"In Chapter 6, Haidt casually implies that more young people than ever are identifying as transgender or gender expansive due to "social contagion" theory. This theory posits that if your friends are transgender, you will become transgender. Social contagion is the root of the right-wing transphobic talking point of "rapid onset gender dysphoria," which is the false claim of increasing numbers of children suddenly identifying as trans and then accessing hormones and surgery.

In a 400-page book full of discussion on the gendered differences found among Gen Z users of social media and their mental health, Haidt spends approximately four paragraphs discussing the existence of transgender people. The three main text paragraphs are used to introduce rapid onsent gender dysphoria as legitimate: "...[T]he fact that gender dysphoria now appears in social clusters (such as a group of close friends), the fact that parents and those who transition back to their natal sex identify social media as a major source of information and encouragement, and the fact that gender dysphoria is now being diagnosed among many adolescents who showed no signs of it as children all indicate that social influence and sociogenic transmission may be at work as well." To back up these claims, Haidt cites a widely-discredited and debunked article on the phenomenon of rapid onset gender dysphoria which has been taken up by the right wing to pass anti-trans legislation. Haidt also fails to interview any transgender individuals for the book, despite inclusion of interviews with cisgender individuals throughout.

As of this book's publishing, 24 states have banned gender affirming care for youth. We know access to gender-affirming care is lifesaving and no child is walking into a doctor's office and leaving with hormones in hand. We also know about the disproportionate rate of anxiety, depression, suicide, and substance use disorders among LGBTQ+ youth. This book is lazy journalism at best and outright transphobic propaganda at worst."