In our current cultural moment, society has grown rightly horrified by child sexual abuse. Even the most radical voices on the left rarely defend or minimize its impact. We know from decades of testimony, psychological research, and moral conscience that sexual exploitation of children leaves a lifelong trail of emotional, spiritual, and psychological destruction.
Yet here’s the glaring contradiction: the very same progressive voices who will—rightly—condemn the abuse of a child by an adult will simultaneously praise, promote, and even fund gender transition procedures for children. They will call it “affirming.” They will say it’s “necessary health care.” But what they will not do is tell the truth: that these procedures often leave children just as broken as those who were sexually exploited—if not more.
As someone who has friends who were sexually abused as children, I do not speak lightly about this. Their pain is real. It doesn’t vanish with time. It alters the course of their lives. But it is equally true that we now live in a society where children are encouraged—sometimes coerced—into taking puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and undergoing sterilizing surgeries based on ideological trends that were unthinkable two decades ago.
A Logical Inconsistency That Cannot Be Ignored
The dominant argument from the political left is this: children are incapable of consenting to sex with adults (true), but they are capable of consenting to irreversible gender transition (false). The only consistency in this position is ideological allegiance, not moral clarity.
Consent, by definition, requires maturity, understanding, and foresight. Children do not possess these qualities—not when it comes to sexuality, and not when it comes to surgical procedures that alter their reproductive organs or permanently change their voice and bone structure.
So why does the left acknowledge the psychological trauma of childhood sexual exploitation, yet reject the growing mountain of testimonies from “detransitioners” who describe their regret, pain, and sense of betrayal?
Because admitting harm would be admitting fault—and ideology, once enthroned, rarely repents.
What Does the Evidence Say?
While there is extensive research detailing the harm caused by childhood sexual abuse, data on the harm from childhood gender transition is still emerging—largely because much of it has been suppressed, dismissed, or labeled “transphobic.” Yet several facts are increasingly clear:
- Puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones can cause permanent infertility, stunted growth, loss of sexual function, and weakened bone density.
- Surgical procedures such as double mastectomies or genital reconstruction are irreversible and often result in lifelong physical pain or sexual dysfunction.
- Psychological impact: Many who underwent transition as minors later report intense regret, depression, and feelings of having been misled by adults they trusted.
Consider Chloe Cole, who began transitioning at age 12 and had a double mastectomy at 15. She has since spoken out about the devastating consequences of her medical treatment, stating: “I was a kid. I didn’t know what I was doing.”
And she’s not alone. Online communities of detransitioners—once marginalized—are now growing, sharing eerily similar stories of being fast-tracked into transition by schools, doctors, and therapists who seemed more interested in affirming identity than protecting innocence.
What Happens When Conscience Is Seared?
Scripture warns that when people persist in sin and rebellion, their consciences can become seared as with a hot iron (1 Timothy 4:2). In such a state, what once evoked moral revulsion becomes normalized—or even celebrated.
This is not an abstract theological point. It’s a cultural reality. The same society that now mutilates children in the name of “identity” may very well come to justify other forms of bodily “autonomy”—including sexual activity between adults and minors.
That sounds unthinkable—but remember, so did child drag shows, hormone injections for pre-teens, and mastectomies for 15-year-olds just a generation ago.
The Rise of “Minor Attracted Persons”
The first cracks in the dam are already visible. In recent years, a growing number of academics and activists have begun to push the term Minor Attracted Person (MAP) as a way to soften the stigma around pedophilia. They argue that this attraction is merely an orientation—like being gay or bisexual—and that MAPs who don’t act on their impulses should be treated with empathy, not condemnation.
Allyn Walker, a former professor at Old Dominion University, gave a 2021 interview defending the use of the MAP label and advocating for a more “inclusive” conversation about non-offending pedophiles. Though he claimed to oppose child abuse, his language marked a dangerous shift: it removed moral clarity and introduced identity politics into one of the most morally black-and-white issues imaginable.
If the culture can redefine pedophilia as a misunderstood identity, what’s to stop the next step from being the redefinition of consent? After all, if a child can decide to chemically or surgically change their body, why not also claim they can consent to other forms of adult interaction?
This isn’t paranoia. It’s the logical extension of moral relativism—and it’s already underway.
Conclusion: All Harm Matters
We must stop pretending that the harm done to children through gender transition is categorically different from the harm done through sexual abuse. Both are rooted in the exploitation of innocence. Both involve permanent trauma. And both are championed—or at least ignored—by cultural elites who worship the false god of personal autonomy.
Christians are called to defend the weak, protect the innocent, and speak truth even when it’s unpopular. Let us be unflinching in that duty. Because while the world chooses which victims to care about, we must care about them all—and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
rob@christiannewsjunkie.com
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