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

By: Boo

Boo — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:36:00 +0000

“RE: Dr. Berger’s comments. I hope he didn’t mean that literally. If so, it, of course, is offensive.”

Does that mean it’s ok if he meant it figuratively?

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:39:00 +0000

I just left messages for Joe Nicolosi of NARTH and also with EXODUS headquarters expressing my deep concern about Dr. Berger’s outrageous and un-Christian comments about the benfits of teasing and ridiculing children.

Let us see if either of these groups have the moral fortitude to do the right thing.

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 21:11:00 +0000

Not just offensive. Abusive, Warren. If he really said these things, I think he deserves some sort of censure or consuequences for violating the ethical standards of his own profession.

If he were a client who did this to his own son, I would be compelled to report him to Child Protective Services.

Are you using your connections with NARTH and EXODUS to look into this further?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:25:00 +0000

Dr. Throckmorton: What is your reaction to Joseph Berger of NARTH anvocating allowing children to tease, ridicule or bully gender variant kids?

By: Michael Bussee

Michael Bussee — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:08:00 +0000

Wow, Ed. That is the most self-affirming post of yours and the most healthy thing I have ever heard you say personally. I mean this sincerely, not sarcastically.

You seem to have come a long way towards throwing off your internalized self-hatred.

A lot of us who know you and care about you, on both sides of this argument(all Christian brothers and sisters.)have been sincerely worried about you over the years.

I am so relieved to hear that you KNOW that it wasn’t your “difference” — whether as gay boy or as a short-statured peace freak that was the root of your discomfort with yourself. It was the way your peers, your culture reacted to those wonderful differences.

You hit the nail on the head, Ed.