Transgender to Transformed | Laura Perry Smalts shares her life-changing story with Billy Hallowell

Even in a time of culture wars and controversy about everything, there are few subjects as difficult to discuss as transgender rights. In less than a decade the number of young people identifying as trans has exploded, and with it the number of arguments about the subject. In British schools nearly 80% of teachers report trans-identified or non-binary students in their classroom.
Supporters say being trans is innate, like being gay, and that this is like the gay-rights movement of 30 years ago, with lots of trans kids coming out of the closet to be themselves. Critics say being trans is not innate and that many kids are identifying as the opposite sex because it is cool, and because they are being indoctrinated by a new ideology, fed to them on social media and by activist teachers.
The debates have become most heated when it comes to actual medical transitioning. In all of the disagreement, what frequently gets lost is the need for compassion for anyone struggling with dysphoria. But how far should compassion go? Should it allow any teenager who says they are trans to medically transition? What about the increasing number of studies showing that many such kids have other serious mental-health issues?
Laura Perry Smalts who was born female, and lived as a young man for almost 9 years. She took cross-sex hormones for years and had two major surgeries. She now regrets ever having done it, has detransitioned, and wants to warn others of the dangers. She is here to tell her story.
www.amazon.co.uk/Transgender-...
This is a helpful article on the Living Out website on how to parent a child who is questioning their gender identity www.livingout.org/resources/a... Bayswater Support group helps parents whose children have some form of transgender of nonbinary identity www.bayswatersupport.org.ukA quick guide to the issue written for the Christian Medical Fellowship www.cmf.org.uk/resources/publ... Society for Evidence-based Gender Medicine segm.orgTransgender Trend campaign against medical interventions for gender-questioning children www.transgendertrend.comGenspect is an international coalition of professionals and others critical of transgender treatment for gender dysphoria genspect.orgThe Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender can-sg.org/
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[@virginiaweir-hj1rt]

As a former lesbian with a mild degree of gender dysphoria, it's a truism to say I would have been identified as trans had I been growing up now. I thank God he spared me this burden. He is good - all the time!

[@samanthabotha3456]

This is an excellent episode! What an amazing woman you are. Thank you for sharing your story 🎉

[@rebeccapalo3099]

What a beautiful young women and her journey to surrendering to her God. Thank you for sharing your story. Your beauty is so visible of what Jesus has done in you. Glory be to God!

[@trevornunn3285]

Nothing beautiful about butt-kissing an imaginary deity

[@solideogloria5553]

this is why the church is still on earth, to testify , if we don't speak for our Good shepherd who loves us, we are useless, and the stones will cry out: hosana to the highest!

[@lookup7055]

Congratulations, Laura.

[@Listenerandlearner870]

This is a welcome story. It is totally fine to detransition. Some detransitioners are Christian and have a walk with God and detransitioning is a part of their transformation. It is important that Christians do not make detransitioning compulsory. This is an area where more practical knowledge will help everyone. Do you even know if everyone who has medically transitioned can detransition ? Just showing people who have detransitioned seems on its own to be insufficiently helpful.

[@giftofgodcatholicministry-3837]

Wow! Truly unbelievable and relevant. Powerful testimony-wise

[@paxetgratia]

Such an amazing story of God’s transforming and healing power 🙌 Truly, there’s nothing impossible with Him! Thank you, Laura, for sharing your story with us! 💟✝️

[@karenpeterson5780]

Excellent interview, thank you both!

[@solideogloria5553]

preach sister, the Holy spirit is speaking through you and your testimony loud and clear, tell the world of the Goodness and mercy of our saviour Yeshua HaMeshiah

[@EssenceofPureFlavor]

Thank you for posting this. Fantastic video.

[@rolson1695]

Really appreciated hearing Laura's story - she opened my eyes to several things, but her relationship with her mother, and the rejection she felt was especially helpful. Her grace towards her mother's own issues shows just how much love and wisdom she has now. Beautiful. Thank you for this!

[@dylanbradshaw3506]

Thank you!

[@caroldonaldson5936]

Really looking forward to this one! Love hearing from Laura - she's such an encouragement to have faith that in God we can do hard things!❤️🙏😇

[@daviddrozek1195]

Very interesting story! I hope you also interview someone with faith who was happy with their transition to give both sides, as has been the custom with Unbelievable? I can understand not having a debate, but certainly balance would be helpful.

[@Tukeen]

I expect this to happen, if the channel becomes one sided propaganda than it is unsubscribing time.

[@patrickjones2379]

I've found this channel refreshing because of the mostly balanced views. I have been mischaracterized, but from a guest (Willy C), but overall the channel has been wonderful.

