I really like this video, and I LOVE the spirit behind it but there are some glaring flaws

here... From my
perspective, this video is just too emotional - it unpacks the subconscious emotions of people who
think the transgender stuff is ridiculous and feeds it back to them in detail showing WHY they feel the
way they do. THAT is not enough! There is some good research in there - like the study of post-op
transsexuals and suicide -- but we do not know WHY the suicide rate is only halved from the pre-op
group level?? You definitely fail to mention that the suicide rate is halved, but still high...? It could be
because it does not solve their problems and they still do not fit in...? I agree there and with other
aspects of this video, bu the cursory coverage of these studies only serves to solidify people's preexisting emotions, not get a clearer picture of truth. -- but the issue of whether it is real or just a madeup mental illness like psychotic paranoia or something is not really addressed in any solid way.
To me, (I used to teach scientific methodology at Emory University and I wrote a book about
evolutionary psychology and how this relates to epistemology for humans) this argument you are
making has several flaws you might want to address. For years before I actually investigated it, I made
these exact same arguments against my own feelings in regard to this matter. On the surface it
sounded so absurd I could not imagine how it would work. I had read no research on the matter.
However, I have moved way beyond this simplistic view now.

The difference between insanity and something real is that the real problems and syndromes fit with
the rest of the world of science and information we have -- at every level of organization. Here are a
couple of every-day examples of the kinds of things I am talking about -- 1) we instinctively know this
about truth in general (i.e. we want to "get the whole story" and we do not trust things "taken out of
context") and we practice this in our courts of law where we are convinced beyond a shadow of doubt
only by several lines of evidence taken TOGETHER. Truth is WHOLE -- all of existence does not consist
of just isolated variables and events. This is beyond the variable-isolation of science where we simply
seek to find cause and effect relationships from single variables. The meaning and importance of
science is that it provides solid building blocks for meaning and truth.

Humans are selected by evolution to put together the truth in a picture that makes sense -- NOT just
look at isolated cases or variables -- unless other evolutionary contingencies from our past intervene
(For example: death threats from the mob, political considerations, belonging to a group (a religion,
tribe, or fraternal organization), or livelihood (considering getting fired from your job etc...), or even
someone holding your child hostage.

SO, in the case of transgender people, you would find the truth by looking at a whole set of things and
how they fit together in this manner: 1) does it fit with the known basic laws of nature? 2) Is there an
evolutionary contingency for this to be either selected for, or resulting from some consideration of
genetic mechanics like "heterozygous advantage", for example? 3) Is there a biological mechanism for
this to feasibly happen? 4) Is there an ulterior psychological motive why someone would want to
believe they are transgender (some psychological or even material reason)? 5) is this a stable feature
of their lives that has existed from their earliest memories - through stress and good times both? 6) Do
people claim this truth in the face of hardship for doing so -- up to and including martyrdom (I only add
this because we have been selected for by evolution to pay attention to people who do such things
because they are likely being unselfish and truthful since their own survival is compromised for doing
so). 7) If someone is claiming to be the other sex, are their things they always say and do that THEY
THEMSELVES WERE NOT AWARE OF that are characteristic of the opposite sex? 8) WHY is it important
to know and claim transgenderism for these people - is it a real malady requiring intervention, or an
insight like evolution showing us the origins of our emotions? (even Darwin wrote about this being one
of the most important functions of the theory of evolution). 9) can we show with twin studies (twins
separated at birth and raised apart) that there is a genetic component to this?

I give the previous list just off the top of my head at this moment to serve as an example of the type of
arguments you would use to get to the truth of the matter. It is not an exhaustive list, or my main
point. My point is that everything needs to fit together. Made - up stuff (either mistaken perceptions,
insanity, or lies) always falls apart when we gather information on many levels. untruths can lead to
failure to survive for organisms in evolution, or failure to overcome environmental obstacles to
survival. I think this is why so many religions speak of this -- how lies and illusions (even from our
evolutionary past - i.e. the concept of "sin") are so destructive... So with transgenderism, we must look
at this the same way and mine the gold in the concept while avoiding the illusions of either our
emotions, our lack of whole knowledge, or our material or political contingencies. That sort of thing.
Otherwise we just end up making fun of people or causing needless harm at the very least, or
decreasing our ability to survive, or maybe even risking our immortal souls... ? Lol.
With transgender people, I have found evidence that meets all of the 9 numbered criteria of the
paragraph above -- even the genetic (approx. 62% inherited / genetic component -- compare to 50%
figure often cited for IQ, and the 60-70% inherited for personality characteristics, which fits this finding
and it's nature well...) . I have not found that with the blind girl or the cat example. So what this means
is that transgenderism might very well be real.

Now, having said this, I have NOT made any statements about how this syndrome should be HANDLED.
For example, at what age should transgender behaviors be encouraged? Is it OK to give hormones to
children - or block hormones? Is gender reassignment a good idea? How early should we do it if it is?
Are there any larger considerations to society than just one person's desires and feelings of being
tansgender? Is transgenderism a stable small percentage of the population for a reason?? For example,
an information-dynamic or a heterozygous advantage that Transgender people are the homozygous
"martyrs" for?? Here we need massively more research, dialogue, and thought as well... AND, we must
ask ourselves if our feelings and our concern might be better spent on these kinds of aspects of this
issue?

