A bill racing through Sacramento brands ordinary talk therapy as "conversion therapy" — and gives plaintiffs two decades to sue. The chilling effect isn't a side effect. It's the design.
I've always wondered how it was the shark got jumped. Is it possible to change gender? My intuitive response is no. That is particularly the fact in that there are no objective biological indicators of gender dysphoria.
Meaning these interventions are actually pychological therapeutic procedures, intended to benefit persons with such severe identity disorders that no other less drastic remedy will work.
"It has a statute of limitations unlike almost anything else in civil law. Patients who were minors at the time of treatment can sue until they turn 40. Adults get 10 years from their last session, or five years from “discovering harm.” In other words, the moment they decide the therapy harmed them."
(corrected!)
As you point out, this can be used for detransitioners, against the mental health professionals--if you look at Littman et al., 2024, table 4, there is a list of reasons (some detransitioned) people transitioned, and "a therapist" is one of them. Not at the top, but it is there: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-023-02716-1/tables/4
This law applies if you are a therapist--what if you are a family friend or an art teacher or a mentor for something else or or? Can you be prosecuted? Or does it have to be formal therapy?
Actually, the safest path for therapists is to stop working with people below a certain age range. When people in Oregon and Washington and California can't get services for their adolescent kids, maybe they will reconsider their voting patterns.
Transitioning profiteers don't mind detransitioners. They just want to ensure that they get rich off changes in both directions. That's why they're pushing for detransition insurance codes. They'll get twice the money and they'll convince more kids to destroy their bodies by claiming they can easily undo any transition surgeries or hormone effects.
Weiner was also responsible for legislation that made it legal for an adult to sexually engage with a child as long as the age difference was less than 9 years. At least that's my memory of how the legislation was written.
Important piece about Wiener and this pending legislation. Posner is right that any clear-thinking clinician will stay away from seeing gender dypshoric children and adolescents, unless they adhere to the "gender-affirming" school of thought.
I would say there is one error in the piece: yes, Gender Dysphoria was a new name for the diagnosis in DSM-5 (2013), which could be given to children, adolescents or adults. But the diagnosis was in the DSM starting with DSM-III in 1980, also for children, adolescents, and adults but with a different name. The criteria have changed a bit over the years but, in my opinion, not in a major way.
I have no problem whatsoever with adults transitioning, and I believe minors can too, with proper exploration. But in an age that's fundamentally hostile to depth psychotherapy, it pains me that so many of my therapist colleagues are skeptical of their own discipline, just in this one fraught domain.
Our job is to maintain neutrality and curiosity, and let patients find their own solutions. "Conversion therapy" cuts both ways, and as I explain in this video, it simply boils down to bad clinical technique, whichever way the therapist is biased.
Scott Weiner has been the single most destructive California legislator during my existence, in my opinion. Particularly when it comes to children.
He also hates women.
There’s that…
And he is likely to get a promotion to the US HoR.
I fully expect that to happen with the way California handles its elections.😭
Horrible legislation, and this guy is replacing Pelosi. Democrats only go from bad to worse.
This cultural perversion explains in large part the baby bust.
I've always wondered how it was the shark got jumped. Is it possible to change gender? My intuitive response is no. That is particularly the fact in that there are no objective biological indicators of gender dysphoria.
Meaning these interventions are actually pychological therapeutic procedures, intended to benefit persons with such severe identity disorders that no other less drastic remedy will work.
"It has a statute of limitations unlike almost anything else in civil law. Patients who were minors at the time of treatment can sue until they turn 40. Adults get 10 years from their last session, or five years from “discovering harm.” In other words, the moment they decide the therapy harmed them."
(corrected!)
As you point out, this can be used for detransitioners, against the mental health professionals--if you look at Littman et al., 2024, table 4, there is a list of reasons (some detransitioned) people transitioned, and "a therapist" is one of them. Not at the top, but it is there: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-023-02716-1/tables/4
This law applies if you are a therapist--what if you are a family friend or an art teacher or a mentor for something else or or? Can you be prosecuted? Or does it have to be formal therapy?
Have to wait for the final bill but, as of now. only applies to licensed therapists
Actually, the safest path for therapists is to stop working with people below a certain age range. When people in Oregon and Washington and California can't get services for their adolescent kids, maybe they will reconsider their voting patterns.
Transitioning profiteers don't mind detransitioners. They just want to ensure that they get rich off changes in both directions. That's why they're pushing for detransition insurance codes. They'll get twice the money and they'll convince more kids to destroy their bodies by claiming they can easily undo any transition surgeries or hormone effects.
"100% reversible!"
Weiner was also responsible for legislation that made it legal for an adult to sexually engage with a child as long as the age difference was less than 9 years. At least that's my memory of how the legislation was written.
Important piece about Wiener and this pending legislation. Posner is right that any clear-thinking clinician will stay away from seeing gender dypshoric children and adolescents, unless they adhere to the "gender-affirming" school of thought.
I would say there is one error in the piece: yes, Gender Dysphoria was a new name for the diagnosis in DSM-5 (2013), which could be given to children, adolescents or adults. But the diagnosis was in the DSM starting with DSM-III in 1980, also for children, adolescents, and adults but with a different name. The criteria have changed a bit over the years but, in my opinion, not in a major way.
Ken Zucker, Ph.D.
@ZUCKERKJ on X
I have no problem whatsoever with adults transitioning, and I believe minors can too, with proper exploration. But in an age that's fundamentally hostile to depth psychotherapy, it pains me that so many of my therapist colleagues are skeptical of their own discipline, just in this one fraught domain.
Our job is to maintain neutrality and curiosity, and let patients find their own solutions. "Conversion therapy" cuts both ways, and as I explain in this video, it simply boils down to bad clinical technique, whichever way the therapist is biased.
https://youtu.be/SaH9_d4zdtI
George Orwell described it in 1984 (the book, not the year).
Thought police, double think, thought crime, etc.
Get ready for the Ministry of Truth and other correctly (the opposite of reality) named government agencies.
Orwell wrote that vision of the future in the late 40's, demonstrating how crazy ideas just get recycled and renamed to appear cutting edge.