Fumbleweed

Affirming is certainly part of the process of counseling. But, affirming a person's value and worth is different than affirming every last idea they have. Let me give an example. And, I can't be too specific for confidentiality reasons even though the chances of someone local accessing information through the GC is about a million to one. Nevertheless, I have worked with a couple of students in recent years who believed they were transgender. In both cases, there was significant trauma underlying who they were and what they wanted. In both cases, I did not address the transgender ideation much at all. Instead, we worked on affirming who they were beyond that, particularly with respect to the trauma that had occurred in their lives prior to me meeting them. We worked on becoming whole, resilient people. In both cases, the transgender ideation faded because it was not rooted in reality for those students. They no longer hold to the idea that they wish to be transgender. I never spoke a discouraging word about any of that. I simply addressed the issues that I knew for sure were in need of addressing and left all of that other alone for now. Some would have begun to affirm the original idea in their head and missed the deeper, underlying stuff that had them grasping for something to hold and identify with. If you affirm every last idea that a child or adolescent has, you're not much of a helper and could do massive harm. Doesn't mean you have to shame them or be non-affirming per se.

I see it all the time because our counselors, social workers, etc. that are just coming out of graduate school have been indoctrinated with the idea that gender affirming care means that the moment a child expresses a thought about gender, you affirm it and help them find the path towards happiness/fulfillment as it pertains to that part of their life. Add in teachers with strong views aided mostly by leftist propaganda and the "push" is very real. And, I live in freaking Oklahoma. There's no telling how much more common that push is in other parts of the country.

As someone who has worked in a school setting as a mental health professional for 30 years, let me tell you what has gone on during the past decade or so. There is a big difference between transgenderism and the psychological/social contagion that has piggy-backed off of it. What children ages 12-17 want most is a sense of identity. The vast majority of adolescents currently claiming to be transgender or wanting to be transgender are no more transgender than you or me. They're looking for identity and finding that particular one to be affirmed by peers and sometimes adults in the school setting. And, sometimes, not affirmed certainly. But, adults who push children into any sort of actual medical procedure or intervention prior to the age of 18 are guilty of abuse from my vantage point, whether that be a parent, teacher, or school-based professional. When a child turns 18, they should be allowed to do whatever they wish on the issue, but until then, we risk permanent harm to thousands and thousands of children who have nothing more than an adolescent identity crisis meeting up with a current psychological contagion.

I have no problem with him sitting out a 4-day tournament and playing TGL instead if it's a walking/stamina issue. Of course. His business. But, he said he couldn't play the Genesis because he wasn't ready to play golf following his mother's death. Which is, again, totally fine. Just don't turn around two days later and play golf after making that declaration.

Tiger can’t play in the Genesis, but he can do this? Shaking my head at that one…

EdEx is a terrific thing. Kind of like a light in the darkness as others have said...

I would say moving forward that we should draft 4 for no-cut events, 5 for a small field like this that has some cut, and 6 for majors and fuller field events. Thoughts?

Yes. I posted yesterday that I had.

Completely. But, he gets things done.

Money sent to Edro

I have not. Will pay first thing tomorrow morning

Corey Conners as my alt

4.08- B.H An

Was going back and forth between Hovland and Lowry. He's a steady play.

3.02- Viktor Hovland

2.08- Will Zalatoris

This is why I never pay until Wednesday afternoon...

1.02- Rory McIlroy

Awful. Not a conspiracy theorist, but it has gone well beyond ridiculous at this point.

I think he's talking about me... (Cellar dweller)

Any list without Karen Carpenter is no list at all.

I think there are several of us that are going to regret not taking Finau in the fourth round...

Also, money sent to Ed.

Spieth for alternate