The post Is Vaping Around Cats Bad? Vet-Reviewed Health Dangers &; Concerns by Rachel Giordano appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. If you use vape devices‚ also known as e-cigarettes‚ you may wonder if vaping around your cat is safe. Even though vape devices are not actual cigarettes‚ are they safe to use around your cat? While vape devices are potentially not quite as harmful to bystanders as actual cigarettes‚ they are unsafe to use around your cat. Vape devices contain nicotine and other toxic chemicals‚ such as formaldehyde‚ which are severe dangers to your precious feline. If you use vaping devices or know someone who does‚ read on to learn more about the dangers of vaping if pets are nearby. What Is Vaping? Vape devices are battery-operated and work by creating an aerosol that looks similar to water vapor but contains nicotine‚ flavorings‚ and other chemicals. For people who smoke or are trying to quit cigarettes‚ vaping can help kick the habit for good‚ while others feel vaping is not as harmful as cigarettes and would rather vape than smoke an actual cigarette. While the jury is still out on the long term effects of vaping‚ e-cigarettes certainly contain harmful chemicals that are toxic to you and your cat. Vaping devices operate by using cartridges filled with liquid nicotine‚ with nicotine levels equivalent to two to three cigarettes. Yikes! Nicotine is extremely toxic to cats‚ and needless to say‚ if your cat ingests some (some cats are attracted to the scent)‚ the event can cause catastrophic health issues for your cat. Image Credit: DedMityay‚ Shutterstock Is Secondhand Vape Smoke Harmful to Cats and Other Pets? While using vaping devices may seem less harmful than actual cigarettes‚ they are not without dangers. Nicotine in itself is not a danger to humans; it is the chemicals used in cigarettes and vape devices that cause health issues‚ and the way they deliver nicotine to the body. However‚ nicotine is highly toxic for pets‚ even in small doses. If your cat inhales secondhand smoke from cigarettes‚ you expose your kitty to harmful toxins that can make your cat sick. As for vaping devices‚ smoke inhalation isn’t the only hazard; aerosolized vape juices can land on your cat’s fur when you exhale‚ which can be ingested when your cat grooms itself‚ and this is a real danger to cats. One must treat vaping devices with the same cautions as cigarettes if you choose to use them. What Negative Signs Can Cats Experience When Exposed to Secondhand Smoke? If your cat is exposed to secondhand smoke‚ an array of signs could arise‚ at which time you should seek veterinary treatment immediately. Signs to look for are: Coughing Vomiting Diarrhea Drooling Depression Tremors Seizures Image Credit: Tunatura‚ Shutterstock Are THC Vape Devices Harmful to Cats? Nicotine isn’t the only chemical used in vape devices; people also use them to smoke marijuana‚ which has a psychoactive compound known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that gives you the “high.”  However‚ the dangers are the same‚ and you should use the same caution while smoking vapes with THC. Further‚ if your cat ingests a THC cartridge‚ don’t wait for signs of toxicity before seeing a veterinarian‚ which can involve: Ataxia Disorientation Tips for Preventing Pet Exposure to Vaping According to the U.S. Surgeon General‚ smoking‚ whether cigarettes or vape devices‚ is hazardous to your health. However‚ if you choose to smoke and you have a cat‚ it’s imperative to take steps to minimize your cat’s exposure. Some extra precautions to exercise are: Store all vaping devices and accessories (cartridges‚ liquids‚ batteries‚ etc.) in a place your cat and other pets cannot gain access. Dispose of used batteries and containers safely. Charge your vape pin in a place unreachable from your cat and other pets. Smoke your vape device outdoors‚ away from your cat and other animals. Clean vaping accessories thoroughly to keep your cat from investigating due to the smells. Keep your guests’ items‚ such as purses‚ coats‚ etc.‚ out of reach of your cat and other pets if they use vapes. If you have guests over who vape‚ kindly ask them to smoke outdoors and keep their vape devices put away and out of reach. Image Credit: Oleggg‚ Shutterstock Final Thoughts As a pet owner‚ it’s your responsibility to take care of your pets‚ regardless of what pet you have‚ and part of being a responsible pet owner is to keep harmful items away from your pets‚ such as vaping devices. Smoke inhalation and droplets of liquids from these devices are a real threat to cats‚ especially if the droplets land on the fur or if your cat gets a hold of a cartridge. By implementing the safety tips mentioned above‚ you can keep your cat from being exposed to harmful substances from vape devices. Sources https://www.lung.org/quit-smoking/e-cigarettes-vaping/impact-of-e-cigarettes-on-lung#:~:text=E%2Dcigarettes%20produce%20a%20number‚as%20cardiovascular%20(heart)%20disease. