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Rolling Stone did a feature article about teen trans. http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/trans-teen-homeless...
It hurts me to think they're accurate.
Jill
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Comments
Some of these kids
are so messed up it's amazing that any of them make it to live useful and fulfilling lives. None of the article surprises me as I've seen similar before it's just so sad that they seem to fall through the support system. Many are drug or alcohol dependent and live chaotic lifestyles, which makes helping them difficult. That anyone so young should have to sell their bodies to these sexual predators is shameful of the system which only seems to value those who have stable lives and prospects.
Reading the article made me feel so sad for them and I expect there are similar cases in this country, certainly there have been suicides of trans girls in prisons in the past year. I don't know what the answer is but something needs to be done at government level to fund some sort of study and then propose solutions - but that probably applies to several minority groups who can claim similar sorts of vulnerability. It's all just so sad.
Angharad
Hope?
A good friend of mine who several years ago would have been on the wrong side of this (hell - I would have as well) - he's as come to support shelter ministries that welcome gay and trans teens. Maybe things are glacier-like, but some folks ARE changing.
Love, Andrea Lena
What galls me
is that our government and bureaucracy just makes things worse for these kids. I can't see how hooking or petty theft to survive and subsist should lead to incarceration where they are mostly raped and brutalized. A negotiated term of education, job training, and counseling (not conversion therapy for gods sake Mr. VP) would be cheaper for society and far better for the individuals. Their lives appear to be so consumed with hopelessness, violence, and neglect that it's almost a forgone conclusion that many self medicate with drugs and alcohol.
Actually, I've seen articles almost like this about cis teen runaways too. There are some programs to get these kids off the streets but not nearly enough.
I Love Capitalism
I believe in capitalism. Adam Smith's invisible hand is right up there with the Golden Rule in my philosophical beliefs.
Yet . . . capitalism is based on the exploitation of certain scarce items, including labor. Unions have proved woefully bad at protecting against undue exploitation. Laws are used by the cynical-rich (See DJT) to fleece the suckers who follow the laws while the cynical-rich hide behind a phalanx of lawyers.
Obviously teen trans are extremely vulnerable. The cynical-rich count on vulnerabilities to continue their exploitation.
Objectifying people has to be stopped. That is the first step to bringing these teen trans to understand that they have great worth and are valued.
Obviously, arresting them for minor crimes is idiotic. They should instead be turned over to a welfare system that actually is attuned to their special needs. These are creative people who can be great employees.
There is a economic answer.
Adam Smith would find it.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)