[@SkyeTerrier2017]

There is no such thing as a “trans lifestyle”. Trans individuals vary widely in person and in worldview. Transgender isn’t an ideology; an ideology is a systematic body of concepts and usually refers to a set of political beliefs.

[@reneeantwi-boasiako3974]

❤🙏🏿

[@realtorbee365]

@JordanBPeterson would like him to follow up with this.

[@Sam-uo5ih]

This is horrific. Will Premier Unbelievable interview a trans person who is glad to have transitioned? There are far more of them than detransitioners, and some are even Christians. That said, it seems that most trans people who were religious end up leaving their faith because of the cruelty, rejection, and trauma that comes with this kind of fundamentalism.

[@donniewalsh4888]

😈 *promosm*

[@vanoroce64]

A story is just that: one anecdote. The data we have so far says Laura's case, as valid as it is, is rare. Why not have a trans person who doesn't regret it, who has an opposing opinion? Also: let's say I chat with an ex-Christian who says Christianity was a phase and now he understands his beliefs to be invalid. Would that have the same effect for you as Laura's story? Also: no, every human organ is not gendered. I don't know where Laura is getting any of that.

[@Seapatico]

I want to support this channel, but this is in such poor taste, and does not live up to the level of fairness that you approach other subjects. You have on people like Alex O'Connor to have very serious debates about theology, but to discuss trans people, you just have on one person who detransitioned? In the most recent, most comprehensive meta-analysis on the long term outcome of transitioning, only 1% of trans people experienced "regret" over transitioning, and for many, that regret was temporary and due to the judgement of their community. This person's story is probably totally valid, but to show the extreme outlier as if it represents the whole group is horribly irresponsible -- especially at a time when trans people's existence and well-being are constantly at risk. Trans people exist, have always existed, and will always exist. It's okay if you don't understand it. I don't understand organic chemistry. But that doesn't mean it's reasonable to just disregard the entire body of evidence about it. Please do better than this. A lot of lives are at risk, and this sort of coverage is not helping.

[@Venaloid]

But he has an anecdote! How can all that boring data even begin to compare?

[@SecularPaganMum]

Thank you. Well said

[@mathiasrennochaves3533]

You are right, this shouldn't the end of discussion. A life history isn't the best evidence because of it's anecdotal nature. But I suspect It is too soon to see the results of longterm regret of transitioning. The demographic, the reasons, the social context and the methods of transitioning has changed a lot, so would be reasonable to expect different outcomes. Also, this 1% shouldn't be ignored. At least it should inform who should be treated by this or that method... Regret isn't the only important data we should be aware too... it is important but it has all sorts of confounding variables implied in it. People can lie to doctors and even for themselves, the social community can influence regret also, and so on. But the worst problem que we are talking about regret is that people can't see how their life would have been if they hadn't make some choice. A better way too look at this would be: a group of potentialy trans people is observed from earlier age. Some go through transition and others don't... Who regrets the most? Who is less depressed? Are there some age or others clues we could use to help them make the best decision for them? How the interference of each method affect the results? It's a difficult subject... And I'm afraid that each side of the argument is frequently more concerned of how a particular result may affect their own views of the world (political, philosophical, moral or religious) than what is in the best interest of the pacient.

[@Seapatico]

@@mathiasrennochaves3533 I can't speak for everyone, but for myself, I'm exclusively interested in the well-being of the trans person (or, likewise, the people who detransition and no longer consider themselves trans). So in that regard, I would say regret is a very good measure. I also feel safe saying that that is how virtually all trans people and trans allies feel, because they know the pain and suffering that trans people go through firsthand, and how much joy and peace transition brings to do many. Whereas the other side almost always comes from a place of assumption and ignorance. You can't truly understand the trans experience *and* feel like both sides have equally valid points. That's especially true considering that that seems to be the biggest talking point people have against transition; "But they're just kids! They don't know any better! They'll regret it!" I agree that that 1% should not be ignored. They are people just trying to figure out who they are and what their place in the world is, and the idea of undergoing surgery (which SOME trans people choose to do) and then regretting it, is horrifying. But what I feel like people miss when they aren't trans or aren't familiar with the trans experience is this: the horror you imagine within someone who has surgery and then regrets it and feels trapped inside this body that they now have to live with, is that's *literally* what trans people experience every day. In a sense, that is the definition of gender dysphoria and is at the heart of this issue. That fear that you have for people who might come to regret transitioning should also be applied to the 100x more people who live every day like that, and who simply wish to be left alone to make their own decisions with their doctors and their families about what is best for them. It isn't up to ANYONE but you to guess what would be best for your life. No one is in a better position than you to know what will lead to the best outcome for your life. So to tell trans people, who are by an overwhelming majority happy that they transitioned, that they perhaps should regret it because you think maybe they're all wrong and maybe they just needed Jesus (which weirdly implies that they are no trans Christians), is intensely self-serving and not at all humble or respectful. My last small point to add is that it is unusual to me to think that updated methods of transitioning might lead to MORE regret. Like, are people today more likely to regret getting corrective orthodontics today than they were 50 years ago? It seems much more likely that advances in technology have made Invisalign much more comfortable than metal headgear was in the 1970s. Anyway, you seem kind, and I appreciate the dialogue. I think you're genuinely coming from a good place. I just think you're starting from an outside perspective and worldview, and not from the actual lived experiences of trans people. And that's why this video upsets me so much, because there are trans Christians who would love to share their stories in supportive environments like this and open people's hearts and minds. But instead we're just getting one person who represents the extremely small minority that doesn't challenge anyone, and that's a huge missed opportunity. (You might check out Rebekah Bruesehoff @therealrebekah and her family. She's a trans girl who's Christian and whose father is a pastor.)

