Previously, I had blogged about a small study published in 2018 by Brown University’s Dr. Lisa Littman. That study was controversial, because it falsified the narrative about transgenderism held by secular leftists. The new study, published in March 2023 in Archives of Sexual Behavior, confirms the Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria theory first advanced by Littman. Let’s take a look.
The study is here, on Springer Link.
Excerpt from the Abstract:
During the past decade there has been a dramatic increase in adolescents and young adults (AYA) complaining of gender dysphoria. One influential if controversial explanation is that the increase reflects a socially contagious syndrome: Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD).
We report results from a survey of parents who contacted the website ParentsofROGDKids.com because they believed their AYA children had ROGD. Results focused on 1655 AYA children whose gender dysphoria reportedly began between ages 11 and 21 years, inclusive. These youths were disproportionately (75%) natal female. Natal males had later onset (by 1.9 years) than females, and they were much less likely to have taken steps toward social gender transition (65.7% for females versus 28.6% for males). Pre-existing mental health issues were common, and youths with these issues were more likely than those without them to have socially and medically transitioned.
Parents reported that they had often felt pressured by clinicians to affirm their AYA child’s new gender and support their transition. According to the parents, AYA children’s mental health deteriorated considerably after social transition.
Breitbart reported about the study and noted:
When asked if their child had friends who “came out as transgender around the same time,” 55.4 percent said “yes,” with that response being significantly higher for females, (60.9 percent) than it was for males (38.7 percent).
[…]The study also revealed that parents said they oftentimes felt pressured by clinicians to go along with their child’s new gender identity and support their transition. The parents added that their children’s “mental health deteriorated considerably after social transition.”
[…]Parents also estimated that before developing gender dysphoria, their child was spending an average of 4.5 hours per day “on the internet and social media.”
When asked whether a stressful event in their child’s life may have contributed to the onset of gender dysphoria, 72.6 percent of parents answered “yes.”
One of the differences between men and women, in my experience, is that the majority of men tend to generate their worldview by making plans that are likely to achieve goals, whereas the majority of women tend to get their goals from the culture, and pursue those goals by doing what feels good “in the moment”. I have been told this by women who were never like this, and by women who grew out of this once they experienced failure. That’s why transgenderism is especially problematic for girls, because if it is being spread by social cues and pressures, then girls are typically going to be more susceptible to that than boys.
Let’s talk about the previous study.
Here’s how the study was first reported by Science Daily:
This month, a Brown University researcher published the first study to empirically describe teens and young adults who did not have symptoms of gender dysphoria during childhood but who were observed by their parents to rapidly develop gender dysphoria symptoms over days, weeks or months during or after puberty.
[…]The study was published on Aug. 16 in PLOS ONE.
Peer pressure / The Internet:
The pattern of clusters of teens in friend groups becoming transgender-identified, the group dynamics of these friend groups and the types of advice viewed online led her to the hypothesis that friends and online sources could spread certain beliefs.
[….]”Of the parents who provided information about their child’s friendship group, about a third responded that more than half of the kids in the friendship group became transgender-identified,” Littman said. “A group with 50 percent of its members becoming transgender-identified represents a rate that is more 70 times the expected prevalence for young adults.”
Mental disorders / traumatic events:
Additionally, 62 percent of parents reported their teen or young adult had one or more diagnoses of a psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability before the onset of gender dysphoria. Forty-eight percent reported that their child had experienced a traumatic or stressful event prior to the onset of their gender dysphoria, including being bullied, sexually assaulted or having their parents get divorced.
This article at The Federalist had a few examples to illustrate the conclusion of the study. I’ll pick two.
The study includes other eye-opening information, such as case studies of several children’s stories.
“A 14-year-old natal female and three of her natal female friends were taking group lessons together with a very popular coach. The coach came out as transgender, and, within one year, all four students announced they were also transgender.”
“A 14-year-old natal female and three of her natal female friends are part of a larger friend group that spends much of their time talking about gender and sexuality. The three natal female friends all announced they were trans boys and chose similar masculine names. After spending time with these three friends, the 14-year-old natal female announced that she was also a trans boy.”
I thought this quote from that article was interesting as well, given the culture’s obsession with “bullying”, which is a nebulous term that can mean actual bullying, or mere disagreement.
The study also may indicate that school “anti-bullying” programs typically created by LGBT activist organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign may help accelerate children identifying as transgender by pushing peers and authority figures to profusely express their support.
Coming out as transgender means instant fame and popularity, because you’re a victim, and everyone has to be nice to you… or else:
“Great increase in popularity among the student body at large. Being trans is a gold star in the eyes of other teens,” wrote one parent on the study response form. Another wrote, “not so much ‘popularity’ increasing as ‘status’ … also she became untouchable in terms of bullying in school as teachers who ignored homophobic bullying …are now all at pains to be hot on the heels of any trans bullying.”
So becoming transgender has social rewards, especially for people who are being bullied. White girls are constantly being bullied for their race in public schools, so identifying as transgender is a quick and easy way for them to get out of the oppressor class and into the victim class
For a white middle-class girl who grew up in an intact family and who has never been a victim of abuse or oppression, declaring herself nonbinary/transgender/ otherwise sexually nonconforming is about the only path available to become part of the oppressed victim class.
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There are fewer and fewer children growing up in intact families, which means the public schools are getting more easy prey handed to them.
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Study demonstrates what every mother or father (and many people who are neither a father nor a mother but who accurately observe the world around them) who has a child with either a sibling or a friend knew, “kids want to do what other kids are doing especially if it results in status or popularity”. Lower stakes examples of this include getting ears pierced, reading a book that a friend liked, going on a vacation on a plane like everyone else, playing in the school band/choir, etc.
“Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.'”
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I think a lot of parents are so addicted to the two income trap that they don’t really believe that bad company can have this big effect, but it does!
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File this under, “Well, duh!”
We’re spinning out of control.
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Well, apparently a whole bunch of parents don’t know about this, because they are leaving their kids in public schools for whatever reason.
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Yep! The “well,duh” only applies to folks who aren’t captured by the spirit of the age. That’s not many, and our numbers are dwindling.
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WK, they leave them there because in their hearts probably, and definitely on their lips, is, “it’s all good, even when it sucks.”
My biggest gripe about talk radio is they aren’t actively engaging these normies, or conservative-friendly folks to challenge their, “it’s all good, not happening to me. My kids play sports and fit in exactly with everyone else so by definition, what could be wrong, besides, above all else, I mean well and am not a bad person.”
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Yes, this is especially true in elite Christian circles. People like Russell Moore, David French and Tim Keller are feeling fine. Its not happening to them, so why care?
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Hot off the press supporting my hypothetical with a factual sample. Please note, this is from ared state STEM professor. “All 12 Democrats in the House voted against the bill, as did 24 Republicans. One was Rep. Eric Murphy, of Grand Forks, an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the University of North Dakota.
“I’m tired of these bills. I’m tired of both sides,” Murphy said on the House floor. “If a student wants to be called a different pronoun, does that really matter? Is this earth-shattering?”
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Wow. I hope one day he hasvthe face the consequences of his own choices.
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Wow. Just wow. As we get farther and farther from the Bible and true Christianity in our increasingly pagan culture, we will see more and more of this!
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