Father Shares His Experience on Son’s Gender Journey

Gareth Amaya Price recalls the moment his 14-year-old son, Simon, expressed to him that he believed he was a girl. He found the idea quite absurd initially. “I mean, I watched Simon grow up, and yes, he wasn’t what you’d call a typical kid, but just because he didn’t fit the mold of what some might consider ‘normal’ didn’t mean he wasn’t a boy,” Gareth reflected.

As Gareth delved deeper into the complexities of gender identity, his feelings evolved from skepticism to genuine concern for his son, ultimately leading him to take a firm stance against the push from the medical community to support Simon’s transition.

In a recent documentary titled “Identity Crisis: Resisting the Transgender Lobby to Save My Son,” Gareth shares his story, which was made available on Wednesday. The film details his struggle against pressure to support his son’s transition and explores the rapid onset of gender dysphoria among youth.

Simon’s journey began in 2018 when he, identifying as bisexual, faced bullying and depression. Searching for belonging, he stumbled upon discussions of gender identity through school and online. By the time he was in high school, he felt convinced he was a girl.

When Simon spoke to a therapist at Boston Children’s Hospital, she quickly affirmed these feelings and recommended he visit the hospital’s gender clinic. This did not sit well with Gareth.

“I remember Simon saying, ‘I can’t believe you’re a girl,’ and at that moment, I knew it wasn’t a conversation we were seeing eye to eye on. It hurt; I felt a wave of resentment toward him for a time,” Simon admitted.

Gareth started investigating gender ideology and networking with other parents. What troubled him was the alarming rise in cases perceived as “rapid-onset gender dysphoria,” where kids suddenly identify as transgender during their teenage years.

“This was a new development,” Gareth noted in the film. “I learned that most kids who express these feelings eventually move past them without intervention.” He worried about the long-term effects of medical treatments and hesitated to allow Simon to attend the gender clinic. Gareth kept many of his doubts to himself, fearing that a refusal to conform could lead to intervention by state authorities.

It was tough to hold his ground, especially when Simon was angry. “I did love him and wanted to support him, but I believed his long-term health was my priority,” Gareth explained. “I couldn’t align with what I felt was an extreme ideology.” He recalled a pediatrician once asking him, “Would you rather have a living daughter or a dead son?” and found the suggestion deeply troubling.

Gareth described the pressure from medical professionals as emotional blackmail, asserting that most seemed more interested in separating children from their parents than in genuinely helping them.

After much deliberation, Simon transitioned during college. However, he soon began questioning his views, notably when he faced rejection from peers due to differing political beliefs.

With time and understanding, Simon’s relationship with Gareth has healed. He now identifies as a “desister,” someone who re-evaluates their transgender identity before undergoing any medical procedures and is grateful for his father’s insistence. “Hating him at the time made sense,” he recalled in the documentary, “but looking back, I realize how lucky I was that he stood firm. If my father had been supportive, I doubt I’d be in the position I am now.”

Gareth’s hope in sharing his story is to encourage other parents to remain steadfast. “We shouldn’t feel obligated to meet the expectations of doctors or schools,” he said. “What matters is the person your child will grow to be.” Boston Children’s Hospital has not responded to requests for comments regarding their approach to gender identity treatment.

As highlighted in the hospital’s Gender Health Center section, they aim to provide coordinated care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals while focusing on mental health and support for patients and their families.