I have never understood the rights hate of LGBTQ+ people just for being different. I used to think it was they couldn’t understand it because they did feel that way. If they did not feel that way then it must be wrong or not exist. The very same things they say about trans people they said about gay people when I was a school kid. I remember that people were pushing to ban gay guys, and it was always gay guys just like it is always trans women, from teaching because they would molest the kids. Now it is we can’t let trans people use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity because of some fear they will molest the little girls. Always to protect the kids but if that was the goal then may I mention religious leaders? I think also the fear some religious right wingers have is that they find trans women attractive and that terrifies them. They want to force kids to go through the wrong puberty so it is harder for them to fit in with the stereotypes people have of what is masculine or feminine. For some they think they are doing the bidding of their deity but I don’t remember reading Jesus saying anything about trans people. But he did preach love and tolerance a lot. Maybe the pain and cruelty is the point after all. Hugs
Trans youth almost always feel less suicidal while undergoing treatment. (Getty
Trans youth almost always feel less suicidal while undergoing treatment. (Getty)
Yet another study proving that trans youth almost always feel less suicidal on gender-affirming care has been thrown on the pile of evidence that puberty blockers are safe and effective.
Research set to be published in the Journal of Paediatric’s February volume has once again proved that trans adolescents show “meaningful reductions” in depression and anxiety after beginning clinically-endorsed hormone therapy.
Co-written by paediatricians in Nevada, Texas, and Missouri, the study examined the wellbeing of 432 patients before and after undergoing treatment.
The participants, aged 12 to 20, were surveyed on their mental health before and at least 364 days after beginning appropriate medical treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Trans youth regularly come under attack by politicians. (Getty)
Using the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) toolkit – an internationally acknowledged assessment of suicidality in young people and adults – researchers found significant improvements in the mental health of patients across the board.
Suicidality among participants decreased significantly over time, according to the study’s results, with rates continuing to decrease as time went on.
The reductions, clinicians noted, were consistent regardless of gender identity, treatment duration, and, interestingly, the age at the start of therapy.
This not only once again proves that gender-affirming care is remarkably effective in improving the wellbeing of trans patients, but that its effectiveness in reducing suicidal tendencies does not diminish as patients get older.
Clinicians recommended following-up the study with a “larger sample and longer follow-up” to sufficiently prove the consistency of gender-affirming care’s mental health treatments.
Politicians continue to ban puberty blockers despite evidence
Numerous studies across the globe have proven that gender-affirming care is almost always a good thing for trans people, especially trans young people.
One study from October 2024 found that 97 per cent of trans under-18s were “highly satisfied” with the results of gender-affirming treatment, while another from March in the same year found that, out of 548 patients who accessed trans healthcare, just two regretted it.
Regret rates for gender-affirming treatment are very low according to a paper from May 2024, which found that patients are more likely to regret knee surgery, breast augmentation, and even having children than those starting gender-affirming care.
Despite the mountain of evidence proving that gender-affirming care can be, and almost always is, life-saving, anti-trans politicians and political pundits regularly claim trans young people shouldn’t be allowed to access clinically-approved medical treatment.
Wes Streeting has routinely come under fire for his policies on trans people. (Getty)
At least 27 states in the US ban gender-affirming care in some capacity, preventing over 40 per cent of America’s trans youth population from accessing care. Puberty blockers are also banned for trans youth in the UK, despite being freely available for cisgender youth.
The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ+ suicide prevention organisation, warned these bans have “detrimental impacts” on the mental health of trans young people, who are already disproportionately likely to feel suicidal.
Research conducted by Dr Natacha Kennedy in the University of London found that Wes Streeting’s ban on puberty blockers for trans young people is “significantly, extensively, and relentlessly harming trans children and young people”.
She spoke to the parents of trans young people who were once “happy, well-adjusted, and little different from most cis children”, but who have now resorted to self-harm because of an inability to access care.
Suicide is preventable. Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are encouraged to contact the Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.
That is because of the constant refrain they are hearing from the right. If they hear hate all day they start to hate. That is why anti-bullying campaigns were so important in schools. They taught kids young that it was OK to be different and not everyone is straight or cis. Hugs
Young men are more likely to hold homophobic views, study suggests.
Men born in the 2000s are far more likely to hold conservative views on LGBTQ+ rights compared to previous generations and women of the same age, a study has suggested.
