Trans toddlers…have we lost all sense of reality?

In Stonewall’s latest foray into political advocacy it has once again demonstrated its impeccable timing.

Just as the public has started to go cold on trans affirmation and experimental treatments on children, Stonewall has declared that trans-affirming education is “crucial” – in nursery schools, of all places.

This past weekend it tweeted the claim: “Research suggests that children as young as 2 recognise their trans identity.”

It has subsequently tried to ‘clarify’ the remarks by saying that nursery-aged children shouldn’t have “adults’ ideas imposed upon them”. That appears to mean ideas like the reality of biology, so the clarification hardly helps.

As for the “research”, does anybody seriously think toddlers can be trans? Some two-year-olds think they are dinosaurs or police cars, but do we really think that defines their future? 

Presumably this research is similar to that used by UN ‘trans expert’ Victor Madrigal-Borloz, who claimed recently that children aged 2-6 understand their gender identity. It was part of his argument for giving children experimental medical treatments.

The shrillness and irrationality of Stonewall’s demand for more trans toddlers is backfiring. The Director of campaign group Transgender Trend, Stephanie Davies-Arai, compared it to endorsing child abuse.

unless we admit the reality of ultimate truth, our treasured democracy is doomed to follow fashions and fads

I expect those at Stonewall would say they think affirming gender identity is in young children’s best interests. But they are wrong. Obviously and dangerously wrong.

This ideology is deeply harmful to children. We should be helping them be comfortable in their own skin, not telling them they might be living in the wrong body. And adults know that basing decisions on feelings alone is often disastrous, but campaigners want to tell children that how they feel trumps everything.

Stonewall receives millions of pounds from Government coffers and big business, and it has unrivalled access to the corridors of power. There are continuous attempts to influence new legislation and put this damaging ideology on the statute book. The changes it has advocated to sex education, laws on self-ID, and a broad ban on ‘conversion therapy’ all fly in the face of common sense. Recently, Westminster has largely resisted giving ground on trans ideology, but Scotland and Wales are proving more receptive.

We must also ask why such twisted thinking has become so pervasive. Why does anyone support such dangerous ideas?

I would offer this: abandoning traditional Christian values has led to a moral vacuum. Society’s ethics are no longer guided by universal norms. Science and reason are wonderful gifts, but some have claimed society can be guided by such tools alone, without any reference to God, in some kind of ever spiralling ascent to perfection. But unless we admit the reality of ultimate truth, our treasured democracy is doomed to follow fashions and fads.

Look at the ethical confusion and U-turns of the last few decades. Abuse of trust laws are one example: The Christian Institute campaigned 20 years ago to have the law extended, so sports coaches and church youth leaders could not abuse their positions of trust over young people and take sexual advantage of them. Astonishingly, some children’s rights campaigners opposed widening the protections at that time. Today they strongly support it.

Or consider the sexual ethics of the rich and famous. Stars sleeping with young fans used to be seen as a harmless part of the sexual revolution by many. But we needn’t rehearse just how strongly society disapproves of the same today.

We all know that when we reject basic rights and wrongs, we reap what we sow. Many people have rejected obvious moral truths only to get mugged by reality.

It’s time to reconsider our societal rejection of Christian morality. Because the danger of things like Stonewall’s ‘trans toddler’ ideology is: it’s the kids who get mugged.