I still think saying "no trans kids" is unhelpful. Wouldn't it be better to be clear and say "this is a population containing a mixture of kids, only some of which will transition as adults, and studies show it's impossible to tell which?"
I still think saying "no trans kids" is unhelpful. Wouldn't it be better to be clear and say "this is a population containing a mixture of kids, only some of which will transition as adults, and studies show it's impossible to tell which?"
But how is “trans kids” an appropriate label for these kids? It’s better to refer to them as gender dysphoric kids. That describes their current state. The label “trans” (at least in our current discourse) presumes an essentialist quality.
I agree, it's not useful to call the whole group trans kids. Gender dysphoric kids, or even some more generic term for kids who aren't dysphoric like gender expansive or whatever is better, since it leaves the door open to many outcomes.
My point is that saying "there are no trans kids" or "there is no such thing as a trans kid" is un helpful since to most people's ears it sounds like you're saying adult trans people don't exist (since at one point before they transitioned they would tell you that they were a "trans kid").
ETA: I've always been of the opinion that it could be better to talk about transition as something you do instead of something a person inherently is. So, actually, someone could be said to be "a trans kid" if they have undergone social and/or medical transition. Does this mean they will grow up to be happy about that? No. People who have since detransitioned or desisted were trans at some point, and at that point just "as genuinely trans" as someone who never desisted but was as far along in the process.
I still think saying "no trans kids" is unhelpful. Wouldn't it be better to be clear and say "this is a population containing a mixture of kids, only some of which will transition as adults, and studies show it's impossible to tell which?"
But how is “trans kids” an appropriate label for these kids? It’s better to refer to them as gender dysphoric kids. That describes their current state. The label “trans” (at least in our current discourse) presumes an essentialist quality.
I agree, it's not useful to call the whole group trans kids. Gender dysphoric kids, or even some more generic term for kids who aren't dysphoric like gender expansive or whatever is better, since it leaves the door open to many outcomes.
My point is that saying "there are no trans kids" or "there is no such thing as a trans kid" is un helpful since to most people's ears it sounds like you're saying adult trans people don't exist (since at one point before they transitioned they would tell you that they were a "trans kid").
ETA: I've always been of the opinion that it could be better to talk about transition as something you do instead of something a person inherently is. So, actually, someone could be said to be "a trans kid" if they have undergone social and/or medical transition. Does this mean they will grow up to be happy about that? No. People who have since detransitioned or desisted were trans at some point, and at that point just "as genuinely trans" as someone who never desisted but was as far along in the process.