This issue has become associated with liberal political viewpoints, but it really is not a political issue if
it is real. It is a subject for science, reason, and logic. If you feel that males are too feminized in society
today, and that this poses a danger to our freedom and future, then this whole transgender thing
might make you filled with indignant, righteous anger, and I understand that. We also have to
understand that gender was created by evolution for reproductive, competitive, cooperative, and
division-of-labor reasons to keep us alive. We MUST use our science and reason along with logic to
TRANSCEND these mind-boundaries. Much beating-of-chest and aggressive behavior of males is quite
destructive and foolish. I think this might be one of the true roles and values of a transgender mind. It
can see more easily across these boundaries toward the whole truths of existence. We might really
need them, they might help humanity have a future all beyond any of the much-touted humanitarian,
anti-suicide, and human-rights benefits of accepting transgender people. All truths are important, and
we must not confuse our politics with truth. We just do not know enough, and the political climate of
thinking human behaviors are not genetically-controlled, or facilitated down
specific paths, exacerbates the issue.

If a person is born with a 70 IQ, there is no way environmental manipulations can produce a genius. In
fact, IQ is remarkably stable, like personality. At times in the past, political scientific organizations have
made wildly erroneous claims in this regard. In the Soviet Union in the past, they believed that our
personalities and achievements and IQ were all environment and opportunity. Lysenko, the minister of
science in the soviet union at one time even denied the EXISTENCE of DNA as a western deception! I
see no reason why this political-hot-potato issue would be any different. I think the college of
pediatricians is obviously and completely wrong in some of what they say and that is scary. we should
be concerned that they make such erroneous and politically-charged blanket statements when there so
little research on this.

We already know there is a spectrum of male-female personality characteristics with much overlap
between the sexes for example. Some kids are born intersex -- with BOTH genitalia (I know someone
like this). So we know what the College of Pediatrics are saying is just plain WRONG. Scary stuff my
friends.. Science was invented to get to truth PAST politics and the personality differences we all have.
We need to understand just how wildly different our brains can be - our personalities and IQ's.
Something that exists for one person does not exist for another - people with very low IQ's are
basically blind to much in the world. We tried changing that with the "head start" program an spent
more money on that than ny social program EVER -- and we got gains of on average 4-6 IQ points...
which, when tested later in life, COMPLETELY disappeared!!! Following wrong information is expensive
and causes us to spend resources on dead-end pursuits which weakens us all. Transgender people
seem to really and truly exist as much as gay people do -- all the training in the world will not eradicate
them or the fact that they exist... we need to focus on the other kinds of issues I mentioned rather
than attacking them because we do not understand. Because WE are not like that. You might as well
attack someone for having a low IQ...

The Transgender Agenda - what does the science say?

Independent Man

This is one of the better videos on this -- and I agree about the pre-puberty
interventions... We need some real discussion and concern here. BUT our brains ARE
controlled by genetics in the way that evolution would make them that way -- to go
down certain paths and do certain things. That's why things our body can use taste
good IN GENERAL, so that we are motivated to eat the right things... but of course
this system is not perfect. Trusting the way our genes tell us to eat can lead to
ingesting too much sugar or even antifreeze... and we die. Our personalities are also
formed by evolution and are somewhere on the order of 70% genetic and so is IQ -and VERY stable throughout life. We all exist on a bell-curve of male-femaleness
where there is a lot of overlap. There are some males that are naturally more girly
than most girls, for example. Cultures tend to flow from the dominant genetic type
in a given group -- which we know leaves some other people at the edges of the bell
curve out of the cultural picture. Transgenderism is a real thing -- people can have it
most of their lives and not even know why their lives suck and they have not selfactualized. They are unaware of the pattern of behaviors that is female in them that
leads to constant misunderstanding and heartache and isolation with relationships
-- both spouses and friends... There is an agenda, and the media is going nuts with
all of this, but it is a real thing. People should stop saying it is not. There are
geniuses at the high-end of the bell-curve for IQ too, and we are right to believe
they exist.

The REAL question is about the type of interventions, and when, that are
appropriate -- and the treatment of people who are different in the way they see
and relate to the world.

That one study with 4 participants is such a small sample that the results are pretty
much worthless.... it is likely genetic -- which it would have to be if a personality
test showed female characteristics (as I explained earlier). just to make the point,
even though the sample is too small... many traits that have a large genetic
component are exactly like this. Many times twins with the same genes have
differences like this. You HAVE to have large samples in genetic studies to try to
tease out something from all the variables -- tendencies, etc.

Also, I read that there are more recent studies that put the genetic component at
63%. That's about right for personality characteristics... especially ones that cause
so much trouble and we are so conditioned against. (i.e. MASSIVE environmental
pressure not to express this and keep it subconscious or etc... ) MOST personality
characteristics are UNLIKE this. Considering that, 1 in 4 chosen at random is actually
a massive number.

Also, we know from other studies -- of animals and etc. too, that one twin becomes
dominant in the womb. HORMONES are affected by this, as is development. Also, a
person growing up with, say 2 brothers on either side of him in age is probably
MUCH more likely to hide his real personality and act one way his whole life just to
get by... until they just become a very conflicted and unhappy adult. People have
remarkably low insight to their own issues sometimes... MANY transgender people
do not even realize they are transgender and have no idea that many of their social
and relationship problems are caused by this.

We definitely need to focus on the up to 80% figure for trans youth who revert to
the biological sex after puberty -- and the health risks. Transgenderism is
definitely real, but it might be part of a spectrum of gendered behaviors and
perceptions existing on a natural bell - curve that greatly overlaps. Of course, sex
re-assignment does not solve these problems. BUT I thought the suicide rate was
actually halved -- though still much higher than the general population -- after sexreassignment???