Reader: I'm gay, but I think raising a six-year-old as transgender is wrong

Our post about Coy Mathis, a Fountain six-year-old who was born male but identifies as female, focused on a dispute with the school district over which restroom she can use. But a number of readers had strong views about the wisdom of raising a child as transgender. Here's one...

By Michael Roberts

March 12, 2013

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Our post about Coy Mathis, a Fountain six-year-old who was born male but identifies as female, focused on a dispute with the school district over which restroom she can use. But a number of readers had strong views about the wisdom of raising a child as transgender. Here's one.

NeverBeenStr8 writes:

Being a gay man who honors all, I have to agree that this is wrong. I remember when I was around this child's age and I would dress up in my mom's heels and wrap a towel around my head and pretend I was a girl. I believe that was largely influenced by the fact that I was surrounded by female role models. These parents seem to be pushing their beliefs and assumptions on this child with little to no consideration around how his self image might change as he enters puberty. Do they realize what they've done to this child, and how this will follow him around for the rest of his life? I mean look at the family portrait. Don't you think that perhaps, just perhaps, the child is going along with his sisters and trying to fit in or relate to them??!?!?!?!! Let the child be what it wants to be without pushing adult thoughts and beliefs on him. This is just wrong.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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