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-truths-you-need-to-know-about-vaping https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vaping/what-is-vaping#:~:text=Vaping%20simulates%20smoking.‚cross%20over%20into%20the%20bloodstream. https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/new-pavaping-and-pets-dont-mixge/#:~:text=Animals%20who%20get%20into%20THC‚%2C%20disorientation%2C%20and%20urine%20dribbling. https://www.baysideanimalhospitalonline.com/blog/safety-for-vaping-around-pets https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/health-effects-tobacco-use/chemicals-tobacco-products-and-your-health#:~:text=Nicotine%20is%20a%20highly%20addictive‚present%20in%20all%20tobacco%20products. https://www.harpethhillsvet.com/blog/vaping-around-pets-okay-or-no-way/ https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/stop-smoking-your-health-and-your-pets-health https://e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov/ https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/be-smoke-free-and-help-your-pets-live-longer-healthier-lives#:~:text=Nicotine%20can%20be%20toxic%20even‚to%20100%20milligrams%20(mg Featured Image Credit: DedMityay‚ Shutterstock The post Is Vaping Around Cats Bad? Vet-Reviewed Health Dangers &; Concerns by Rachel Giordano appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

The much anticipated Alien series in the works at FX is set to start filming this year in Thailand‚ and showrunner Noah Hawley‚ who has worked on other FX shows such as Legion and Fargo‚ has plans for the series to go beyond one season. In a recent interview with Collider‚ Hawley shared that FX wanted his Alien prequel‚ which takes place on Earth at the same time as the events in Prometheus‚ to be a show with multiple seasons rather than a limited series stint. The network’s desire aligned with Hawley’s‚ who said that his idea for Alien had a three-part structure. “I knew that [FX’s] desire was for a recurring series‚ not a limited series [for Alien]‚ and I had an idea that I was excited about‚ that I could see the escalation of it from one year to another‚” Hawley said. “That’s where we ended up not pitching them having a bible or pitching them blow-by-blow‚ but saying‚ ‘Big picture: this is the first movement‚ this is the second movement‚ and we’re ultimately going here.’” How many seasons Hawley has in mind isn’t clear from this statement‚ though the three movements he describes suggest at least three seasons. It also means that the writer-director has a clear end in mind for the show. We still don’t have a firm release date for the long-gestating series‚ though we do know that Timothy Olphant has been tapped to star along with Sydney Chandler‚ Essie Davis‚ and Alex Lawther. With production officially underway‚ however‚ there’s a good chance we’ll see the Alien series on FX sometime in early 2025.

David F. Sandberg‚ the director behind the two Shazam! films and Annabelle: Creation‚ is teaming up once again with Annabelle writer‚ Gary Dauberman‚ to adapt the 2015 PlayStation horror video game Until Dawn. According to The Hollywood Reporter‚ Sandberg has signed on with Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions (both owned by Sony) to direct the film‚ with Daubman‚ whose previous credits also include It‚ The Nun‚ and the upcoming live-action Gargoyles series‚ taking a pass on a script written by Blair Butler. Until Dawn follows eight people trying to stay alive on Blackwood Mountain‚ a place they revisit after two of their friends died there the year before. The player can control all eight people in the game‚ and all eight have the potential to die as play unfolds‚ depending on what decisions the player makes. In the game‚ Rami Malek (pictured above)‚ Hayden Panettiere‚ Meaghan Martin‚ Brett Dalton‚ Jordan Fisher‚ Nichole Bloom‚ and Peter Stormare voice-acted and provided motion capture for their characters. It received high critical praise and was nominated for several gaming awards‚ including a British Academy Games Awards win for best original property. We don’t know much about the movie adaptation yet‚ other than it will be an “R-rated love letter to the horror genre‚” according to THR‚ and that it will have an ensemble cast. We also don’t know if any of the actors in the video game will reprise their roles in the film‚ but we’ll likely get some casting news once the project gears up to start filming.

