There is one group of people who can see through the gender affirming manipulation like glass, and that is fathers. In fact, the new documentary, The Dads on Netflix, acknowledges this and then demonizes all those strong men who have stood up against doctors, teachers, counselors, the courts, and their own wives to protect their children against gender ideology. The left knows that their biggest barrier to attaining more cash cows -aka-"trans kids”- is the dads. That is why the trans-activists need this documentary now more than ever.
To an untrained eye, this film is effective. The men in the film are presented as kind, loving, and conscientious. The documentary frames their children as vulnerable and under attack, and these parents fear for their children’s safety in a seemingly hostile world. The film emphasizes camaraderie among these men and positions the bleeding-heart viewer to align with them perfectly. With a black father as the main protagonist, the film earns bonus points for its intersectional appeal, which appeals to those who value superficial diversity.
In addition to the lie that children are born in the wrong body, The Dads also utilizes an old conflated tale about the death of young Matthew Shepard. His father, Dennis Shepard, is featured as the host of this film to manipulate the viewer’s compassion from the get-go. Matthew Shepard was famously murdered in 1998 at age 21. The media spun his death as a hate crime, and then he became the poster boy for hate crimes against homosexuals. The leftist lore states that Shepard was beaten to death simply because he was gay. However, upon further investigation, it turns out he was a meth dealer, he knew his killers, and his death was likely about a drug deal that went horribly wrong. Investigative journalist Stephan Jiminez uncovered this inconvenient truth in his book, “The Book of Matt,” originally published in 2013, yet here we are in 2026 still hearing this conflated story.
It’s not surprising that this film would continue this hate crime narrative around Matthew Shepard’s death since one of its biggest funders is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Shepard’s emotionally-charged and mis-applied story has brought in major funds and support for HRC’s LGBTQ+ activism for years. The Dads was also produced by NBA star Dwyane Wade, who has a son who has identified as transgender since 2020. That son, Zaire, has been consistently praised by his step-mother, Wade's wife Gabrielle Union.
The left is very skilled at instilling fear and putting forth emotional stories to manipulate people to do crazy things. There isn’t anything more radical than parents voluntarily placing their own children onto chemically castrating puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries. Parents, particularly dads, who are skeptical of such radical ideas are threatened with the unfounded claim that their child will commit suicide if they do not comply with the commands of gender zealots. This new Netflix documentary does just that. Currently, Netflix is airing only a 12-minute version. However, all 12 minutes pushed fear, guilt, and lies to manipulate men and dads to believe that they must send their own children onto the pathway of chemical and physical castration, otherwise their child will die.
Those who have common sense know that there is no proof that anyone is “born in the wrong body” and that there is no way to determine who qualifies for radical “gender affirming” procedures. Plus, a reasonable person who has given the subject thought recognizes that if a little girl likes trucks, rejects dresses, or even pulls barrettes out of her hair, that doesn’t mean she is “trans,” and adults should never permanently stunt her cognitive, physical, and emotional development. However, according to leading UCSF gender psychologist Diane Ehrensaft, it does. She also believes that children can be “gender hybrids” and “gender smoothies.” Ehrensaft is one of the most influential “experts” leading the charge.
As powerhouse streaming channels like Netflix churn out films built on lies, we need strong men to notice the manipulations and, more importantly, to stand up to them. At the end of the day, children need protectors, not ideologues. Fathers have long served as a stabilizing force in families, asking tough questions, slowing down reckless decisions, and standing firm when others push harmful trends. In a culture increasingly willing to medicalize childhood distress, that role is more important than ever. When dads stay engaged, informed, and courageous, they become a powerful safeguard for their children’s future. The well-being of the next generation and the health of our society depend on fathers who are willing to stand up and say: not my child, not anyone’s child.
Pamela Garfield-Jaeger is a licensed therapist. She is a regular contributor for Human Events and the author of “A Practical Response to Gender Distress: Tips and Tools for Families”, as well as “Froggy Girl”, a charming children’s book about self-acceptance. You can find her on X as @pgarfieldjager.
