I read the news today oh boy! Page 674

Quote: Timbo @ February 20 2012, 6:12 PM GMT

The idea is in Pohl and Kornbluth's 1952 novel The Space Merchants. As the years go by I increasingly think that this was the most depressingly prophetic work of fiction ever.

Image

You've gone to far Heston1

Quote: catskillz @ February 20 2012, 7:56 PM GMT

What are your opinions on this story: http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/five-year-old-boy-opts-to-become-a-girl.html

Interesting. Would hate to see overly pc doctors diagnose at such a young age when gender play is common but then if she's harming herself then that's serious, but then are there other reasons a child might be harming and other-identifying?

But then, I suppose it's common for trans people to state they felt that way from a young age so to be able to support that whilst people are still young and their peers will accept it more readily because they haven't had much time to learn prejudice is an excellent thing.

I guess as long as no surgery or hormones are instigated until they're 16 (?) then fair enough

AJGO stole that out of my brain.

Hmm, think he is still way too young to be so readily diagnosed and labelled. His level of distress may have it's roots in a simpler explanation such as a memory, or a trigger experience of some description. It looks like they have taken his behaviour and ran with it, I fear the little mite may well be more harmed by the psychologists and parental pandering...hope I'm wrong.

Quote: AJGO @ February 20 2012, 8:09 PM GMT

Interesting. Would hate to see overly pc doctors diagnose at such a young age when gender play is common but then if she's harming herself then that's serious, but then are there other reasons a child might be harming and other-identifying?

But then, I suppose it's common for trans people to state they felt that way from a young age so to be able to support that whilst people are still young and their peers will accept it more readily because they haven't had much time to learn prejudice is an excellent thing.

I guess as long as no surgery or hormones are instigated until they're 16 (?) then fair enough

I find the whole thing disturbing, to be honest, especially as I have a nephew who is also 5, and who even looks a bit like this kid. Quite simply, 5 is too young for all this to be happening. Kids that age will do anything to get attention from their parents, and if this little boy has noticed that he's able to stand out from his 3 older siblings by acting like this, then maybe that's the real reason behind him doing it. I wonder if his father is on the scene.

Parents are supposed to do things kids can rebel against, too much indulgence is definitely not a good thing.

Quote: zooo @ February 20 2012, 8:14 PM GMT

AJGO stole that out of my brain.

Along with some very dodgy images, cleaner thoughts next time we're on the wavelength please!

:$

Quote: catskillz @ February 20 2012, 8:25 PM GMT

I find the whole thing disturbing, to be honest, especially as I have a nephew who is also 5, and who even looks a bit like this kid. Quite simply, 5 is too young for all this to be happening. Kids that age will do anything to get attention from their parents, and if this little boy has noticed that he's able to stand out from his 3 older siblings by acting like this, then maybe that's the real reason behind him doing it. I wonder if his father is on the scene.

Quite. One of my cousins has a a 4-year-old son who is constantly trying to act like his older (6 yr old) sister. He loves wearing dresses and having his hair long. He loves his sister's books about fairies. It's just a phase and he'll grow out of it. Thank God his parents are not retards and did not call in a f**kwit snake doctor to inform the impressionable boy that he really is a girl. I have long hair because I am vain. And I occasionally wear drag and makeup because I like to shock people. Doesn't effin mean I've got some made-up disorder. What are they going to do to this poor kid in the UK? Keep brainwashing him? Have him undergo a sex-change operation? Suffer a massively traumatic puberty? Poor little kid. Stupid, stupid parents.

We don't know all the details though, do we.

Perhaps this hasn't all happened because he wore a dress once...

Quote: zooo @ February 21 2012, 2:52 AM GMT

Perhaps this hasn't all happened because he wore a dress once...

No one ever said it did. I wonder if the kid is trying to emulate older female siblings or is just getting off on the attention? I tell you, it's bloody difficult to grow to 6 foot 3 and still find dresses that fit, especially in Asia.

It's what internet shopping was invented for!

:) Kenneth love youx

Quote: sootyj @ February 20 2012, 1:31 PM GMT

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/20/heston-blumenthals-207000-test-tube-burger-is-first-beef-patty-created-in-a-lab_n_1288365.html

Heston Blumenthal is creating artificial burgers with a fellow mad Dutch scientist.

It's the end of the world as we know it.

Having seen a Newsnight report about how we might have to get used to eating insects for protein as future global meat demand drives up prices, this news is a great relief.

I don't know what to say on the matter really. I had a friend at college who was born both genders. When he was a baby they decided to give him an op to make him a girl (Apparently it's far easy to do it that way than make then a boy because he would only really need one op and medication for the rest of his live as opposed to many operations and difficulties).

The problem was as he got older, it became very clear he was male, not female so had to go through the whole drama of changing again. It wasn't just a quick process ether. It took a few years.

I suppose it's not quite the same as the child is older and knows what he/she is but there is the chance of it being a phase and having an op so early could cause problems later on. I couldn't really say. The only thing I can comment on is the fact they took it to the papers. I'm not sure that was wise.