Former Mormon shares how early trauma and porn shaped his gender transition
LaRell Herbert, who left the Mormon faith and lived as a woman for seven years, attributes his gender transition to childhood abuse and exposure to pornography.
After departing from the Mormon church and adopting a secular outlook, LaRell Herbert spent seven years presenting as a woman. He traced the origin of his gender confusion to a childhood incident in which he was restrained and sexually assaulted at age five. When he later encountered pornography on the internet, he says the material reinforced the feelings triggered by that trauma, effectively programming his sexual identity.
Herbert contends that while biological sex determines basic attraction, deviations arise from specific sequences of early experiences. He now speaks about his journey to illustrate how sexuality can be shaped by such programming.
Why it matters
The story highlights how early trauma and media exposure may influence gender identity, sparking debate on the roots of trans experiences.
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