Janet Parshall Commentary

Bullied or Bullying?

         In the intense cultural battle swirling around “transgenderism”, one argument made to advance acceptance of that particular worldview is that “people who are transgendered are often bullied.”  But a study from Finland questions that claim.

         “Transgenderism” has created a cultural tsunami greater than any issue in the last decade.  What we hear repeatedly through advocates, the media and in education policy is that those young people who are struggling with their identify are often ostracized and harassed merely because they are trying to find their ‘true selves’.

         A study from Finland published in Frontiers in Psychology, entitled “Transgender Identity Is Associated with Bullying Involvement Among Finnish Adolescents” found that teenagers who identify as transgender or “nonbinary,” were more likely than their non-trans-identified peers not only to be bullied, but also to bully others. In fact, the link between transgender identity and bullying was even stronger than the link to being bullied.

Dr. Colin Wright, a Manhattan Institute fellow notes:

“This adds a more complex picture to the public conversation. Yes, trans-identifying adolescents may face disproportionate bullying—but they are hardly just passive victims. The nonbinary group, in particular, stood out. Across both younger and older age groups, they reported bullying others more often than they were bullied themselves. This flips the common narrative.”   

The authors of the study wrote:

“Transgender identity, especially non-binary identity, is associated with both being bullied and perpetrating bullying even when a range of variables including internal stress and involvement in bullying in the opposite role are taken into account.”

         Here’s what I take away from the Finnish study.  For starters, we need to remember that “transgenderism” is an ideology, not a diagnosis. And, for any ideological activist, there is the temptation for the advocate to stretch the truth in an attempt to advance for their issue.  The issue of “transgenderism” is a perfect example. 

         It is also crucial to note that “non-binary” or “transgender” are self- applied terms.  It’s how a person “feels” about their sexuality.  It is not rooted in truth but driven by feelings – mostly feelings of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by depression.  Many times, abuse of some kind gets folded into this dark mix.  Minds are bruised; hearts are broken.  But the truth doesn’t change. And neither does your sex.

         The saying, “hurting people hurt people” applies here.  I am not surprised that “non-binary” or “transgendered” people bully as much if not more than those who don’t fall into those categories.  It’s a condition of the heart. People who struggle with their sexual identity often don’t feel like they belong, they desire acceptance, they want to be loved and when that doesn’t happen, the person perceived of doing the rejection gets bullied.

         What’s the answer for followers of Christ? To ask God for tougher skin and a kinder heart. Only when we see ourselves and everyone else as having been made in the image of God, does our behavior toward others change.

         Those are my thoughts. I’m Janet Parshall.