The argument i make is that if someone has paranoia and thinks that aliens are reading their mind, we try to help them through it and get them to let go of that fear.
If someone has depression and thinks that life isn't worth living, you need to change their perspective and realize that things will be different. If you encourage the negative thought processes and behavior in the previous 2 examples then bad things happen. It is objectively bad to encourage these thoughts and behaviors, I think that both left and right can confirm this.
Seeing our society ignore or even encourage some people and their negative thoughts to make radical, damaging changes to their bodies through medication or surgery is terrifying.
Gender dysphoria causes negative thought processes that lead to negative actions against one's self. It is 100% a mental illness.
Yup, screw Mittens
A man chooses, you my friend, are a man.
If your parents are anything like mine, then get your mom something that tells her you care about her. Anything will do, just as long as she knows you got it because you love her. For your dad I'd recommend looking into his hobbies, find something; new that he doesn't do that's related to his current ones, or something that will allow him to develop his talents in his current hobby further.
If all else fails, I'm sure there's somewhere that can print "Fuck Covid" on a shirt or something else. I don't know how the situation in up state NY too well other than what you've said. Try to do local where ever possible.