A federal judge on Tuesday struck down Arkansas’ ban on gender-affirming treatment for transgender youth, dealing the strongest blow yet to a state prohibition on such care.
Non-westerner here so I’m very much out of the loop. I’m a bit confused when I read headlines like this one. Does “allowing gender-affirming treatment” mean that transgender minors are allowed to have HRT or surgeries? to me it seems like a bad idea giving a minor (trans or cis) access to surgeries and/or hormone therapy. Does the ban have other ramifications that I don’t understand? Can someone explain please
trans youth gender-affirming treatment doesn’t use hormones. it uses puberty blockers, so that the child doesn’t go through puberty, and when they turn 18 they can state HRT with a better outcome. the therapy is reversible, so when the child stops taking puberty blockers, they undergo normal puberty process, and it’s a recommended treatment for trans youth by multiple pediatrician and psychiatrist societies and associations.
Trans youth can access HRT, and in some cases surgeries. The only age-related requirement in WPATH v8 is that puberty has started, there’s no need to wait until 18.
For reference cis people typically start puberty around age 11, though 8-14 is the starting range.
Never heard of anyone who had a gender dysphoria related surgery before the age of 18 ever. Nor did I ever hear from any endocrinologist who started HRT before the age of 16.
The gatekeeping from medical professionals is massive, there isn’t a single professional who doesn’t question ones identity 20 times during the course of months just to be sure.
Non-westerner here so I’m very much out of the loop. I’m a bit confused when I read headlines like this one. Does “allowing gender-affirming treatment” mean that transgender minors are allowed to have HRT or surgeries? to me it seems like a bad idea giving a minor (trans or cis) access to surgeries and/or hormone therapy. Does the ban have other ramifications that I don’t understand? Can someone explain please
trans youth gender-affirming treatment doesn’t use hormones. it uses puberty blockers, so that the child doesn’t go through puberty, and when they turn 18 they can state HRT with a better outcome. the therapy is reversible, so when the child stops taking puberty blockers, they undergo normal puberty process, and it’s a recommended treatment for trans youth by multiple pediatrician and psychiatrist societies and associations.
Trans youth can access HRT, and in some cases surgeries. The only age-related requirement in WPATH v8 is that puberty has started, there’s no need to wait until 18.
For reference cis people typically start puberty around age 11, though 8-14 is the starting range.
Never heard of anyone who had a gender dysphoria related surgery before the age of 18 ever. Nor did I ever hear from any endocrinologist who started HRT before the age of 16.
The gatekeeping from medical professionals is massive, there isn’t a single professional who doesn’t question ones identity 20 times during the course of months just to be sure.
I know transmen who had top surgery before 18.
Why should you be consulted on the question of what should be permitted? Are you a doctor, parent, or transgender child?
If they agree it is necessary, what do the ramifications matter?