First published 2020
Abigail Shrier tackles a puzzling trend that has emerged over the past ten years. Gender dysphoria diagnoses have shifted dramatically from a rare condition affecting mainly boys and men to something widespread among teenage girls. Shrier examines this transformation through statistics and accounts from affected families. She argues that Western culture has created conditions for what she calls a transgender trend that differs from genuine gender dysphoria. The author describes how teenage girls pursue testosterone treatments and surgical procedures while parents lose authority and medical experts gain excessive influence. Shrier contends that scientific dissent faces suppression and free speech comes under pressure. She connects this phenomenon to broader cultural patterns where people seek refuge in victim identities to escape dominant roles. The book targets readers who harbor doubts about rapid social changes toward non-binary identities but hesitate to voice their concerns.
Genres: gender-studies, social-issues, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: controversial-topic, social-commentary
1 pages · Audio CD · Blackstone Publishing
Content warnings: transphobia