The Trans Train: A Parent's Perspective on Transgender Medicalization and Ideology

by Lisa Shultz

“A world where a loving parent is the enemy.”
--Jamie Reed, MS Clinic Research Whistleblower from a US Pediatric Gender Center.

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A mom shares her experience with trans ideology and the harm of the transgender medicalization model

Some people think trans is the new gay and the latest social justice movement. They have good intentions of inclusion and diversity, but they may not understand what is happening to children or the ramifications of this harmful ideology.

Those who rush to affirm often disregard a child’s distress, confusion, trauma, pain, underlying autism, or mental issues. Some children self-identify as the opposite sex only after being swayed by gender influencers. They need time to mature and move through puberty, with caring adults helping them explore natural treatment options and mental health care. Instead, many children are lured onto the trans train and subjected to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones that create lifelong drug dependencies, and irreversible surgeries to remove healthy body parts.

The Trans Train brings awareness of what is happening from a clear and rational parent’s perspective of losing a daughter to the trans movement. New ideologies can be positive and progressive if they unite people and strengthen families. Yet gender ideology often cancels those who ask questions or disagree. It erodes the parent-child bond and shatters families. And it is affecting all sectors of society and women’s rights.

Lisa Shultz guides readers through this complex topic and offers loving hope, a vision of a better future, and a wealth of resources to further explore.

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Genres: Health

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 2, 2024

Reviews

[Mac · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not read this book unless you want to sever any ties between you and your trans child.

To the author of this book, neurodivergent trans people exist. Just because someone is neurodivergent or on the autism spectrum doesn’t mean they aren’t able to define their own identity. Something you fail to mention is that your child is a legal adult who has the right to do whatever they want to their body.

This is a harmful book that does not help parents of transgender people in any way.

If you are a parent of a transgender child, I recommend finding a local support group or connecting with other parents of trans children.

If you want an actual good reading recommendation, I recommend Two Spirits One Heart by Marsha Aizumi and The Transgender Child by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper.

Because believe me- having a trans child is better than having a dead one.

[Nicol Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read *The Trans Train* so you don’t have to. And let me be clear from the start: this book isn’t a concerned mother’s perspective—it’s a fear-soaked manifesto against trans kids, dressed up as parental love. Don’t be fooled.

Lisa Shultz spends over 200 pages turning her child’s identity into a cautionary tale, blaming everyone but herself for the fact that her kid chose a path she refuses to understand. She cloaks her control and denial in language like “protection” and “truth-seeking,” but what she’s really doing is fueling anti-trans panic with cherry-picked “science,” slippery rhetoric, and enough dog whistles to summon the whole internet culture war brigade.

This isn’t love. No loving parent would write a book like this—publicly dissecting their child’s life, decisions, and body while cozying up to the worst kinds of reactionary talking points. Shultz doesn’t trust trans people to speak for themselves, doesn’t engage meaningfully with actual medical consensus, and doesn’t seem to realize—or care—that she’s contributing to a culture that’s actively harming vulnerable youth.

I have no patience for this kind of performative “pain.” There’s nothing brave about turning your personal discomfort into ammunition for a broader attack on gender-affirming care. If your response to your child’s autonomy is to write a book encouraging suspicion, fear, and legislative harm? That’s not parenting—it’s betrayal.

If you’re looking for insight into the complexities of gender identity, look elsewhere. If you want a crash course in how self-righteousness can weaponize ignorance, this might be your hellride.

Final verdict: The only thing this train is delivering is cruelty, cloaked in concern. And I’m not buying a damn ticket.

[Ambrose Castleman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Imagine being so heartless and spiritually shriveled that you would write an entire book playing victim over how you didn’t like that your adult child didn’t turn out how you expected, and instead of trying to learn, you leaned in to hate and ruined your relationship with your kid, then **published** a book telling on yourself without ever realizing you’re the problem

Genuinely asinine

[Jordan Leiter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting. Written without the child’s consent of disclosing medical information. Extremely obtuse and lacking self awareness. Don’t waste your time.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Your SON is a wonderful, kind, intelligent, and resourceful human and he is so much better off without you in his life. Try looking inward for answers about why you “lost” your child.

[Rhea · Rating 1 out of 5]

0/5
Spreads misinformation not only about transgender people, but also about neurodivergence. Writing a book about your adult child who wants nothing to do with you, just to make a name for yourself is not love, it's greed and self-centredness.

[Solar Bearg · Rating 1 out of 5]

DON’T READ THIS BOOK. It’s absolutely disgusting and asinine that this “mother” wrote a book about her trans and neurodivergent SON and demonized his existence. She should absolutely be ashamed of herself. Oh, and this book was written without her SONS permission. Gross behavior.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Trans Train is a slim volume that gives a voice to parents who've lost children to the trans movement. It describes the emotional journey from confusion to concern, then anger, grief, despair, and (hopefully) gratitude.

