[UncleMeat]

If people don't perceive your actions as kind, can they actually be said to be kind?

We observe much worse acute and long term outcomes, across a variety of dimensions, when transgender people are not permitted to transition.

Homophobes insist that they are telling "the truth" when they insist that all gay people are going to hell and that marriage should not be allowed for gay people. Racists insist that they are telling "the truth" when they insist that black people are simply more violent than white people and that black people should be treated differently by the justice system. Sexists insist that they are telling "the truth' when they insist that women are not capable of holding positions of leadership in business or politics and that their role is only to raise children.

I see no reason why transphobia would be different.

[vecplane]

I don't think any of those examples are good analogies. None of those involve 'pretending to believe obvious lies' or self-mutilation.

The harm of social transition is relatively minor and easily reversible. It's not as concerning, but it still perpetuates the phenomenon as 'tolerable'.

The harm of physical transition is permanent and devastating. We should consider the precautionary principle when engaging in irreversible actions.

Puberty blockers, sex hormones, mastectomies, and the rest are not compassionate treatments for dysphoric youths, but children are being fast-tracked into these decisions without much thought for how likely they'll be to regret it. Certainly many do, and it's an awful tragedy.

As all humans have before two seconds ago, we should let children grow into their bodies, and then they can make better-informed decisions as adults.

My main point being: this stuff is absolutely unacceptable for children, and adults are free to behave however they want, but I won't 'accept' it or go along with it.

[UncleMeat]

And I do think they are perfect analogies. I see zero of your concerns as any more valid than the ones in my post. The same "social contagion" arguments were used against gay people, women, and black people, to the same harmful effects.

I'm asking you to be kind. I hope you understand why people perceive you as unkind.

[vecplane]

Your argument sounds like 'these ideas are wrong so yours is wrong too' without contending with the content of my arguments and examples.

I'm totally willing to be kind and treat other people with respect. Never claimed otherwise.

But I also hope people see the errors of their ways, how harmful it can be, and to not try to indulge children and teenagers who get caught up in it. Leave the kids alone.

[UncleMeat]

There are ample other spaces where people have contended with your precise arguments. I am not saying that you are wrong because these other people are wrong. I am saying that, after evaluating your viewpoint, I find it to be equally as wrong as these other viewpoints.

A large number of transgender people will find your viewpoint to be fundamentally disrespectful. It will not be possible for you to come across as respectful, no matter how much you insist on it. This is why I ask you to consider how the recipients of your words experience them as a better judge of whether you are behaving kindly.