(Dr. Nicolosi, Pictured)
The Dr. Phil Show clearly exploited Toni, the mother of a transgender child, and placed her in a psychologically abusive situation — which nearly drove her to tears. The episode, “Little Boy Lost,” also falsely portrayed notorious anti-gay activists, Glenn Stanton and Dr. Joseph Nicolosi, as “experts” on gender and homosexuality.
Dr. Phil damaged his reputation by choosing sensationalism over professionalism and he ought to be ashamed. Instead of exploring this issue in-depth, Dr. Phil sunk to new depths. He exploited a loving mother by ambushing her with disreputable anti-gay activists well known for theories far outside mainstream psychology.
On the show, Toni explained how she and her husband reluctantly decided to let her son transition into a girl after unsuccessfully forcing strict gender roles on the child. Such efforts backfired and her son tried to jump out of a window. Even after hearing such a real life story, Nicolosi and Stanton argued that Toni should have continued a “treatment” that nearly lead her child to suicide.
Dr. Nicolosi tried to humiliate Toni on national television, blaming her parenting skills for causing her child to be transgender. Nicolosi said that her child was transgender because the father was detached and Toni was overly “enmeshed.” But, Toni’s response undermined Nicolosi’s unproven and dubious hypothesis.
“Dad wasn’t there after the transition…my son, I wasn’t close to at all,” Toni replied. “I wasn’t enmeshed with him, so I think your theory sucks.”
Having their bizarre and outdated ideas effectively rebutted, Stanton chimed in to save face, glibly stating, “No human being is cookie cutter.”
The truth is, the entire program of Nicolosi and Stanton is predicated on baseless cookie cutter ideas that support their extreme beliefs. It is disingenuous to say otherwise when the very heart of their work is confusing stereotypes with science. I question why Dr. Phil offered a platform to men so at odds with every respected medical and mental health association in the country? And why didn’t Dr. Phil inform viewers that these men were considered fringe religious figures with peculiar views on sexuality?
Stanton, who is hardly qualified to discuss gender issues, has served as a spokesperson for Focus on the Family — an anti-gay organization that believes people can “pray away the gay.” Scientists throughout the world have condemned Focus on the Family for distorting research on human sexuality. Yet, this was not mentioned by Dr. Phil. Recently, Dr. Lisa Diamond of University of Utah accused Nicolosi of distorting her work — but this information was conveniently omitted from the show.
Nicolosi is the founder of the National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). In 2006, NARTH had two major controversies. In the first, psychiatrist Joseph Berger, MD, a member of their “Scientific Advisory Committee,” wrote a paper encouraging students to “ridicule” gender variant children.
In the second controversy, Gerald Schoenwolf, PhD, also a member of NARTH’s “Scientific Advisory Committee,” wrote a polemic on the group’s website that seemed to justify slavery.
Nicolosi is also known for his strange theories, such as encouraging his male clients to drink Gatorade and call friends “dude” to become more masculine. He also believes that “Non-homosexual men who experience defeat and failure may also experience homosexual fantasies or dreams.”
I am still exasperated over Dr. Phil’s quack attack. This will go down as one of the worst programs in the history of television.
Yes, i watched enough of this show to see Mr. Nicolosi
berate this mother who went through hell on only god knows how many levels, and still put her child first. at
least she did fire back at him. Dr. Phil has sunk to an all time low. My blood as they say, was boiling! My concern is how many people watched that show not knowing that he’s not the expert he claims? imagine the unaware
watching, thinking he, stanton, and Focus On the Family have the answer? I did not watch enough to hear or see if some disclaimer was put up to let the audience know that
these. (Nicolosi’s) methods are not approved by almost every mainstream medical organization.
major medical
It is pure coincidence I saw this show. i had every intention to avoid it. But I did laundry yesterday and it was at the exact time they had it on the TV! Imagine my amazement at the coincidence.
To the show’s (shred of) credit, the two REAL doctors came off looking like the real expert, rather than people peddling theories and taking stabs in the dark. They admitted that our knowledge is comparatively limited, but that there IS REAL KNOWLEDGE on the subject of transgenderism and gender identity relating to brain chemistry and inter-utero development. They came off as open-minded and sensitive to parent and child. Nicolosi et al came off as though they were pushing a single-minded end-all-be-all “solution” to gender identity conflicts, taking the variety and individuality of human identity and sexuality out of the equation.
The mother was right about something. Nicolosi et al ARE creating an environment to allow people to look at transchildren as though they are disordered, sick, and damaged. Glen Stanton said “they have to face what it waiting when they go outside when they hit puberty, though” or something like that. Well JESUS GLEN, who do you think enforces a hostile environment to trans people?? Does he really think that scare tactics like that should be a legitimate reason to not embrace one’s identity? If everybody else is uncomfortable with something you’re completely comfortable with, that is personal and harms no one and is intrinsically yours and no one else’s, who’s really the one with the problem?
and what the hell is “normal,” anyway?
