Gender: A Wider Lens

In this episode, Stella & Sasha explore the concept of an Oedipus Trap, inspired by a podcast with Megan McArdle (see below). Sasha and Stella apply this psychological concept to the issue of childhood transition and how so many people involved might refuse to face their own mistakes or acknowledge their own accountability to the consequences of gender-affirming care.

In her opinion piece for the Washington Post (linked below), Megan McArdle describes the oedipus trap as “There are some mistakes no one can live with, no matter how innocently they were made…Thus the trap: If you have made such a mistake, it is obviously better not to know you have done so.” The origin of the concept comes from the story of Oedipus from Greek mythology (linked below).

In their conversation, Stella & Sasha speak delicately, but candidly about reconciling the choices and actions of affirmative clinicians, as their stories and experiences can offer valuable insights for reflection and learning around the harm vs. benefit analysis of youth gender transition.

Links:

Pre-Order When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

Attend Our Live Event – When Kids Say They’re Trans: Weekend of Workshops | September 21-24, 2023

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/weekend-of-workshops

Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans: Tales from the Home Front in the Fight to Save Our Kids

https://www.amazon.com/Parents-Inconvenient-Truths-about-Trans/dp/1634312465

Megan McArdle on the Oedipus Trap

https://youtu.be/UpbNslZejOU

The Washing Post Article

Opinion | What the world can learn from a lobotomy surgeon’s horrible mistake

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/02/14/walter-freeman-lobotomy-regret/ 

Oedipus from Greek Mythology

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oedipus-Greek-mythology 

If you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:

Episode 27 — Behind the Curtain: Psychotherapy for Gender Dysphoria with Sue and Marcus Evans

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/27-behind-the-curtain-psychotherapy-for-gender-dysphoria-with-sue-and-marcus-evans

Episode 91 — Uncovering the GIDS Disaster: Dr. Dave Bell

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/91-uncovering-the-gids-disaster-dr-dave-bell 

Episode 104 — No Time to Think with Hannah Barnes: The Downfall of GIDS at the Tavistock

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Website referenced:

https://www.campuspride.org/

“We are making strong recommendations based on weak evidence,” a statement from practicing pediatrician, Dr. Julia Mason, about the basis of gender affirming care, which is the model of care currently backed by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

In this episode, Dr. Mason sits down with Sasha & Stella to discuss her relentless efforts towards charging the AAP to pursue a systematic review of the evidence behind gender affirming care. They discuss the series of events leading up to the AAP’s most recent article reaffirming their commitment to the affirmation model as laid out in the AAP’s policy statement published in 2018, but also announcing their authorization of a systematic review of the evidence. This decision on the part of the AAP comes long overdue in the wake of so many European organizations who have recently conducted their own reviews, all of which have resulted in abrupt shifts in the care protocols around gender transition.

Links:

NY Times article about the AAP's recent moves:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/03/health/aap-gender-affirming-care-evidence-review.html 

SEGM’s Spotlight

https://segm.org/news 

Rafferty’s 2018 AAP Statement

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/142/4/e20182162/37381/Ensuring-Comprehensive-Care-and-Support-for 

Cantor Fact Checks the Rafferty Paper

http://www.jamescantor.org/uploads/6/2/9/3/62939641/cantor_fact-check_of_aap.pdf 

Wall Street Journal Article

https://www.wsj.com/articles/doctors-group-to-examine-guidelines-for-treatment-of-transgender-youths-dbe98caa  

The Cass Review | Interim Report - Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People

https://cass.independent-review.uk/publications/interim-report/

Genspect’s Open Letter to the AAP

https://genspect.org/an-open-letter-to-the-american-academy-of-pediatrics/ 

Leor Sapir’s Article

https://www.wsj.com/articles/second-thoughts-on-gender-affirming-care-american-academy-pediatrics-doctors-review-medicine-a7173276 

AAP Reaffirms But Authorizes Systematic Review

https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/25340/AAP-reaffirms-gender-affirming-care-policy?autologincheck=redirected 

Opinion Supporting Gender Dysphoric Youth

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Adolescence is a natural time for identity exploration. In this episode, Sasha and Stella address the challenges schools face when dealing with students questioning their gender identities. They focus on strategies for finding a balanced approach, honoring students' self-expression, preserving opportunities for further developmental progress and discovery, and respecting family dynamics. They highlight the pressure on schools to quickly respond and adopt policies, often without sufficient evidence of their effectiveness. They discuss the misconception that social transition is the only solution, questioning the long-term efficacy of this intervention and its potential for unintended psychological consequences. The conversation also touches on the fear of suicide, internalized homophobia, and common comorbidities including autism, ADHD, anxiety, and depression that could be contributing to the students' experience. This episode offers valuable insights intended to empower educators to provide a nuanced approach, seeking a balance between offering guidance and respecting the multifaceted journey of identity discovery during the adolescent years.

