We previously shared with you a video about Ryland, the six-year-old transgender boy whose heartwarming story of transition and acceptance was documented in a viral video with upwards of five million views and climbing. Ryland Whittington and his family have received praise and support online.
Now, Dr. Keith Ablow, noted anti-LGBT activist who has a regular platform on Fox News as a part of its "Medical A-Team," is asserting that Ryland's parents should have had their son treated with anti-psychotic medication. In an article published on the anti-LGBT website LifeSiteNews.com, Ablow says that Ryland's parents made the wrong decision by listening to their son and allowing him to start transitioning. 
The article continuously misgenders the child, referring to Ryland as a girl and using "she" and "her" pronouns while discussing the issue. Ablow is quoted as saying:
“The video, which seems so full of joy, doesn’t forecast the time spent with urological and plastic surgery, and the possibility that this girl will question her decision down the road."
In addition Ablow states:
“From a personal, not a professional standpoint, were my daughter to assert that she were a boy, not a girl, there is no chance we would be headed to a surgeon’s office without a trial of anti-psychotic medication.”
Ablow's statements contradict the views of the American Psychological Association (APA), which contends that identifying as transgender does not constitute a mental disorder and that family acceptance and support are crucial for transgender children's wellbeing. Gender identity is often established by the age of four and it is best to begin the transition as early as possible before the onset of puberty.
This is not the first time that Ablow has made such demeaning statements. GLAAD's Commentator Accountability Project has documented a plethora of such false and anti-transgender opinions by Ablow. With so much support and love being directed at the Whittington family from all corners of the internet, Ablow's comments should be taken in their proper context, as coming from someone who not only misunderstands transgender people but is overly hostile toward them.
Referring to Chaz Bono's transition, Ablow said:
"Chaz Bono should not be applauded for asserting she is a man (and goes about trying to look like one) any more than a woman who believes she will be happier without arms, has them removed and then continues to assert that she was right all along—her self-concept was that of a double amputee."
In reference to California's decision to allow students to use the bathroom of their choosing, Ablow said:
"I don’t see anything but toxicity from the notion of a person with female anatomy feeling free to use the urinal in the boys’ rest room while a boy stands next to her and uses one, too."
Ablow's medical credentials often allow him a pass to say any inaccurate and false information about transgender people, especially on Fox News, where he has a comfy position. His opinions, much like those of Kevin D, Williamson, should not be taken seriously by mainstream outlets, since they are misinformed and often ignore the medical expertise of national organizations. Instead, outlets would do well to listen to actual transgender people about their lives and their experiences.