Exposing: make (something) visible by uncovering it.
Norms: something that is usual, typical, or standard
Your point seems to be that some teens are harmed because they’re impressionable and make mistakes as a result of being exposed to LGBTQ people in media and their peers. I’m sure there are and most of the time it’ll be typical blunder years of trying to find their identity just like previously mentioned goth phases. It’s also possible a few individuals will make a more dramatic mistake in getting surgery and regret it. That’s a dark reality. What you don’t seem to want to recognize though is that NOT showing LGBTQ people in media or public also harms kids. I would argue far, far more. Suicide rates are much higher amongst queer individuals because of social rejection, being made to feel shame or as other. I bring up the Trevor Project because it’s a national recognizable charity which means it serves a lot of people. As you may know this organization is dedicated to being a lifeline for LGBTQ people in crisis, particularly focused on kids. If you say teens can’t get reassignment surgery some will kill themselves. That is also a dark reality. I suspect, seeing as there’s a national hotline for it, that more kids are at risk being forced into the closet. Most people that make the arguments you’re making just value some lives and not others
I’m not saying lgbtq people should be locked away in a cave somewhere. I’m saying the current messaging I’m seeing is that if you want to be accepted, if you want to be a good person, identifying as something under the lgbtqia+ umbrella is the way to do it. It’s not the knowledge that there are other people out there, it’s the idea that this is the superior group to be apart of and everyone should want to be apart of it, and those who aren’t are less than. That’s the idea that I think goes too far and can push kids to make choice they wouldn’t otherwise make.
Suicide for any reason is tragic, and I suspect there are other things going on as well which could use professional help. It’s good things like the Trevor project exist to help with that. I know someone who works with them.
Speaking for myself. From around the age of 7 until sometime in college, then on and off after that for a bit, I thought there was some mistake and I should be a girl. I didn’t know that was a thing at the time, so I just tried to ignore it and told no one, though I thought about it a lot. I think it played a big role in my lack of confidence. Now that I’m all the way grown up, I’m pretty glad I wasn’t being raised in the current environment with it being pushed heavily and parents encouraging it. I could easily have seen myself going down that road and I don’t know what that process of realizing I was mistaken would have been like. Not a fun process I image. I still struggle with depression and anxiety, and if I was younger and seeing what is being shown today, I can see where I might think finding my identity is the answer… or at least something to try; I’ve tried everything else. So when I think about myself, I could see where the suicide rate would be higher. I’m depressed, I hear this can help, I try it, I’m still miserable… now what? It’s like the musicians that gets everything they thought they wanted, but still feels empty. I’m not saying that’s everything, just being honest about where I’m coming from.
It sounds to me like you’re assuming too much about how a path you didn’t take would have turned out. It sounds like maybe this issue is too personal to be objective? Maybe you’re right, in 10 years we’ll have a lot more people upset about decisions they’re making today. We’re definitely going to get a few cases like the video you linked. I’m personally confident that the number of people who will be alive and happier because of acceptance being pushed right now will dwarf those harmed by it.
As someone who also suffers from anxiety and depression though I wish you luck. That emptiness sounds relatable and I hope the empathy of an internet stranger helps a little. If you’re anything like me it’s hard to be kind to yourself but you should be
You might be right, and all I was saying in my first post is that time will tell. It’s hard to know in the moment what will be good or bad. We can only really know that with hindsight, which is true for pretty much everything in life. It’s likely that it will fall into the gray, where some are happy and others are not. If that is a net good or not will be a debate that likely isn’t worth having as it will only matter to each individual. I guess I’d just hope to limit collateral damage.
My first comment was met with so much hate that was talking with a friend about quitting the internet all together, as it’s seeming turned into a place I don’t like being, but I’ve struggled to find hobbies and can’t really spend time outside, which goes back to the depression… and so it goes.
Thank you for not using my opening up against me. The empathy helps a little, I wish you luck as well.
