As well intentioned as Olson-Kennedy might be, she fails to take the brain development of kids into account. A young boy’s decision to play with barbies or red lipstick does not necessarily make him transgender. Children between the ages of 4 and 12 years old have so much more growth and development ahead of them. Many of them are simply experimenting with various objects around them. If people truly feel as though they were born the wrong gender, that realization will come at the proper time without any doubts or uncertainties. Until then, the complexities and intricacies of transgenderism should be saved for a later date.
Sadly, the rates for depression and suicide are extremely high among transgender adults. How will the rate fare for children who are not mentally fit enough to decide whether or not they want to make a permanent, life altering decision like “changing” their gender?
As evidenced by the aforementioned text, the mounting issues and controversies surrounding transgender people has rapidly shifted to children within the past few months. San Francisco Bay’s transgender day camp will most likely do more harm than good by exposing young minds to complicated issues they are not yet ready for. The engulfment of identity politics becomes toxic when it is forced onto our young people.
