My tone was harsher than I intended. I’m sorry for that. Truly.

Viewing a desire to transition through the prism of possible mental illness, though, strikes me as of a piece with worrying about a terrorist attack or child abduction by a stranger: those things happen, but they aren’t likely.

And, yes, approaching this desire as though it’s a symptom of mental disease — in the absence of any other symptoms—does seem bigotry-adjacent. It’s at least jumping to conclusions.

You mentioned schizophrenia, which around 1 percent of Americans have, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. You also mentioned bipolar disorder, which NIMH says afflicts around 4%.

Which is more likely: that my child is among these low percentages? Or that he just wants to be a man?

Your outlook reminds me of how women are often disdained.

A woman doesn’t want to have children? Oh, she just hasn’t felt maternal feelings yet.

A woman is discriminated against at work? Oh, she’s imagining things.

A woman wants to remain single? Oh, she just hasn’t met the right guy.

I prefer to treat people as though they have the mental capacity to make their own decisions, unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary. A desire to transition is not, BY ITSELF, compelling evidence.