Comments on: San Francisco Chronicle article about gender variance

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:27:00 +0000

Try posting it again, Mr. Blakeslee. There may be a window of opportunity to criticize NARTH on this matter. Ex-gay and reparative groups tend to only print comments that praise them.

To mysurprise, they eventually printed some of my objections to the Berger piece — after deleting most of the earlier ones I sent.

By: grantdale

grantdale — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 19:07:00 +0000

Sorry David, it looks like you’ve been NARTHed. Along with a few others.

Your input has not appeared. Ever.

And now, the entire thing has vanished from the NARTH blog.

September 1, 2006
Entry pulled on “gender variant” children

We have pulled the discussion on gender variant children in Oakland. The article contained comments that were deemed offensive to many readers and failed to accurately express the overall views of the physician who expressed them.

We apologize for publishing the article without getting proper clarifications first about how children with gender identity disorders should be treated by parents, teachers, and counselors.

Alice, is this Wonderland?

And why does that homosexuality/gender expert appear to be, well, not an expert at all?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 03:03:00 +0000

Here is a copy of the blog post I sent to NARTH (it is not posted yet)

I find Berger’s suggestion that children be harrassed at school as ahelpful response to GID abhorrent.
>
> As a NARTH member I apologize for such a comment. There is no possible
> helpful outcome to a child with GID being ridiculed at school.
> Bullying at school takes many forms and children’s capacity to exploit
> other’s weaknesses or difficulties is well documented. Children who
> use peer ridicule are rarely, if ever, doing it for the good of the
> recipient. It is often merely narcissism.
>
> NARTH should remove Berger’s posting immediately and apologize.
>
> David Blakeslee

By: Throckmorton

Throckmorton — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:48:00 +0000

Well said, Dave.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:42:00 +0000

I have contacted the NARTH website as a member of NARTH and condemned the comments by Berger.

At best, they are callous, at worst the are scientifically endorsed homophobia. Only Berger knows for sure.

It is my understanding that the article will be edited and the comments removed.

I abhor and condemn such comments. Children need our guidance and protection; not to be abandoned to the mob.

David Blakeslee