this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2024
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

First you have to define what you mean when you say "reinforcement" and then differentiate it from "treatment". Are you "reinforcing" Autism when you avoid situations where you're likely to encounter loud sounds and bright lights, or when you avoid large groups of people, etc.? Are you "reinforcing" ADHD when you choose to work a non-traditional schedule and job because that's what allows you to work with the disorder? Why is presenting as something other than your assigned gender suddenly "reinforcement of a mental illness" and not "treatment"? Where do you draw the line between "reinforcing it" and "accepting your condition changes who you are and requires you to live differently from others, and utilizing effective strategies and medications that may improve quality of life and reduce suffering in the long term"?

You give eating disorders the treatment they get because, without it, the disorder will severely harm the person. You give gender dysphoria the treatment it gets because proper treatment for the specific person's case, whether it's transitioning via using appropriate pronouns or being more open with their non-traditional behaviours or making efforts to outwardly appear non-traditionally or going through HRT etc., is effective at reducing harm related to the dysphoria. What you call "reinforcing" eating disorders is not comparable to gender affirming care because it does not have the same effects.