Issues@Hand

AFA initiatives, Christian activism, news briefs

November 2018 – Ivy League Brown University, highly touted for its research, was intimidated by a swath of complaints after posting an article citing results of a study on “rapid-onset gender dysphoria” – gender confusion that quickly manifests in teens and young adults with no previous onset. The study was based on 256 surveys completed by parents of teens and young adults. It was posted on journals.plos.org, a peer-reviewed site.

The study reported that social media and online videos about sexual transitioning significantly influence teens/young adults who attempt to change their gender identity. The study also revealed that friendships with others who are questioning MIor disagreeing with their gender play a key role in development of the dysphoria.

“Of the parents who provided information about their child’s friendship group, about a third responded that more than half of the kids in the friendship group became transgender-identified,” the author of the study said. Additionally, 62% of parents said their child had one or more diagnoses of a psychiatric disorder or neurodevelopmental disability before the onset of gender dysphoria.

Five days after posting the article in late August, Brown promptly caved in because the truth revealed in the study did not support sex change. The dean of Brown’s School of Public Health issued a statement that the university “has heard from Brown community members expressing concerns that the conclusions of the study could be used to discredit efforts to support transgender youth and invalidate the perspectives of members of the transgender community.”

dailywire.com, 8/28/18; foxnews.com, 8/30/18

*The MIT Press says post-truth describes circumstances in which “alternative facts” replace actual facts, and feelings have more weight than evidence.