From the outset, in pondering authentic femininity, I always knew that stereotypes were toxic. When people latch onto one, it colours their ability to see past it, to consider essences which might contradict the shallow supposition. “Men are strong; women are soft” is a silly example, but then “Men like sports; women prefer shopping” might be more plausible. When one wanders into tropes like: “Boys are good at math; girls are better at English” we begin to see the difficulties. It’s true that girls have statistically shied away from STEM disciplines (which educators are trying to change), but although Title IX has led to exorbitant federal spending to encourage girls to choose sports to the same degree that boys do, there is also the utterly opposite message now finding currency: If you like sports (or other ‘traditionally’ masculine pursuits) you might not really be a girt — you might really be a boy. Because nothing screams stereotype like the current transgender madness.
Nathanial Blake at the Ethics and Public Policy Center has written an excellent piece, “The Transgender Industry is Culling Tomboys Out of Existence,” based on a little girl in Virginia, whose mother has decided she needs to be a boy:
The biggest sources of sex stereotypes and strict gender roles in America today are the trans movement and its allies. Many self-described feminists have knuckled under, cheering as it is said that girls should stick to dresses and dolls and that girls who like “boy” things must actually be boys. The transgender movement is far more sexist than the most retrograde, fundamentalist Christians I’ve ever known — at least the latter still let their daughters enjoy basketball and PE.
[Sophia’s] case demonstrates how it is often adults who are pushing for children to transition. The reporter says, “It never occurred to Sophia that she was anyone other than a boy,” which makes it odd that the story does not relate any instances of Sophia saying that she was, or wanted to be, a boy. No evidence is provided for this central claim of the story. Instead, the article tells about Sophia, then around five years of age, admiring Max from “Stranger Things” to the point of wanting to be called Max. This is presented as a major milestone in revealing Sophia’s trans identity. But “Stranger Things’” Max is a girl. This was nothing more than one tomboyish little girl admiring and wanting to be like an older tomboyish girl on TV.
Indeed, reading the story, which relies entirely on Emily for pertinent information about Sophia/Max, it is striking that no evidence of gender dysphoria is presented beyond a little girl being a tomboy. However, it does appear Emily was distressed at her daughter being a tomboy instead of a girly girl, and we are told that Emily can now get her little “boy” to cooperate in dressing up, albeit in bow-ties and button-down shirts rather than dresses.
Setting aside the [unproven] fear that lack of affirmation will increase chances of the child harming himself, or the inability of a five-year-old to even conceptualise what male or female really encompasses, we have the example of a rambunctious child who is always on the move. We have witnessed decades of feminist insisting that girls should have all options open to them, they shouldn’t be told to sit in the corner and play with dolls, and Being Yourself might mean shaving your head (and nothing else). Now along come the Storm Troopers for Team Trans telling us, ‘Move over, the monkey bars are for boys.’ Next, they’ll suggest that parents wait for six months for their gender reveals, and then newly-mobile infants will be invited to roll towards the pink or blue pillow. That would make about as much sense as this shallow assignation. (Just beware — make sure no stuffed animals are nearby — transspecies surgeries aren’t available yet!)
[One more irony: For years the schools have lamented the rambunctiousness of boys, wishing them to be less physical, wanting them to sit still for hours on end, and setting up the feminine model of focused attentiveness as the paradigm of good classroom management. Will ‘Max’ be the exception? A rowdy boy to be celebrated rather than medicated? Stay tuned.]
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