Speaking Jan. 5 in Blue Bell‚ Pennsylvania‚ President Joe Biden said that the 2024 election is about whether “democracy” is “still America’s sacred cause.” But is democracy “sacred”? Is the process by which we make choices “sacred‚” or is what we choose “sacred”? This is the time of year we think about the sanctity of life. Although Roe v. Wade is no longer law of the land‚ the abortion issue is still very much before us as the Congress and states across the nation work to crystallize what the next chapter will look like regarding abortion policy in our country. March for Life events will take place across the nation‚ as every year‚ noting the Supreme Court’s decision Jan. 22‚ 1973‚ in Roe v. Wade that opened the door for more than 63 million unborn children destroyed decisionin the womb. The abortion policy debate is defined by those who call themselves “pro-choice” and those who define their view as “pro-life.” “Pro-choice” basically says that what is most important is the process—that women are free to choose whether to abort. What is most important‚ in this view‚ is not what is chosen‚ but that there is choice. Those who are “pro-life” focus on what is chosen as the key. The issue is sanctity of life. Life is what is sacred. I often note the parallel to slavery. Sen. Stephen Douglas of Illinois‚ in the 1850s‚ championed democracy as the answer to how the nation would deal with the issue of slavery for new states entering the union. New states would decide whether slavery would be permitted in their state by voting. Again‚ the importance was given to process—how the choice is made—and not to what is chosen. Abraham Lincoln’s response to Douglas’ proposition was this: “God did not place good and evil before man‚ telling him to make his choice. On the contrary‚ he did tell him there was one tree‚ of the fruit of which he should not eat‚ upon pain of certain death. I should scarcely wish so strong a prohibition against slavery in Nebraska.” For Lincoln‚ the focus of importance was on what is chosen—that good be chosen over evil. And‚ for Lincoln‚ slavery was clearly evil. Democracy was not the answer. Making the correct moral choice was the answer. In Biden’s remarks Jan. 5‚ he cited Gen. George Washington’s leadership during the American War of Independence‚ and Washington’s calling the values for which they were struggling “sacred.” Was Washington talking about a struggle for a political process or a struggle for sacred truths? We can answer this by noting Washington’s famous remarks in his farewell address to the nation in 1796: It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. Where is the security for property‚ for reputation‚ for life‚ if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths‚ which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. The latest Gallup polling says 28% are satisfied with the way democracy is working in our country—an all-time low. Only 22% are satisfied with the direction of the country. I think what is really bothering Americans is not the state of our political processes but that we have lost touch with the core principles and truths that define our country. Slow economic growth‚ inflation‚ breakdown of the American family‚ massive government spending‚ and debt all point to a breakdown of sacred truths‚ not political processes. It’s not about how we choose but what we choose. And to return to the abortion issue‚ I don’t see how a nation can see itself as free‚ with control over its destiny‚ without appreciation for the sanctity of life. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Abortion‚ Sacred Truths‚ and Politics appeared first on The Daily Signal.

