When Old People Suffer Because of the Sex of the Young: A Commentary on Korte, A. & Tschuschke, V. (2023). The Media's Stranglehold on Sturm und Drang - The Sorrows of Generation Z Regarding Sex and Gender

Abstract

When Old People Suffer Because of the Sex of the Young: A Commentary on Korte, A. & Tschuschke, V. (2023). The Media's Stranglehold on Sturm und Drang - The Sorrows of Generation Z Regarding Sex and Gender Abstract: In their article "Sturm und Drang im Würgegriff der Medien - Die Leiden der jungen Generation am eigenen Geschlecht" in the Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie (volume 51, issue 5), our colleagues Korte and Tschuschke address the question of the extent to which the increase in gender identity deviations among adolescents "also results from upheavals the cultural landscape and, above all, in media technology." The authors look critically at the planned German "Self-Determination Law," the social transition of children and adolescents, the so-called puberty blockade, and hormone therapy in adolescents and justify their preference for a gender-critical over a transaffirmative therapy approach. Although the article introduces some interesting hypotheses from the perspective of cultural studies and philosophy (among others), it may contribute to uncertainty among colleagues in treating trans*people because of its trans-critical tone. This stems from linguistic devices, misleading and erroneous quotations, and incomplete or incorrect descriptions of facts. This contribution therefore takes a critical look at the article by Korte and Tschuschke, using critical linguistic analysis and examining the facts, data, and sources cited by the authors. It encourages our colleagues to engage in a joint, participatory, trans*respectful treatment process with gender-dysphoric children and adolescents while exploring the sizeable intermediate area between "gender-critical" and "transaffirmative" attitudes, which the authors Korte and Tschuschke barely touch on in their article.