Exposing: make (something) visible by uncovering it.
Norms: something that is usual, typical, or standard
Your point seems to be that some teens are harmed because they’re impressionable and make mistakes as a result of being exposed to LGBTQ people in media and their peers. I’m sure there are and most of the time it’ll be typical blunder years of trying to find their identity just like previously mentioned goth phases. It’s also possible a few individuals will make a more dramatic mistake in getting surgery and regret it. That’s a dark reality. What you don’t seem to want to recognize though is that NOT showing LGBTQ people in media or public also harms kids. I would argue far, far more. Suicide rates are much higher amongst queer individuals because of social rejection, being made to feel shame or as other. I bring up the Trevor Project because it’s a national recognizable charity which means it serves a lot of people. As you may know this organization is dedicated to being a lifeline for LGBTQ people in crisis, particularly focused on kids. If you say teens can’t get reassignment surgery some will kill themselves. That is also a dark reality. I suspect, seeing as there’s a national hotline for it, that more kids are at risk being forced into the closet. Most people that make the arguments you’re making just value some lives and not others
Here’s some reading if you care: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2022/
I’m not saying lgbtq people should be locked away in a cave somewhere. I’m saying the current messaging I’m seeing is that if you want to be accepted, if you want to be a good person, identifying as something under the lgbtqia+ umbrella is the way to do it. It’s not the knowledge that there are other people out there, it’s the idea that this is the superior group to be apart of and everyone should want to be apart of it, and those who aren’t are less than. That’s the idea that I think goes too far and can push kids to make choice they wouldn’t otherwise make.
Suicide for any reason is tragic, and I suspect there are other things going on as well which could use professional help. It’s good things like the Trevor project exist to help with that. I know someone who works with them.
Speaking for myself. From around the age of 7 until sometime in college, then on and off after that for a bit, I thought there was some mistake and I should be a girl. I didn’t know that was a thing at the time, so I just tried to ignore it and told no one, though I thought about it a lot. I think it played a big role in my lack of confidence. Now that I’m all the way grown up, I’m pretty glad I wasn’t being raised in the current environment with it being pushed heavily and parents encouraging it. I could easily have seen myself going down that road and I don’t know what that process of realizing I was mistaken would have been like. Not a fun process I image. I still struggle with depression and anxiety, and if I was younger and seeing what is being shown today, I can see where I might think finding my identity is the answer… or at least something to try; I’ve tried everything else. So when I think about myself, I could see where the suicide rate would be higher. I’m depressed, I hear this can help, I try it, I’m still miserable… now what? It’s like the musicians that gets everything they thought they wanted, but still feels empty. I’m not saying that’s everything, just being honest about where I’m coming from.
It sounds to me like you’re assuming too much about how a path you didn’t take would have turned out. It sounds like maybe this issue is too personal to be objective? Maybe you’re right, in 10 years we’ll have a lot more people upset about decisions they’re making today. We’re definitely going to get a few cases like the video you linked. I’m personally confident that the number of people who will be alive and happier because of acceptance being pushed right now will dwarf those harmed by it.
As someone who also suffers from anxiety and depression though I wish you luck. That emptiness sounds relatable and I hope the empathy of an internet stranger helps a little. If you’re anything like me it’s hard to be kind to yourself but you should be
You might be right, and all I was saying in my first post is that time will tell. It’s hard to know in the moment what will be good or bad. We can only really know that with hindsight, which is true for pretty much everything in life. It’s likely that it will fall into the gray, where some are happy and others are not. If that is a net good or not will be a debate that likely isn’t worth having as it will only matter to each individual. I guess I’d just hope to limit collateral damage.
My first comment was met with so much hate that was talking with a friend about quitting the internet all together, as it’s seeming turned into a place I don’t like being, but I’ve struggled to find hobbies and can’t really spend time outside, which goes back to the depression… and so it goes.
Thank you for not using my opening up against me. The empathy helps a little, I wish you luck as well.