State lawmakers continue to unravel the thread of discrimination leading to university bureaucracies committed to diversity‚ equity and inclusion. This spring‚ prepare for more legislators to cobble together provisions that protect students and college employees from DEI’s racial bias. Last year‚ public officials in five states—Florida‚ Texas‚ Iowa‚ Oklahoma and Wisconsin—adopted proposals that put university systems on notice that DEI departments’ discriminatory activities would be shut down. Florida After Florida lawmakers adopted proposals in May calling for an end to DEI on college campuses‚ the state university governing board voted in November to prohibit universities from using taxpayer funds on DEI. Texas In Texas‚ a new state law requires state university administrators to begin shutting down campus DEI offices this year. State legislators in most states returned to session earlier this month‚ and DEI is at the top of the agenda for many. Utah In Utah‚ lawmakers are considering a proposal that prohibits mandatory DEI trainings that advocate for racial preferences or “promotes the differential treatment of an individual” based on race. The proposal also says universities cannot operate programs that assert “directly or indirectly that an individual should be discriminated against‚ receive adverse treatment‚ be advanced‚ or receive beneficial treatment because of the individual’s personal identity characteristics.” Utah State University operates a DEI office that‚ among other pledges to the woke orthodoxy‚ provides a “land acknowledgement statement” on its website. Universities use these statements as a guilt offering‚ as though by saying the school was not the first to use the property on which the college sits‚ they absolve themselves of historical events the school had nothing to do with. No word on whether the school intends to give the land back. The University of Utah also has a DEI office that will host an event in February on “Lunar Perspectives: Moonlight Dialogue with Black Queer Voices.” DEI offices often host events such as these‚ and parents and taxpayers should wonder how such DEI programs improve student achievement or prepare students to be better engineers‚ medical professionals‚ educators or even astronomers when they graduate. South Carolina In South Carolina‚ lawmakers have introduced a proposal that would prohibit colleges from “establishing or maintaining an office or division or other unit by any name whose purpose‚ in whole or in part‚ is the promotion of diversity‚ equity and inclusion.” To the university’s credit‚ the University of South Carolina renamed its DEI office last year and added civil rights to the new office’s title‚ though Clemson University still operates a DEI office. Oklahoma In Oklahoma‚ state lawmakers have introduced four proposals to enforce Gov. Kevin Stitt’s executive order from last December that said executive state agencies may not use taxpayer funds to “grant or support diversity‚ equity or inclusion provisions‚ departments‚ activities‚ procedures or programs” that treat people differently based on race or color or national origin. Both the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University have DEI offices‚ and the Oklahoma Council for Public Affairs found that the University of Oklahoma spent more than $83 million on DEI activities over the past 10 years. Last year‚ school officials spent $56‚000 on drag queen shows alone. Whether state officials will identify DEI offices as discriminatory—and document how these departments do nothing to advance racial or intellectual diversity—will be key measures of success for state lawmakers this legislative session. DEI offices and training programs advocate for racial preferences and other slippery components of Marxist critical theory‚ such as so-called microaggressions and implicit bias. Legislative proposals also should prevent college administrators from requiring job applicants to write DEI statements as a condition of applying for a position. West Virginia West Virginia lawmakers are considering a new proposal that bans these loyalty oaths‚ saying‚ “No diversity statement shall ever be required or solicited as part of an admissions process‚ employment application process‚ hiring process‚ contract renewal process or promotion process.” For proposals to deal effectively with the bias inherent in DEI‚ lawmakers should directly state that colleges and universities cannot use taxpayer funds to create or operate DEI offices. Public officials in five states are freeing their states’ campuses from DEI’s discrimination—and there are more to come. