, but those are the broad strokes.
Kieru
@Thedrdonna: At what point though is it generally assumed the childs self-identification is made with a conscious understanding of the choice, as opposed to the frivolous fixations we often see in childhood? Granted when the situation is accurate (Child identifies as trasngender and continues to do it) it has to be wonderful, knowing you weren’t being forced to live a life that wasn’t who you are.
What about those cases though where the parents jumped on board too early and it was just a fixation that passed? Now that child has been on meds holding puberty back for god knows how long. Robbed of the experiences of a natural physical maturation.
I’m glad I’m not a parent. I do not think I would have the strength to back my child’s self-identification at such an age.
Homophile
Sissy that walk Barber.
Thedrdonna
@Kieru: Well, the whole “parents forcing their kids into it” thing is something of an urban legend. In every news story I’ve ever read about a trans kid, it’s always clueless parents being dragged into the world of trans people by their kid. Then becoming a good parent and advocating for their child does not mean they pushed their child into it in the first place. It’s also somewhat insulting to think that parents would force that on their children for..what? It’s obviously not material gain, or fame.
Regardless of how they first get in that medical office’s door, the standards set by the WPATH state that patients must display “a long lasting and intense pattern of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria”. This is only to get the drugs that postpone puberty, which is a fully reversible process. Keep in mind that these adolescents are undergoing this process with a team of psychotherapists, endocrinologists, and other doctors, so it’s unlikely that any sort of long-term fraud or conspiracy is even possible in those circumstances.
vklortho
“Barber has had a banner week, also suggesting that attacks on antigay Christians will rise because ‘the life of the average homosexual is not controlled by reason’ but instead by ‘the taste of blood.'”
I think it’s possible that maybe he is confusing gay people with vampires.
MK Ultra
I’m actually glad these clowns say these things.
They are painting themselves so far into the fringe. The average, rational person will disregard anything they have to say at the least. At most they will be offended and disgusted. They only appeal to a fringe group of crazies, for whom there was never any hope anyways.
just give these Hate groups enough rope and they will gladly hang themselves.
Andie
fyi – plenty of lefties are trans/gender critical too, including me
Thedrdonna
@Andie: So, how do you feel entitled to comment on my identity?
2eo
@Andie: No they’re not, you don’t just get to say what you are. We have posters here who are fundamental mormons who claim to be libertarians, and one even claims to be Liberal.
Thedrdonna is spot on with their assessment.