Recently on Instagram, Kristen Bell, one of the stars of Disney’s Frozen, posted a rainbow flag graphic with this caption: “If your parents aren’t accepting of your identity, I’m your mom now!”

Imagine Ms. Bell posting a similar graphic with the words: “If your parents don’t want you to smoke weed and binge drink, I’m your mom now!” Or, “if your parents won’t allow you to drop out of school and hitchhike across the country, I’m your mom now!” Or, “if your parents won’t accept your eating disorder, I’m your mom now!”

In her new book Irreversible Damage, Abigail K. Shrier compares the transgender community to a cult – and the analogy fits. After all, what other example is there of strangers allowed to encourage kids to not only believe in something despite all available evidence, but to even leave their parents if they just don’t “get it”?