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post State Lawmakers Are Freeing Colleges From DEI’s Racial Bias appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Are conservatives plotting to subvert American institutions? This bold assertion was tucked inside the op-ed that Claudine Gay published in The New York Times the day after she stepped down as Harvard University’s president. Gay made the accusation twice in her op-ed‚ so it was not a passing fancy. She devoted a full paragraph to the idea‚ which deserves quoting in full: The campaign against me was about more than one university and one leader. This was merely a single skirmish in a broader war to unravel public faith in pillars of American society. Campaigns of this kind often start with attacks on education and expertise‚ because these are the tools that best equip communities to see through propaganda. But such campaigns don’t end there. Trusted institutions of all types—from public health agencies to news organizations—will continue to fall victim to coordinated attempts to undermine their legitimacy and ruin their leaders’ credibility. For the opportunists driving cynicism about our institutions‚ no single victory or toppled leader exhausts their zeal. Further on in the op-ed‚ Gay added that courage was needed “to stand up to those who seek to undermine what makes universities unique in American life.” This contention is at first blush paradoxical. Many people‚ especially those in the center and the center- Left‚ are belatedly coming around to agree that our cultural institutions have made a gigantic mistake in enforcing the view that all of life must be seen through the power dynamic of the “oppressed vs. the oppressor.” But those of us who have been writing about this for years have made the case that to get power over these institutions‚ the Left first had to undermine American norms and institutions. This is the heart of what is known as “cultural Marxism.” It is not always possible to settle economic scores and overthrow regimes through violent and bloody revolutions as Karl Marx wanted (and the bloodier they were‚ the more Marx liked them)‚ so a better approach is to infiltrate the institutions and indoctrinate the population‚ especially the young. In the lingo of the cultural revolutionaries‚ this is called replacing the existing “cultural hegemony” with a “counterhegemony‚” or engaging in “consciousness raising” with those who have “false consciousness” because they‚ wrongly in this view‚ identify with the oppressor class. Your average woke professor may call false consciousness being “white adjacent” because our present-day cultural Marxists have racialized cultural Marxism. If you have ever taken a graduate seminar or debated one of these pinheads‚ you are sure to have heard these phrases. But what is known as the Left’s “March Through the Institutions” (their term) has been so successful that Gay and the rest of the cultural Marxist Left are now putting us on notice that they are the new hegemony and we unwashed are running a subversion that wants to impose a counterhegemony. Some might call it a quiet insurrection‚ though let’s not give them any ideas. We saw an element of this exactly a year ago when an NHL player born in Russia‚ Ivan Provorov‚ refused to wear an LGBT “pride” jersey during warmups‚ citing his Christian Orthodox religious beliefs. An ESPN commentator‚ E.J. Hradek‚ said that if Provorov couldn’t “assimilate” to American ways‚ he should go back to Russia. “If this is that much of a problem for him‚ to maybe assimilate into his group of teammates‚ and in the community and here in this country‚ that’s OK‚” Hradek said. “Listen‚ you can feel any way you want. But the beauty is if it bothers you that much‚ there’s always a chance to leave‚ go back to where you feel more comfortable.” Except that the immense changes the cultural Left has wrought (and yes‚ they have been immense) have been accomplished in a very few years. There is still more than folk memory of how things used to be. Although many people have come to accept gay marriage‚ for example‚ the Supreme Court only judged it constitutional less than a decade ago. Many other people continue to see marriage as society recognizing the species’ reproductive strategy and government’s sanction of it based solely on its interest in regeneration. And there’s even less consensus on the T in LGBTQ‚ especially concerning grotesque medical procedures on minors.  What is truly un-American is demanding that anybody affirm anything against their belief system or leave the country. It is ludicrous therefore for Hradek to claim that Provorov is not assimilating “in the community and here in this country‚” just as it is for Gay to claim that conservatives are undermining “pillars of society” and “expertise” because these tools enable society to see through propaganda. This is true only if you accept the cultural Marxist charge that reality is not real‚ that man’s perception of the natural world cannot be relied upon because it is comprehended only through a conceptual superstructure that can be built‚ torn down‚ or replaced. This canonical belief in man’s power to deconstruct reality only produces the ideological morass that prevented Gay from rejecting genocide categorically at a catastrophic congressional testimony Dec. 5. Her “expertise” consists only in the ability to speak this lingo—to share‚ as she so self-incriminatingly put it at one point‚ “her truth.” This new hegemony is thus unmoored from reality‚ from natural law‚ from eternal truth‚ and the shaky institutions built on them engender their own cynicism. All critics have to do is tell the plain truth to undermine it. This commentary originally was published by the Washington Examiner Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post The Left Feels Threatened by Those Who Tell the Truth appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A new documentary is exposing the horrors that the