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I think if a kid has been secluded from all transgender related concepts, but still displays gender dysphoria (which you can confirm by asking if it is actually gender dysphoria or the kid is mistakenly wanting to be the other gender for some other reason), then that's decent evidence that the kid is transgender. What should be done about this (allowing social transition, or puberty blockers, or even more extreme measures) is still unclear though.
I think that is evidence but not proof. "I'm the opposite sex actually" is not so conceptually foreign to normal experience that I wouldn't expect it to come about as a normal error spontaneously occasionally. "the position of the stars mean something to or ordinary lives" is a false conclusion arrived at by multiple civilizations.
Now, maybe having that error and it getting ingrained deeply enough just is gender dysphoria and star believer would also spontaneously appear at some base rate and further the best thing to do about this is let them buy crystals and get gaudy piercing to their heart's content. But if that's the case then it does sound like something we ought to be able to talk a rational person out of, and should probably try pretty hard to given the severity of the costs associated with transitioning. Finally granting all of that falls on the side of letting them transition anyways being the best for them, this being a disorder caused by an idea it would be exactly the kind of thing we'd worry about social contagion on. It becoming a fixation may be a much lower bar than it being spontaneously arrived at and then affirming it as a normal thing widely seems like a pretty big mistake.
Then there is the other possible conclusion. If It's caused by some kind of physical thing and would show up not only separated from the concept of transgenderism but in some kind of Truman show style total separation from the opposite sex. This would be very strong evidence indeed and some kind of model where we can do a brain scan and very accurately predict transgendered identification would be strong evidence. But then I'd want the transition gate kept on those grounds.
Yeah I agree it is not proof, but it can be good enough evidence.
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Huh? How do you ask "is this actually gender dysphoria" to someone who hasn't heard of the concept?
You ask the kid why they think what they are thinking. For eg. if a girl tells you she wants to be a boy, you can ask her why and eliminate non gender dysphoric reasons like "she wants to play football which only boys get to play".
I kinda know what you mean, but I think there are limits to the method. Stella O'Malley, one of the most prominent anti-trans activists out there, had what could would probably fall under "gender dysphoria" from your definition. Plot twist: she's happily cis, and a mother of two children nowadays, and the experience of getting over the discomfort is part of the motivation for her activism.
Yeah, I agree. I am not saying to necessarily take any decisions even if you suspect it is likely gender dysphoria. You could engage in waitfull watching.
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