Response to Book Review Essay “Trying to Pass off Transphobia as Psychoanalysis and Cruelty as ‘Clinical Logic.’” by Avgi Saketopolou. Psychoanal. Q., 91:177-190.

Abstract

As psychoanalytic clinicians who have worked with trans-identifying youth for many years, we resolutely agree with Avgi Saketopoulou's assertion that there are no one-size-fits-all formulations that adequately capture the diverse experiences of these youth. However, we argue that she falls seriously short of convincingly arguing her criticism of the Evanses’ understanding of gender dysphoria and their approach to working with trans-identified individuals. Instead, Saketopoulou, mischaracterizes the Evanses' position as "so extreme... and so excessive in its claims," and produces an ad hominem reprimand of colleagues rather than a reasoned critique of their book. That said, it is essential to carefully consider her main points in light of the developmental and psychoanalytic theories that have long informed and shaped clinical practice. For us, her problematic critique raises one of the most crucial questions in this debate: how do clinicians best help young people who are experiencing gender-related distress? This is where Saketopoulou and the Evanses diverge, each privileging different discourses. Saketopoulou recommends that practitioners