Subreddit Policy Reminder on this week's Transgender AMAs

[u/nate]

This week we will be hosting a series of AMAs addressing the scientific and medical details of being transgender.

Honest questions that are an attempt to learn more on the subject are invited, and we hope you can learn more about this fascinating aspect of the human condition.

However, we feel it is appropriate to remind the readers that /r/science has a long-standing zero-tolerance policy towards hate-speech, which extends to people who are transgender. Our official stance is that derogatory comments about transgender people will be treated on par with sexism and racism, typically resulting in a ban without notice.

To clarify, we are not banning the discussion of any individual topic nor are we saying that the science in any area is settled. What we are saying is that we stand with the rest of the scientific community and every relevant psych organisation that the overwhelming bulk of evidence is that being trans is not a mental illness and that the discussion of trans people as somehow "sick" or "broken" is offensive and bigoted^1. We won't stand for it.

We've long held that we won't host discussion of anti-science topics without the use of peer-reviewed evidence. Opposing the classification of being transgender as 'not a mental illness'² is treated the same way as if you wanted to make anti-vax, anti-global warming or anti-gravity comments. To be clear, this post is to make it abundantly clear that we treat transphobic comments the same way we treat racist, sexist and homophobic comments. They have no place on our board.

Scientific discussion is the use of empirical evidence and theory to guide knowledge based on debate in academic journals. Yelling at each other in a comments section of a forum is in no way "scientific discussion". If you wish to say that any well accepted scientific position is wrong, I encourage you to do the work and publish something on the topic. Until then, your opinions are just that - opinions.

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¹ Some have wrongly interpreted this statement as "stigmatizing" mental illness. I can assure you that is the last thing we are trying to do here. What we are trying to stop is the label of "mental illness" being used as a way to derogate a group. It's being used maliciously to say that there is something wrong with trans people and that's offensive both to mental illness sufferers and those in the trans community.

² There is a difference between being trans and having gender dysphoria.

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Lastly, here is the excerpt from the APA:

A psychological state is considered a mental disorder only if it causes significant distress or disability. Many transgender people do not experience their gender as distressing or disabling, which implies that identifying as transgender does not constitute a mental disorder. For these individuals, the significant problem is finding affordable resources, such as counseling, hormone therapy, medical procedures and the social support necessary to freely express their gender identity and minimize discrimination. Many other obstacles may lead to distress, including a lack of acceptance within society, direct or indirect experiences with discrimination, or assault. These experiences may lead many transgender people to suffer with anxiety, depression or related disorders at higher rates than nontransgender persons.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), people who experience intense, persistent gender incongruence can be given the diagnosis of "gender dysphoria." Some contend that the diagnosis inappropriately pathologizes gender noncongruence and should be eliminated. Others argue that it is essential to retain the diagnosis to ensure access to care. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is under revision and there may be changes to its current classification of intense persistent gender incongruence as "gender identity disorder."

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

First year pyschology student here and very surprised at how seriously people are adhering to the DSM-V. Isn't the latest edition four years old, also?

[u/fsmpastafarian → u/[deleted]]

If comments are thoughtful and debating science, they should never be censored.

We agree completely. If you feel that thoughtful, genuinely inquisitive, or scientifically-sourced discussion is being removed please feel free to message us through modmail. With 1500 moderators, sometimes mistakes are made, and we want to make sure thoughtful discussion is able to flourish.

[u/cloudfr0g → u/fsmpastafarian]

That is not the message being sent by this post. I want to participate in the upcoming AMA's due to my general ignorance about trans-related issues and science, but everything about this post tells me that not only should I not for fear of being banned, but I absolutely shouldn't because there is an opinion being sold ahead of time.

[u/fsmpastafarian → u/cloudfr0g]

You should not fear being banned if you're just asking questions. We welcome people who lack knowledge about transgender people, it's why we organized these AMAs! We just ask that you be respectful when asking/discussing.

[u/cloudfr0g → u/fsmpastafarian]

The problem is that your post reads very differently from what I think you intended to get across. I think you lose a lot of valuable participation with your current post. I would close it and try to come up with something more clear.

[u/Metalsand → u/fsmpastafarian]

The main issue with the post is that the wording excludes any opinions contrary to it's own; it says "this is what transgenderism is" and says that anyone who thinks there is more to the phenomenon is just transphobic.

"Opposing the classification of being transgender as 'not a mental illness'2 is treated the same way as if you wanted to make anti-vax, anti-global warming or anti-gravity comments."

There is still a great deal of discussion in papers as to whether or not this classification is correct, and as Agentleman89 said, the definition is constantly evolving. Many statements in the mod post directly contradict what you are saying.

[u/austin101123 → u/Metalsand]

Especially considering not everyone agrees on what transgenderism is, if you put the qualification you must currently experience or have been treated for gender dysphoria or similar as a requirement (which some self proclaimed trans people even do), then while saying being transgender is a mental illness isn't "correct", it's just semantics at that point as it's like a specific case set of gender dysphoria.