Polling from the Pew Research Center found that men aged 24 and under are far more likely to oppose same-sex marriage and even homosexuality generally than those born between the 1980s and 1990s.
Men are also far less likely to support LGBTQ+ rights than women of the same age. In fact, women are consistently more likely to be LGBTQ+ allies than men across all age ranges.
The 2024 study, highlighted in a report from the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) in December, found that 71 per cent of men born in the 2000s believe same-sex marriage should be legal. Comparatively, 77 per cent of men born in the 1990s and 73 per cent born in the 1980s support same-sex marriage.
Research from the Pew Religious Landscape Survey. (AIBM)
Sixty-five per cent of 2000s men believe homosexuality should be accepted in society, over seven per cent less than those born in the 1990s and three per cent less than 1980s men.
Women aged 24 and under, meanwhile, are far more likely to support LGBTQ+ rights, with 83 per cent supporting same-sex marriage and 82 per cent supporting homosexuality generally.
AIBM noted the gender gap for those born in the 2000s was the widest in nearly every subject compared to every other decade.
Trans rights were by far the most contentious subject among young people. 60 per cent of 2000s women said they believe trans people should be accepted by society, while just 44 per cent of 2000s men answered similarly – a gender gap of 16 per cent.
Support for same-sex marriage saw a 2000’s gender-gap of 12 per cent, support for homosexuality had a gap of 17 per cent, and abortion rights a gap of 10 per cent.
Washington University professor of practice, Ryan Burge, argued the survey results prove that young men are increasingly influenced by “social-issue messaging”, particularly from right-wing religious groups.
“As academics often say – we need more time and more data,” he wrote. “I suspect the next five years of survey results will significantly clarify the trajectories of young men and women when it comes to religion.
“As their lives stabilise, they settle into careers, and some begin to marry and start families, we will get a much clearer sense of whether religion is actually taking hold. If a shift is coming, these next few years will be decisive.”
Research published in 2024 suggested that Gen Z are more likely to identify as LGBTQ+ than Republican compared to other generations.
The Axios poll found that just 21 per cent of those aged between 12 and 27 describe themselves as Republican, while more than a quarter described themselves as LGBTQ+. It also found that young people are far more likely to be religious than other generations.
A progressive who ran as a progressive and is governing as a progressive. This shows how it can and should be done. It terrifies the corporate democrats. Hugs
I am home and decompressing. I had a very bad night. But I guess I should start at the beginning.
Ron left the morning of Saturday the 17th for Texas because his sister fell and broke her wrist. This after her husband died and she needed Ron’s help to get her large home ready for sale. She had returned here with him and I was so grateful for her being here as she let me get back to what I love, blogging. But Ron being gone for three weeks was traumatic for Tupac who has seen the humans he loves go away never to come back so he clung to me the entire time Ron was gone. He had already been coming to me before Ron when he wanted something and at night he would sleep either on the pillow I put in the middle of the bed so he could lay on it and be made of by both of us or what he started to do while Ron was gone the first time he would lay between that middle pillow and my body.
So Ron left for Texas and I noticed that Tupac was staying much closer to me and to the house when outside. He also did not want to go out as much. Ron had noticed that there was a very large orange cat that was coming around to lay near the house and also a back long hair cat that was very vocal screaming at Tupac. While the orange cat was trying to find friendship the black long hair seemed to want to provoke a fight or at least scare Tupac. So I figured Tupac was staying close to home or inside since Ron left because of that. Also since Ron left Tupac who is a bit incontinent leaking a bit on the places he sleeps and stuff started urinating on the floor as he was walking or eating, or even just sitting somewhere. Now let’s get to the drama queen stuff and the big scare.
Yesterday the 20th Tupac stayed on the new daybed Diane gave us that was in the new living room all morning sleeping. I heard him thump onto the floor. I was in the kitchen getting ready to do dishes. As he walked into the room I noticed he was limping on his right front paw. But he seemed to be walking it out as he moved I just figured he slept too long on his right front shoulder. So I gave it no more thought. Then during the later part of the day he got up on my desk as he has gotten to love doing. It is one way I have bonded with all our cats, they love the warmth the monitors put off and enjoy rubbing on them and other things on the desk. I put a towel down and the cat sits next to the keyboard enjoying the pets and warmth along with companionship while I work. It took a while for Tupac to understand that joy but he took to it once he did.
