In the past, there were girls or boys who wanted to be the opposite sex from what they were born. Girls often dressed like boys and were referred to as “tomboys.” The boys who acted more feminine than the average boy were referred to as “sissies.” They often changed their mannerisms into more masculine ones over time. When girls reached puberty, usually they begin to act more feminine, and their speech became more ladylike. Youngsters usually outgrew the experimental behaviors and became mature men and women.
There also were a few males who were more comfortable with their female friends. Friends redirected them to socialize more with males than preadolescent girls. They were teased by their male friends with not-so-subtle remarks like “Are you turning into a girl?” These blunt statements often changed their actions to fit more traditional roles.
Today, some of these peer interventions are condemned as politically incorrect. Children as young as infants and toddlers are not supposed to be corrected for acting like the opposite sex. Too often, a boy who cries easily when his feelings or body are hurt may be allowed to cry with little to no intervention. No one says to him, “Stop crying, boys don’t cry like that. You don’t be a sissy.”
Instead, this crying behavior might even be encouraged to allow him to “express his emotions.” The reverse happens to girls who act too masculine and often have to soften their mannerisms in everyday situations. In other words, parents are no longer making clear distinctions between girls’ and boys’ behavior.
Without voicing these traditional distinctions, there will be confusion about how our boys and girls are supposed to act. This will obviously cause confusion for both boys and girls, which will lead to greater incidents of transgender confusion. Without parents teaching distinctions between girls’ and boys’ behavior, gender differences will melt into a unisex culture.
Why shouldn’t modern parents and family members let children understand that boys and girls are naturally genetically programmed to act differently from each other? They could even point out some of these differences to help them understand the difference between the sexes. There is a genetic attraction between men and women that makes them want to have children and start families.
By not noting these differences, is this good parenting or is it the opposite? Parents highlighting these masculine or feminine differences help their youngsters understand that when they approach puberty, sexual attraction to the opposite sex is normal and healthy.
Youngsters have to be aware of reality. If a child does not differentiate between males and females, the child will not learn to be socially appropriate. In fact, parents should teach and point out normal and abnormal behavior in order to teach the child good choices and avoid bad ones that could lead to unnecessary problems.
All parents want to protect their children by sharing their knowledge of reality. When parents do not prepare their children by teaching moral lessons, their children will more likely make misguided decisions. They will not be able to protect themselves from these ignorant and ill-advised choices in their life.
No one can actually change their sex, only pretend to be the opposite sex than they were born. Their DNA remains the same. This attempt might start with wonderful hope but ends with confusion and an unfulfilling existence.
Some parents may want to appear progressive and “cool” to their friends by sacrificing their child to transgenderism but could set their child up for confusion and life as an outcast since the transgender fad will not always be in vogue.
Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.
