Every time it comes up, it spirals because certain dudes have no interest in learning or understanding or attempting to find empathy. As a result, my empathy for those dudes has deadened.

There’s a complex issue at hand re: hormones, testosterone, potential advantages given to certain balances, etc. That’s true, and there are interesting pieces written about this issue by writers smarter than me that I’m sure the OP is capable of Googling and seeking out if he’s interested in understanding the trans perspective on this issue.

But the extra comments and this board’s history with attempting to have discourse on issues like this here... I just can’t do it anymore. I’ve tried with too many people who think trans kids are “dudes in dresses.” There’s nothing I can do to convince them that they’re wrong. I encourage them to watch interviews with these kids— or, better yet, to find a local center that works with trans children and talk to them to understand firsthand what they go through. That will have a much higher success rate for OP than anything I, a message board stranger, can write to convince him.

I truly hope anyone who feels the way OP feels is earnestly seeking understanding, compassion, and education when discussing these issues. But I also believe my skepticism that this post was made in good faith is justified, with nearly every post on gay/trans issues in the past as my historical context. It’s just too exhausting.

Anyone who wants to talk with me about this in good faith, seeking to truly understand why trans kids matter, can inbox me, and I’ll have a Skype call with them or meet them for a drink in LA. That may have a higher rate of success than a post here. I’m sorry for sounding cynical when it comes to these issues on OKS... I’ve just spent too much time and made too little progress in posts/social media convos on these issues. Far too burned to keep doing it.