[@jonathanseppo6836]

Absolutely agree. I come to UnBelievable for the back and forth on important topics. I would CHERISH a back and forth here. Without it, it's hard not to feel forced into a particular worldview. I can get that from any Christian platform already. What makes you, UnBelievable, different is the back and forth from both sides.

[@jerklecirque138]

What a hideous title. Akin to "pray the gay away".

[@MO51MARRIED6yrAISHA]

No one. No child. No adult. Not a single person can transition in to the opposite gender

[@trevornunn3285]

It happens in nature. They're called GUEVEDOCES Q.E.D. You're welcome

[@robbielee2148]

Wrong, anyone can play with gender but no one can change their sex. It was part of this great deception, distortion of the difference between the two.

[@robbielee2148]

Gender is a social construct as demonstrated by the different stereotypes reinforced by nations, cultures & tribes. Sex is defined at birth as testified by your chromosomes inside every cell in your body.

[@trevornunn3285]

@@andreab2627 It does. I even told you the name for this phenomenon. Go study it, there are 4 remote tribes around the world where girls turn into boys, they're born with female type genitalia and around puberty turn into boys Stop showing your disbelief and ignorance at a scientific fact. You can even meet these people. Go get an education

[@Seapatico]

@@andreab2627 you are incorrect, friend. In the largest analysis ever done about the outcome of gender confirmation surgery, less than 1% experienced "major regret", and for many of those people it was a temporary feeling, often because of a lack of support around them. I realize you have a source you got that misinformation from, and you think you are doing something to help people. But that source is incorrect, and an incredible, overwhelming majority of people who do undergo surgery (which many do not) are much happier. I know there are a lot of people out there trying to make this out as some mass hysteria that's hurting children, but you know who isn't saying that? Actual trans people, real doctors, and the scientific concensus. You are not at fault for being wrong. And if you would like to read some more about this from the people who have lived it, I'm happy to send you more info.

[@Venaloid]

Congratulations, you cherry picked one of the few examples where this happens. Maybe next you'll find someone who's laser eye surgery didn't go well, and hold that up as proof that we shouldn't mess with God's plan for your eyes.

[@skylerJ777]

You’re right it’s usually suicide. Please by all means explain to me how mutilation of children is like Lasik?

[@Venaloid]

​​​​​​​@@skylerJ777 Most people who transition don't increase their suicide risk, you're thinking of the people who *don't* transition because people like you insist on playing doctor and ignoring the research in favor of anecdotes like this one. You know what's also mutilating children? Literally any childhood surgery. You only call it "mutilation" when you think it's unjustified. Again, playing doctor and ignoring the research in favor of anecdotes like this one.

[@trevornunn3285]

Maybe the suicides are caused by Christain bullies??? ....just a thought....

[@zhengfuukusheng9238]

Speaking of child mutilation.......... circumcision and FGM are both practices of Abrahamic religions

[@heismightytosave527]

Really????? So so ignorant, there is a huge difference! God help you!

[@ramensoda03]

Had to unsubscribe. Thought this channel focused on religion vs atheists, not a channel that supported bigotry.

[@gracedalton2462]

How is this "bigotry"?

[@ramensoda03]

@@gracedalton2462 supporting detransitioners and stating transgenders are bad

[@gracedalton2462]

@@ramensoda03no, they didn't say that trans folk are bad. And why should a detransitiomer be supported?

[@swjbzelndkpac1265]

Found the religious adherent.

[@Bowdon]

Not liking the story is one thing, that is your opinion. But don't coach it in calling it bigotry when it's someone's genuine story. The only person who is a bigot is you. Because you refuse to hear a different opinion. That is the definition of a bigot.