Trans indoctrination

Transgender ideology claims that each person has a ‘gender identity’ (an internal sense of gender) which may or may not align with their biological sex. The ‘real you’ is what you feel it to be on the inside. Subjective feelings override objective, biological, genetic reality.

In recent years transgender ideology has been foisted on to the public with alarming vigour. Activists have relentlessly pushed society towards accepting it unquestioningly and have sought to shut down essential debate. Much of the media also promotes it, while countless celebrities also campaign for it.

Claims of trans indoctrination in our schools are every bit as commonplace as they are shocking, with even Church of England primary schools encouraging the idea that kids as young as three can declare themselves as ‘non-binary’ to their parents.

The case of Milo

But there is another side to the story.

Consider the story of Milo, who decided to share his story on social media last week. In 2016, sixteen-year-old Milo was celebrated in the MTV documentary Transformation, at the start of her female-to-male gender change. She quickly became a poster child for the then emerging transgender movement. Milo started receiving weekly testosterone shots and had her gender changed on official papers. “I cannot imagine living my life as female”, Milo said in the show, delighted at the thought of never having “to do anything feminine again for the rest of my life.”

Claims of trans indoctrination in our schools are every bit as commonplace as they are shocking, with even Church of England primary schools encouraging the idea that kids as young as three can declare themselves as ‘non-binary’ to their parents.

Milo had ‘top surgery’, which involved the surgical removal of her breasts. Doctors gradually increased her testosterone dose, causing her vagina to shrink, and prompting her to undergo a hysterectomy as recently as 2022.

Amid these mounting medical problems, Milo began to regret her transition. She has since stopped taking testosterone and complains about mood swings, her receding hairline, deeper voice, chubby features, and hairy belly that needs regular shaving. “I'm a lot fatter and uglier than I used to be”, she confessed.

Milo says she was vulnerable, autistic, shy and socially awkward — all hallmarks of adolescent girls who come out as trans. Being looked at by boys made her deeply self-conscious, and after finding radical gender ideology online, she wrongly concluded that her boyishness was in reality gender dysphoria. Doctors and therapists hastily confirmed her decision – but she now has to live with the tragic consequences of her unalterable life-choice.

Not isolated

Sadly, Milo’s testimony is by no means an isolated instance. Countless testimonies of transgender regret have cropped up in recent years. “I’m angry that every single doctor and therapist we saw told us this was the one and only option”, said one transgender casualty, bitterly. “Hormones and sex change genital surgery couldn't solve the underlying issues driving my gender dysphoria”, said another. Others said they were rushed into having a sex change, adding “This is not reversible, the experiment is over for me, there really, really isn't any turning back”. Read or watch other truly heartbreaking accounts here, here, here and here.

Fact check sites are at pains to ‘correct’ those who dare to challenge the trans ideology narrative.

Numerous entire books have been written sharing experiences of transgender regret. Trans Life Survivors documents the raw emotions and bitter regrets of thirty people who were convinced gender change was the answer but came to see it was not. ‘Transgenda’ sets out to expose disturbing cases of abuse and regret in the sex-change industry.

Media narrative

The media generally downplays, or even censors, the prevalence of such cases. Fact check sites are at pains to ‘correct’ those who dare to challenge the trans ideology narrative. It is commonly reported that detransitioning does not always include regret – with some saying they felt “it helped them better understand their gender-related care needs.”

Quotes are made from The World Professional Association for Transgender Health, whose guidelines state that evidence of transgender regret is scant. Studies are repeatedly quoted showing that only 1% of teens and adults who have transgender surgeries later express regret, and that psychological counselling before starting treatment can reduce the desire to detransition further. One plastic surgeon said he had operated on hundreds of transgender people, most of them adults, but had “never had a patient return seeking to detransition.”

Research finds

But evidence from other sources paints a rather different picture. Some estimates put the rate of detransitioning as high as 8%. Researchers have pointed out the failure of some oft-quoted studies which exclude those who started on hormonal treatment but did not proceed to surgical interventions. These individuals may have higher levels of regret than those who undergo surgical transition. The follow-up time for such studies is often less than ten years, which is when regret typically emerges. Those who drop out of care are usually not followed-up, which can act to falsely reduce the true regret rate.

The follow-up time for such studies is often less than ten years, which is when regret typically emerges.

And importantly, the definition of ‘regret’ is sometimes exceedingly narrow, being used solely of those who revert to natal-sex hormone supplementation, and do so under medical supervision of the same clinic that facilitated the original transition. Most detransitioners do not return to their original medical providers to tell them about their detransition or regret.

The founder of The Detransition Advocacy Network has claimed that “hundreds of young transgender people” within the UK alone are seeking help to return to their original sex. She testified to being aware of thirty such people in her home area of Newcastle alone.

A significant number of those wishing to reverse their gender reassignment testify to having experienced crippling levels of depression following their transition and in some cases even contemplated suicide. This is tragically ironic, as it negates the oft-quoted argument for transitioning in the first place, which is to prevent suicide and mental health issues for those who feel they are transgender.

True transition

Ultimately, trans ideology seeks to destroy the distinction between men and women that God has created. A man cannot become a woman. A woman cannot become a man. It is not loving to affirm the idea that a person is ‘trapped in the wrong body’ – especially when this could encourage them to undergo medical interventions that are dangerous both physically and psychologically.

Gender transition is not the silver-bullet answer to those suffering gender distress.

Sadly, trans people are often duped into believing transitioning will make all the difference, when there are deep-seated psychological and societal issues at play. Gender transition is not the silver-bullet answer to those suffering gender distress. Rather, they need to know the transformation that only God can bring.

The affirmation of becoming a beloved son or daughter of the Father can provide the foundation of love that so many of these vulnerable people are lacking, providing the identity they crave (Rom 8:16) The strengthening of the Holy Spirit can help them to rise to the challenges they face as the person God has made them (Rom 15:13). And the compassion of Jesus who looks at them and loves them can bring the true transformation that they need (Matt 11:29; Mk 1:41).

And so, a loving community of Christians needs to point the way to our Lord with both truth and compassion (Eph 4:15).