We all know the internet is not a safe place. It's worse than that when you go online to find information about gender diversity and trans matters. There are a lot of sites and people that actively incite fear and misinformation. Here are some red flag to look for as you search. It isn't exhaustive, but it gives an idea of what is out there and just how toxic and even violent the subject matter can be. Individuals, groups and resources that:
Make sweeping disparaging comments about trans people, no matter what the circumstance. For example, they refer to a trans person who has done something nasty or awful to be representative of a whole diverse community.
Use terms and type such as "REAL men"or "REAL women", "sex-based rights" and "gender critical". They often use #SexNotGender. These are all euphemisms for excluding trans and gender diverse people.
Emphasize the LGB part of the rainbow with deliberate deletion of T for trans.
Mock or malign people & organizations that respect pronouns. They will ridicule the use of inclusive language such as they/them.
Promote the notion that kids, especially Autistic kids are being “groomed to become trans”. Additionally there will be references to conspiracies by “trans rights activists” and parents, teachers, doctors and governments.
Promotion of disproved theories such as “social contagion” and “Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria” (ROGD).
Ignore or dispute the wealth of large scale studies and vast lived experience that show that Autistic people are much more likely to be trans/gender divergent than non Autistic peers.
Position themselves as “experts” on the trans or trans Autistic people without immersing themselves in trans-led spaces and resources.
In other words, avoid any people or sites that devote energy toward inciting fear of trans people, including making parents/carers fearful of having a trans child.
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