So back to yesterday he was on the desk and I went to get a soda. I heard a thump / bang and came back to find Tupac on the floor with his right front paw held high. He was very upset and when I reached for him he hobbled away from me to the bedroom. Then he stopped and let me put him on the bed. He hobbled to my pillows and lay down. I reached out to him and he swatted my hand away with no claws. I started envisioning the worst.
Yes maybe he gets his drama queen honestly. I figured he either broke his leg or did damage to his shoulder like dislocating it. He pressed hard into my side pillow very upset. I let him be for a bit then went back to him. He then accepted my petting him. Still thinking he broke his leg / paw I brought him supper in bed. Then I went to bed with him. I did not try to push him over but tried hard to lay down on my side of the bed next to him. He loved it. He slept pushed hard against me as I laid on the edge of the bed worried to try to move him and hurt his broken leg / paw. He never got up once which was not normal, but he did change position pressing harder into me each time, each time I woke and couldn’t sleep because I worried he would try to jump down from the bed. I figure I got two and half broken hours of sleep.
This morning I again brought him breakfast in bed which he loved. I tried putting him on the floor but he wouldn’t walk or put the paw down and I got even more worried. I put him back up on the bed near the pillows and he settled back into them while I went and got my shower. After all I had to take him to the vet’s office as soon as they opened. After my shower I got two shirts out, one that he could claw if he needed as I put him in his carrier and one to wear out to the vet’s office.
When it came ten minutes from the time to leave, I went out, started the van let it warm up, and then moved it into position to be more able to move him into it. I then picked him up from the recliner I have put him in and he seemed fine with staying in. He did not really fight or struggle to stop going into the carrier. So I closed the door and went to change my shirt to the one I wanted to wear in the veterinarian’s office. Remember I was on an emergency walk in so the bill was $150 to walk into the door.
I have to admit the young woman behind the counter was very much sympathetic and on the ball. Seeing my cane she carried the pet carrier to a chair for me. She was very sympathetic. Then who I would in the hospital say was a medical assistance who came to get me and Tupac. Again seeing my cane she came and offered to carry Tupac into the room and set his carrier on the table. She took all the information. Again very caring person. I explained my fears and how Ron was in Texas. She was very understanding through it all. I thought of my time in the hospital and how many of the people there had far less empathy and concern for the feelings of the patients or their families.
The doctor came in and talked with me, heard my fears and concerns. They took Tupac and did X-Rays and other checks. After 30 minutes the doctor came back. She showed me the two X-Rays they were able to get before old man Tupac got too grumpy to let them do anymore. I guess veterinarians are used to that and let him calm down while the doctor came to talk to me.
The X-Rays showed that he had no breaks in his leg or wrist bones. They did show great swelling in his paw near the first two digits. The doctor suggested he got his claw caught and wrenched it while jumping down from the day bed. But she was not sure. I asked about his shoulder and she told me he was too grumpy then but if I wanted they could try again. I asked her to if she could as I needed reassurance he did not damage his shoulder. She told me she also was going to look closely at his claws on that paw to see if he ripped one.
Well letting the old grumpy moocher calm down worked. They got the X-ray, no damage to the shoulder. She was able to look closely at his paw and claws. And it explained what the issue was. He had what she felt was an infected first digit and slightly his thumb on that paw. That was why his paw was so swollen. She said it looked like a puncture such as a bite from another cat that did it. I asked if it could be a puncture from a plant or other thing and she said yes, but she felt it was another cat that did it.
So for an entire night of staying awake watching to make sure he did not jump down and hurt his broken leg / wrist / shoulder and feeding him in bed then carrying him to the recliner this morning and packing pillows around him while putting them on the floor in case he jumped down, to find out he had an infected swollen very painful paw. The doctor gave me three pain pills to give him one a day, and they gave him an antibiotic shot to help with the infection.
But who would have figured that two old gay guys, one who owned / ran a bar for gay people in the 1980s would have a furry drama queen child who milked a painful paw into getting supper and breakfast in bed and carried around like a little prince … Oh I give up. Hugs
What is shocking is how ill informed some people in the US are. This is part of the dumbing down of the US education system. So many right wing / or maga people are so uneducated and wrong because they believe the misinformation fed them along with the hyper US is always correct and never wrong they are fed by the right wing media that is designed to mislead the maga public ready to accept / follow an authoritarian government meant to make their lives harder while making the lives of the very wealthy even more wealthy. Just listen to the arrogance the person asking the question has even though they are totally incorrect on everything they claim / write to Belle. Hugs
Scottie's Playtime 