transgender movement wreaks upon men‚ as well as the social and medical-industrial conditions that have led to those horrors. The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network released “The Lost Boys: Searching for Manhood” this week‚ featuring interviews with numerous men in both the U.S. and the U.K. who have undergone gender-transition procedures and with leading psychologists in the field of gender dysphoria. The documentary examines the key common factors that lead young men to question their biological sex and seek gender transitions; namely‚ pornography‚ grooming‚ and the latent cultural detritus of feminism. It also explores how the medical industry promotes transgenderism‚ and how the young men wounded by transgenderism seek recovery and healing. Some young men begin to question their biological sex during puberty‚ according to the documentary. One of the chief reasons behind this is the socially prevalent claim that men are inherently dangerous or “toxic.” “I think the messaging these boys have heard throughout their childhoods about ‘toxic masculinity’ has instilled a sense of shame‚ shame about being male‚” explained clinical psychotherapist Joe Burgo. “And when puberty hits‚ that shame is deeply intensified because they don’t know how to process this sexual drive that they’ve got‚ which is often—I wouldn’t say ‘violent‚’ but forceful. It’s fueled also by pornography that’s online.” Pornography seemed to be a key factor for the young men interviewed in “The Lost Boys.” A man named Brian explained that he discovered pornography at a very young age and quickly became addicted‚ progressing from gay porn to transgender to what he called “this bizarre subgenre of pornography called sissy hypnosis porn.” Brian said‚ “I was able to sort of keep a lid on it while I was going to college. When I graduated college‚ that’s when I spiraled out of control.” Another young man‚ Ritchie‚ explained that he became heavily involved in online forums‚ where he was groomed by older men in transgender chat rooms. He said he went to these websites seeking answers and advice from men who he presumed had transitioned genders. Most of those men turned out to be homosexual‚ not transgender‚ and convinced Ritchie to self-manufacture and distribute child pornography. Other men told Ritchie how freeing and liberating it was to transition and encouraged him to start. “The way I see it specifically in the actual sense of grooming is‚ say‚ a trans-identified boy has assignations online with older men who encourage him to dress up in female clothing‚ and they give him lots of praise‚” Burgo commented. “They’re predatory men. There’s no other word for them. There’s a whole predatory group of men out there who are exploiting the insecurities and the shame of these young men.” Ritchie also explained that he was told by older men online that his testosterone made him “toxic.” He said he was told that “testosterone is poison.” Another young man interviewed‚ Torren‚ also talked of the influence that social media and online chat rooms had on him. “I keep hearing the messages‚ from media‚ Reddit and Instagram being big things‚ and you see all of these people transitioning‚ and they just seem happy. You see them on social media. They seem like they’re just saying like it solved all their problems‚” he said. “I think I knew that it was too good to be true‚ but I struggled with it.” Graham Linehan‚ an Irish comedy writer who was largely blackballed for speaking out against the transgender agenda‚ stated‚ “There is obviously a problem with young men.” He explained‚ “Part of the problem is that they are—the things they naturally find funny‚ the things they naturally find interesting‚ the things they naturally find sexy have all been problematized. They’re being made to feel like there’s something wrong with all these things‚ these very natural things they’re feeling.” Linehan added‚ “On top of that‚ you have an increasingly censorious kind of atmosphere where they really can’t say what they want to say.” Burgo agreed‚ saying‚ “Pretty much all the messaging they’ve been given—during grade school and growing up‚ in media‚ from their families‚ from their teachers‚ everywhere—is that men‚ traditional men are really bad‚ and that men need to be more like women.” He further noted‚ “I mean‚ if you look at the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for working with men and boys‚ they basically pathologize traditional masculinity. These boys grow up feeling like being a man is awful.” Dr. Az Hakeem‚ who is billed as the U.K.’s top gender expert‚ explained that another key factor is mental health conditions that pro-transgenderism medical professionals often overlook. He stated that all of the male patients he has worked with over the past 23 years have been on the autism spectrum. “The thing about the autistic mind is‚ it’s very ‘black and white.’ It loves categories. It loves rules‚” Hakeem said. “And what I was hearing from my male patients were‚ ‘Well‚ to be male‚ you have to be like this‚ this‚ this and this. I’m not like this; therefore‚ I’m other. I’m non-male; therefore‚ I must be female.’” Burgo explained that young men on the autism spectrum tend to be “very dissociated from and uncomfortable with their bodies and the sensory world. They don’t like touch. And the emergence of sexuality and all the sensations it’s provoked is deeply disturbing and often dissociative.” Yet medical professionals don’t seek to help autistic young men uncomfortable in their bodies find ways to fit in and accept themselves as they are. They rush to promote gender-transition procedures without even diagnosing any other condition. Ritchie described how he was put on a regimen of hormone drugs‚ approved by Britain’s National Health Service (NHS)‚ and began seeing a “gender therapist.” He said‚ “The first question I got asked by the NHS psychiatrist was‚ ‘Do you want genital-reassignment surgery?’ And that was my very first psychiatric session at the NHS‚ and I was like‚ ‘I don’t think so. I think I want therapy to be honest … .’” But his doctor kept asking Ritchie if he wanted surgery. “It was just all the time‚ constant‚ constant‚ constant‚ ‘Do you want surgery? Do you want surgery? Do you want surgery?” he said. Ritchie responded that he wanted to know what the risks are and wanted to give the procedure careful thought‚ afraid that he might regret it. He even brought his mother with him to the doctor‚ and she expressed concern over how the estrogen drugs he was taking were reacting with his antidepressants and how surgery might affect that. Ritchie said the doctor “did his best to shut my mother down and make her believe that if she said anything else [against surgery] it would drive us to suicide.” A young Norwegian man‚ Alexander‚ explained that psychotherapy in Norway is rare‚ and very serious conditions must be met before an individual may be assigned a therapist. So‚ Alexander “exaggerated” and pretended to be suicidal in order to get an appointment with a therapist who would prescribe him estrogen drugs. After beginning his hormone battery‚ Alexander talked to his therapist only three times before being given a letter of recommendation for genital surgery. “How can you come to a conclusion that this kind of surgery‚ life-changing surgery‚ is the best choice for the patient after talking to the patient three times?” he asked. All of the young men interviewed talked about the effects estrogen had on them‚ particularly noting a “brain fog” resulting from the drug. “I never really felt suicidal or anything until I took estrogen. It didn’t make my life any better. In fact‚ it made my life worse‚ because I started to feel really depressed‚” Brian explained. Estrogen decreases testosterone‚ and as testosterone decreases in men‚ they become depressed‚ lethargic and unmotivated. As estrogen increases in men‚ it worsens those issues‚ impairs memory and attention span‚ and clouds reasoning and judgment. Both Ritchie and Alexander explained that they likely would have decided against surgery if they hadn’t been placed on estrogen. “Medical professionals really led me astray with this‚” Brian said. “Some people are now messed up for life. I’ll never be able to have kids‚ my rugged masculinity is never gonna come back. It’s all patient-led‚ it’s patient-led. ‘I want to do hormones and I want to have this surgery.’” He explained‚ “A good therapist‚ I think‚ would have said‚ ‘Well‚ maybe you’re transgender‚ who knows? But let’s get sober for awhile and then let’s revisit this topic.’ But that’s not what happened.” Hakeem added‚ “Parents have bought into it. They’re being fed all this propaganda‚ like if you don’t let your child do this they’ll kill themselves. There’s no evidence to suggest that’s true.” By the documentary’s end‚ everyone agreed that men cannot become women; that the chief claim of transgenderism is a lie. “Gender ideology does not believe that there’s biological sex. It believes that ‘felt gender’ has replaced biological sex. It believes that there are 100 genders. And I think it’s nonsense. There’s biological sex. You’re male‚ you’re female‚ and a very tiny proportion of the people are intersex‚” Hakeem explained. Burgo said‚ “I do not believe that anyone is born in the wrong body‚ nor do I believe that anyone has an innate ‘gender identity’ that might be out of alignment with their sexed body. We are lying to children. I think we need to stop lying to children.” Ritchie said he started a recovery group for young men who have gone through gender-transition procedures. “We’ve all opted for something we call ‘recovery‚’ rather than ‘detransition‚’” he explained. “Because there was no transition‚ I never went to female‚ and I’m not going back to male. I never left.” Alexander said‚ “I’m at peace that I’m a man‚ that I cannot change that‚ and I think of it as a biological reality. In Norway‚ we don’t have a word for ‘detransitioner.’ We have a word that can be loosely translated to ‘a regretter.’” Torren declared that he has accepted who he is‚ saying‚ “I … realized that all these steps that I was taking to try to somehow ‘be my true self’ were actually taking me away from my true self‚ were actually taking me away from who I was.” “The Lost Boys” is currently available for free on YouTube. Originally published at WashingtonStand.com Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post ‘The Lost Boys’: Documentary Looks at Adverse Effects of Transgenderism on Young Men appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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