Or you could read about the kid and his parents, and how they have taken advice from psychologists on his
website. The article that BB posted is clearly outraged, and sensationalizes from a real slant, but there IS more to the story. I suggest you read. For those who hate "PC BS," I really do suggest not buying into sensation articles, either. Otherwise, aren't you part of the problem?
Thanks for the link. I just checked it. You are right that we always must dig deeper. However, I still think there is a whole misconception going on there.
First, I am able to tell that the original link which I commented on was sensationalist. I could only guess what was the underneath "truth" and the website you gave sort of confirmed what I thought. There is an agenda there, for sure.
There is more to the story? Yes. This is a typical case of building a great lie out of a "smaller" truth. The therapist quoted gave a sober advice, "the best thing to do would be to neither discourage, nor encourage, but rather to allow Desmond to develop naturally". Perfect. Now if you believe for one second that all that is built over this child has "developed naturally", then we can start talking (if you follow his story on his website and cares to calculate what age he was in the events described, you'll get my point). I am not disputing the fact that the child feels better dressing like a girl. I am disputing the fact that this child is being explored for an agenda. There is, in principle, no sexual content in a child dressing man or women clothes. There is a huge sexual content in a lot of pictures of this child.
What would happen if this child, in "drag" clothes, happens to meet backstage some big sweaty hairy pedophile? I can assure you that it won't be a sweet and gentle introduction to sexual life. Extreme example, I know.
Look, Moxie, I understand the "agenda" behind the sensationalists links. I also know that the real world lies somewhere between the far opposing poles of internet stories. But stories like that, it does not matter how you tell it, do not help. If the kid likes Diana Ross, fine. This is not the issue. The child is not the issue.
I keep remembering the "Little Miss Sunshine", and even if I liked the movie, my stomach always turns when I see that young girl doing those sexual numbers (obviously all the other girls scenes are odd too). I am always grateful of being introduced to sex life when I was old enough to understand it minimally, which lead to a healthy, very good and trauma free adulthood in that regard.
The irony is that it was a long struggle to completely separate, from a clinical/psychological point of view,
homosexuality from pathologies related to sexual behavior. Stories like that go way backwards in that regard.
I get your point that sensationalism in general explores people's bias and prejudices. But sometimes they just make it
too easy....