Emily,
I stumbled on this show by flipping the remote. i recognized Joseph Nicolosi and thought, oh boy, what have we here? you are correct in asking what is normal. i do not have children, but my sister, and female friends all
tell me that to love your child without condition is normal. i was very happy to see (toni) did not buy one lie. It is obvious that Mr. Nicolosi gets off on bullying
tactics. did you hear the part about how it’s ok for little boys to play with dolls ( i hope i have this right)
as long as the father was down on the floor with (the little boy)?
Nicolosi must be under the blinding umbrella that all little boys have access to their fathers or that their fathers would even want to play that way!. I hope Dr. Phil is made to make a statement that the views expressed on that show are in the minority, and could be harmful to
a child.
Nicolosi claims to be an expert. Anyone can look like an expert if they lie. Make up a whole bunch of information and do it by using pseudo-scientific procedures and you got all the “information” you need to make yourself appear like an “expert”.
Dr. Phil had no right to let those anti-gay activists on National TV. Dr. Phil KNOWS the truth, and REAL information (at least he should if he is in fact a doctor) and yet he let those anti-gay activists almost bring that woman and her child to tears.
What a shame. Dr. Phil better prepare for backlash……
Yeah, I just sent Dr. Phil and his show an email that was pretty harsh. Not abusive, but harsh. I criticized his credentials and told him that he probably got an F on human sexuality when he took psychology.
Sorry Dr. Phil, but you just lost a fan………
You don’t solve anyone’s mental problems and depression by allowing someone to mutilate or amputate their sexual organs.
Of course these mother’s will defend themselves.Why on earth should they admit to the world they were weird indifferent mothers??How come there were no fathers on that program.I can not imagine any of them were close to being masculine and i don’t mean macho.
AS of a few years ago,the respected Johns Hopkins University gender identity program decided they would no longer perform these surgeries-why–because it never made any difference to the mental health of these poor men who were depressed and suicidal BEFORE they wanted to “change”>.To think you are a woman when in fact you are a man is….a delusion.Just as if were to say I am Jesus Christ!! Same kind of craziness.
Typical of folks on your side to break this complex issue down to “mutiliation.” Your nonsense flies on the face of legitimate science and research on this issue. Also that anecdote about John Hopkins. Real nice.
The “anecdote” about Johns Hopkins is not that.Why not call them up and ask them?.But then again,if you don’t get the response you get,then you simply dismiss it.Please don’t employ the word “science” whenever you use it.Obviously you ain’t one.I imagine it’s almost impossible for you to think you might be wrong.
Albert and A. McEwen, you offered no scientific facts or links in your comments. So really, neither of you have shown that the medical or mental-health professions are on your side.
Albert in particular, you offered just one isolated — and unsubstantiated — assertion. Stripped of context, that is indeed an anecdote. And your projection of your own self-righteousness onto others is a form of strawman argumentation. That is not acceptable here.
In other words, guys, I’m glad that you’re commenting here, and if you wish to discuss science or health, please take just a moment to substantiate your comments with links to reliable information sources.
Thanks.
Michael, I were merely responding to the comment about “gender mutilation.” As we know, the situation involving transgenders is very complex and to reduce it to talking about someone “getting their parts removed” is wrong. That was the only thing I was responding to.
seen this show last week it is shown really late here in ireland. that psychologist Joseph Nicolosi hadnt a clue, Glenn Stanton was just an a*s. i feel sorry for her daughter though as racist people like that exsist in this world, i dont care if anyone is transgender there still human there born with female brains. its who you are inside that you got to be not outside, this show would probally added more people to the list who hate Les Gay Bi Tran people. but that psychiatrist on the show was a very intelligent man,
[...] perfect for sound bites, but nearly impossible to apply in real life. He’s given airtime to notorious anti-gay activists, legitimizing their bigoted views. And he used his celebrity to extend his brand into the lucrative [...]
[...] perfect for sound bites, but nearly impossible to apply in real life. He’s given airtime to notorious anti-gay activists, legitimizing their bigoted views. And he used his celebrity to extend his brand into the lucrative [...]
pepperstone.com…
[...]Truth Wins Out – Disgraceful Dr. Phil Show Elevates Fringe Anti-gay Activists To ‘Expert’ Status[...]…
Does a judge only listen to only one side of an argument? Is it fair or scholarly to only allow only “Pro-Gay” proponents to voice their views?
wayne, we’ve seen exactly what happens when anti-Gay proponents present their ‘side’ in a court of law… see Proposition 8.
[...] — perfect for sound bites, but nearly impossible to apply in real life. He’s given airtime to notorious anti-gay activists, legitimizing their bigoted views. And he used his celebrity to extend his brand into the lucrative [...]