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There is no neutral response to a trans child's gender needs. If a need isn't met, it's antagonized. If it's antagonized, it's harmful.
The only way to frame rejecting a trans child's needs as "neutral" is if you believe those needs are just wants, like the desire for a toy.
The only way to frame rejecting a trans child's needs as "neutral" is if you believe those needs are just wants, like the desire for a toy.
A child not getting their way isn't intrinsically antagonistic. It can be entirely neutral. But gender needs aren't "their way"--their name, pronouns, presentation, gender identity, orientation, role--these aren't a toy, or chicken fingers, or a name brand. They're needs.
Deny a child's fundamental need, it can cause several layers of trauma. Trauma at being subjected to something avoidable that's terrible. Trauma at being abandoned/tortured by a parental figure. Trauma at having fundamental needs ignored. Trauma at having one's voice disbelieved
People intrinsically understand this much of the time. Few people would act like life-saving medical care was spoiling a child, or that being reminded of the health risks involved in delaying care was "emotional blackmail" as GCs write off dangers faced by trans kids.
But GCs don't believe trans people are normal people. They don't believe in our lived experiences, our pain, our trauma or our childhoods. They don't believe our needs are real, nor the price we pay for having them denied. They judge us on how we make them feel, not on our worth.
And we make them feel uncomfortable. We are a menace first, human beings a distant second.
And as a menace, they view us as the cause of trans children, despite the opposite being true. We are the result of the trans kids they torment.
And as a menace, they view us as the cause of trans children, despite the opposite being true. We are the result of the trans kids they torment.
So, every need trans kids have, GCs will seek to take away, no matter how innocuous or obvious the need is. Because those needs, like us, are seen as a menace, and they'd rather trans kids die, so long as it keeps them safe from our menacing "cult".
We challenge cis supremacy.
We challenge cis supremacy.