Links:

Suicide by Clinic-Referred Transgender Adolescents in the United Kingdom

Biggs M. Suicide by Clinic-Referred Transgender Adolescents in the United Kingdom. Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Feb;51(2):685-690. doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02287-7. Epub 2022 Jan 18. PMID: 35043256; PMCID: PMC8888486

https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/35043256 

Sasha Shares About Her Experience Working as a Middle School Counselor

https://youtu.be/vI54mth3qxs 

A Clinical Guide for Therapists Working with Gender-Questioning Youth

http://www.genderexploratory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/GETA_ClinicalGuide_2022.pdf 

School Policy: Gender Identity (USA)

https://genspect.org/comprehensive-gender-identity-school-policy-usa/ 

School Policy: Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity (Ireland)

https://genspect.org/school-policy-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-ireland/ 

Brief Guidance For Schools

https://genspect.org/guidance-for-schools/ 

Brief Guidance On Social Transition

https://genspect.org/guidance-on-social-transition/ 

The Secret Gender Files - Substack for Malcolm Richard Clark

https://substack.com/@malcolmrichardclark 

For more information about Sasha’s & Stella’s parent coaching membership groups:

Sasha Ayad: https://inspiredteentherapy.com/parents-start-here 

Stella O’Malley:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Check out Genspect's Brief Guidance For Friends And Family 

Sasha and Stella take time together to dig deeper in reflection and analysis from some of their recent episodes. They also chat a little bit about a few of their latest projects and endeavors including their upcoming book release: When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents. Visit whenkidssaytheyretrans.com to pre-order your copy of the book before Aug 25th and request an invite to their free webinar: When Kids Say They’re Trans: Do’s, Don’ts and Damage Control.

This episode also offers the official announcement with details of their 2023 live parent event. Registration is open for When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Weekend of Workshops, taking place September 21-24, 2023 in Annapolis, MD. Register by August 20th to take advantage of early bird pricing.

LINKS:

Pre-Order When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/ 

When Kids Say They’re Trans: Weekend of Workshops | September 21-24, 2023

https://whenkidssaytheyretrans.com/weekend-of-workshops

When Kids Say They’re Trans: A Guide for Thoughtful Parents (Press Release)

https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/swift-press-signs-parental-guide-from-therapists-ayad-omalley-and-marchiano 

Sasha’s GETA Workshop

Online Visibility and Political Identities: Working with Gender | August 19, 2023

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/online-visibility-and-political-identities-working-with-gender-tickets-671422692347?aff=oddtdtcreator

Genspect "The Bigger Picture" Continues | Denver, Colorado (November 4-5, 2023)

https://genspect1.telltix.com/events/genspect1/943746 

Genspect Launches New Think Tank to Draft a Gender Care Framework

https://genspect.org/genspect-launches-new-think-tank-to-draft-a-gender-care-framework/ 

FEATURED EPISODES: 

Episode 116 — Identity Politics vs. The Pursuit of Knowledge with Dr. Michael Bailey

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/116-identity-politics-vs-the-pursuit-of-knowledge-with-dr-michael-bailey 

Follow-Up Episode: 116 Part II - Retraction w/ Dr. Michael Bailey

https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/follow-up-episode-116-part-ii-retraction-w-dr-michael-bailey

Episode 120 — Pioneer Series: Researching Sexual Behaviors...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com

Sasha and Stella continue the conversation with Sara Stockton by introducing our new series called “Dinner Party Conversations.” Sara shares how she attempts to open the door to communication on issues of gender with honesty, but also with great sensitivity.

In this episode, Sasha and Stella sit down with Sara Stockton, MA, LMFT. Sara is a licensed marriage and family therapist who initially worked with affirmative clinicians, fully embracing gender identity theory. Initially, Sara earnestly believed in her work and its potential to help transgender youth. Over time, she began to doubt the field's effectiveness, the emerging adoption of queer theory bias within the field, and grew concerned with the poor treatment outcomes she began encountering with patients.

Sara Stockton is a licensed marriage and family therapist, lecturer, researcher, presenter, and clinical supervisor of a psychotherapy practice in central New York. In 2012, she co-authored and published one of the first mental health assessments utilized to assess youth readiness for medical treatment and gender transition. Sara spent the first part of her career as a clinician treating and advocating on behalf of youth and families surrounding issues with gender. She spent time traveling to teach and train medical facilities, physicians, and schools on how to provide what was then called "gender-affirming care." Sara has treated well over one hundred families, and she also wrote many of the first letters that were used to approve gender transition surgeries on minors.

This conversation explores Sara's professional journey, her moments of doubt and realization, and her decision to speak up and raise awareness about the challenges and potential pitfalls in the field of gender-affirming care. She shares very candidly and courageously about her personal observations of shifts in the patient population, their evolving presentation, and the practices and perceptions around gender identity versus her training. She found herself increasingly uncomfortable with the ways in which certain practical and thoughtful considerations are being disregarded in the affirmation approach.

This is an important discussion exposing the complexities faced by clinicians in the field and the need for more professionals to share their experiences and concerns openly. It is incredibly important to understand the perspectives of clinicians like Sara in order to shed light on the broader issues surrounding gender-affirming care.

For more of our conversation with Sara Stockton, just out listener community here: https://www.patreon.com/WiderLensPod

Links:

Sara Stockton on Twitter

@MrsSaraStockton

Aisling Therapy

www.aislingtherapy.com 

Regrets of a Trans-Care Specialist | Sara Stockton | EP 342 (The Dr. Jordan B. Peterson Podcast)

https://youtu.be/pCH-bUFR3WM

What Is A Woman - Documentary

https://get.dailywire.com/wiaw/subscribe?utm_campaign=wiaw&utm_medium=paid&utm_source=googlesearch&utm_content=na_subscriptions&mid=g&cid=wiaw&xid=0&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoK2mBhDzARIsADGbjeqEP0BcW0Ra5VZWG5QBd-0HUvm1Ml74hJZYyCIv0DstImjcHSAX7loaAhLMEALw_wcB 

Changing the Conversation

Dr Hilary Cass OBE explores the challenging nature of developing holistic person-centred services for children and young people with gender...

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.widerlenspod.com