Comedian Bill Maher warned against gender transition medicine for children and trends showing the LGBTQ+ population "doubling every generation" in a controversial monologue that is angering progressives on social media.
"According to a recent Gallup poll, less than 1% of Americans born before 1946 — that's Joe Biden's generation — identify that way: 2.6% of boomers do, 4.2% of Gen X, 10.5% of millennials, and 20.8% of Gen Z," Maher said Friday on HBO's "Real Time."
"Which means if we follow this trajectory we will all be gay in 2054."
Maher noted the transformational changes beg the question, "when things change this much, this fast, people are allowed to ask: 'What's up with that?'
"All the babies are in the wrong bodies?"
"It wasn't that long ago that when adults asked a kid 'what do you want to be when you grow up,' they meant 'what profession,'" Maher said.
Former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile, appearing on the show, shook her head at the quip, albeit with a smirk.
Maher also questioned the concern of LGBTQ+ activists being concerned about abortion, "over, breeders?"
"Someone needs to say it: Not everything's about you," Maher continued. "And it's OK to ask questions about something that's very new and involves children.
"The answer can't always be that someone from a marginalized community is automatically right — trump card, mic drop, end of discussion.
"Because we're literally experimenting on children," he added, pointing to gender transition medicine and puberty blockers.
"Maybe that's why Sweden and Finland have stopped giving puberty blockers to kids, because we just don't know much about the long-term effects," Maher said. "Although common sense should tell you that when you reverse the course of raging hormones, there's going to be problems.
Maher pointed to the reported side affects of limiting bone density – which he said, "is kind of important if you like having a skeleton" – and also "fertility and the ability to have an orgasm."
Maher was aware of the likely criticism of his comments, saying "weighing trade-offs is not bigotry."
Maher also denounced gender dysphoria unwinding "gay pride," saying America's younger generation is drawn to "trendy" things like LGBTQ issues as a social conditioning.
Maher lamented we are now at a point "gay men aren't hip enough for the gay pride parade."
"This is a phenomenon we need to take in account when we look at this issue: Yes, part of the rise of LGBT numbers is from people feeling free enough to tell it to a pollster and that's all to the good," Maher said. "But some of it is: It's trendy. 'Penis equals man? OK, Boomer.'
"If you haven't noticed the kids doing something for the 'likes,' you haven't been paying attention."
Maher also noted liberal locales seem to have a higher rate of transgenderism.
"If this spike in trans children is all natural, why is it regional?" Maher asked. "Either Ohio is shaming them or California is creating them.
"It's like that day we all needed bottled water all the time."
Maher called for "a serious science-based discussion" on the trends.
"It's a blow being struck in culture wars, using children as cannon fodder," he warned.
"And never forget: Children are impressionable and very, very stupid," Maher said. "Kids don't know why mom drinks every day or why dad has two cell phones. Maybe the boy who thinks he's a girl is just gay.
Maher stressed kids always go through "phases."
"They're kids; it's all phases!" Maher concluded.
"Gender fluid? Kids are fluid about everything. If kids knew what they wanted to be at age 8, the world would be filled with cowboys and princesses.
"I wanted to be a pirate. Thank God no one took me seriously and scheduled me for eye removal and peg-leg surgery."