This journey represents not only the author's experience but the experience of similar parents who dared to ask questions and express concern about their children's sudden decision to use irreversible treatments like hormones and surgery to become trans.

To lend credibility to her perspective, Schultz makes a point of describing herself as being liberal. She also cites multiple liberals and Democrats who agree with her that children should not be encouraged to make permanent changes to their bodies before exploring all other solutions, including therapy and getting to the root of the child's emotional and psychological issues.

In the current environment, many children are being influenced to question their own sexuality. Those who express even the slightest inclination that they might have been born in the wrong body are then affirmed by social media, friends, schools, teachers, and even doctors to change their identity and their body.

Parents who try to slow down this process or question why the child is pursuing a new trans identity are characterized as being old-fashioned, unsupportive, even hateful. Unfortunately, in many cases, the children are encouraged to cut off all ties with non-affirming parents, just as one would be encouraged to do in a cult. This is what happened to Schultz when her adult daughter decided she was a man.

This book is a good introduction to the topic of transgender medicalization and ideology. I felt it would have been improved if Schultz had told the complete story of what had happened with her daughter. But I know she wanted to leave out as much private information as possible, so this omission was intentional.

I'm confident that anybody who's experienced something similar to Schultz, especially the loss of a daughter to transgender medicalization, will resonate strongly with her perspective.

[Pamela Garfield Jaeger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I was blown away by how well-written this book is. Lisa Shultz starts off by saying that she isn’t an expert on the gender topic. I strongly disagree. She is an expert from so many angles. First she has the personal experience in her own family, but it’s much more than that. She has done countless hours of research and has a very strong grasp on the science and lack there of. She also knows several other families who have been on the “trans train”. I am a mental health professional who has been immersed in the topic, but I have much to learn from Lisa. Other so-called experts, especially in my field should learn some humility and read Lisa’s book and they will quickly recognize that they have been shielded from the truth by nefarious leaders.
Not only is this book informative, it is written with compassion and love towards her daughter who Lisa loves very much and has genuine concerns about, and it is full of compassion for all families and young people impacted by the harmful “trans train”.
This is an important book and I hope in the future it will become required reading for mental health courses. -Pam (aka The Truthful Therapist) www.thetruthfultherapist.org

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unscientific.

This book will kill people.
It is full of harmful, incorrect information.

Family social support had the strongest correlations with reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression ) and was the only form of support associated with resilience when controlling for other forms of support J Fam Psychol. 2019 Jul 18;33(8):954–964. doi: 10.1037/fam0000561

I am sorry that Lisa herself has been brainwashed. She has fallen for a hateful ideology that says difference is bad. Lisa, be honest, if you were living in the 1950s and your son wanted to marry a black woman, what would your reaction be?

The first group the Nazis targeted were the trans community.

Lisa, you are on the wrong side of history. I am so sorry for your son, who I hope is living a happy, wonderful life away from you.

In 100 years, when archeologists look at your life, Lisa, do you want them to say what a cruel person you were? Jesus does not want you to be cruel. He wants you to love your son. May god have mercy on your soul.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do your research before buying this book!

https://www.healthline.com/health/are...

https://www.ohchr.org/en/sexual-orien...

https://glaad.org/medical-association...

In the December 23 issue of the journal Pediatrics, doctors from Seattle Children’s Hospital published an article that describes bans on care for transgender youth as a form of child abuse.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

An un-researched and painfully ignorant novel that seeks to exploit the author’s child for profit. This is not a world where being “a loving parent is the enemy”; it’s a world that asks parents to respect their child’s condition and be there for them through it all. There is no such thing as “gender ideology”, nor is it something that is “new”, as the author claims. To be frank, this book is merely this parent’s source justification for their behavior, even though it lacks the research and accountability present in books with the intention to guide their readers.

[Elliott · Rating 1 out of 5]

if i could give it one star, i would. you took you child’s story, their trauma, and twisted it into something else to gain pitty for your own bigoted views and opinions. disgusting, heartbreaking, and nauseating. congrats on making it onto the list of world’s worst parents. you’re the prime example for what NOT to do if you want to love, accept, and actually have a relationship with your child. he deserves better.

[Sue Conner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lifeline to parents and families affected by a son or daughter who has declared a trans ID.
It is clear, rational, and sensitive.
The author’s loving acknowledgement to her daughter brought me to tears.

This book, and its author, have been the target of a coordinated campaign by people who have an agenda.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

ew please educate yourself

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad parenting at its best. Shame on whoever enjoyed the book