17) Moral Dilemmas: Trans Rights/Desister Rights: An objective breakdown of the pros and cons of social and medical transitions of minors

Pros: Social Transition

Cons: Social Transition

Some trans adults displayed a cross-sex identity since very early childhood.

All research on gender dysphoric children indicates many children align with their biological sex, even in serious GD cases.

Social transition would alleviate stress for persisters who by one estimate (Zucker review of 4 recent studies) make up at least 33% of children diagnosed under older DSM-IV and possibly a significantly higher % of children diagnosed under DSM-V who strongly state they are the opposite sex

Social transition risks grooming desisters for unnatural medical treatment the child would have avoided as part of their maturation process. One estimate of desisters is as high as 67% under a DSM-IV. This is higher than the number of persisters. DSM-V is stricter but not altogether different. It is very unlikely so few of these significant numbers of youths would not qualify under current criteria.

Social transition of young children improves mental health in a population with high suicide ideation

Suicide is extremely rare in prepubescent children and there are no known suicides of prepubescent children committing suicide due to gender dysphoria.

Youth social and medical transition may possibly improve long-term adult mental health in the trans community, a population with high rates of mental illness currently.

Destruction of the diversity of expression of the gay and lesbian community (and increasingly bisexuals/heterosexuals with childhood/teen GD (see here and here and here) if this population becomes over-medicalized. Regretters have mental health issues as well.

Not accommodating a social transition violates the child’s autonomy, is psychologically abusive, and conversion therapy against the trans community. It’s a human rights abuse.

Denying proper psychological support to youth and reinforcing delusions about their biological reality that may lead to intense medical treatment, is child abuse, legal malpractice, and conversion therapy against the gay community and other gnc youth. It’s a human rights abuse.

Social transitions relieve anxiety and depression in the moment and are reversible if the child changes his/her mind. Childhood stress has long-term effects on children as they get older

There is no proof that social transitions are reversible and some gender professionals fear they won’t be in some cases. Developmental psych. strongly supports reinforcement greatly impacts children. The idea that a child can live a formative 6 years as the opposite sex and just revert back should be treated with skepticism.

Social transition allows the child to be their true self.

There are unknown impacts of reality perception of social transition on very young children. There is a case of a dysphoric youth transitioned so young that they are completely dissociated from the reality they are even trans.

We should “Let the child lead.”

Adults should not abdicate their responsibility to raise children in a reality-based environment and should protect children from lifetime consequence involving a permanently altered, healthy body if a less drastic path is possible. Youth-led “queer” culture has many problems with it and not all LGBT people think it’s healthy.

Social transition creates a culture of trans and genderfluidity societal acceptance

Encouraging social transitions will have the side effect of homophobia being a motivation in transitioning gnc pre-gay and lesbian youth among homophobic parents or in homophobic countries.

Social transition makes gender dysphoric prepubescent children happier. Depression in childhood can negatively impact development and can have lasting effects.

Reinforcing the child’s dysphoria by socially transitioning them merely provides a quick fix to a life-long issue. It presents transition as a panacea and denies the child a chance to learn coping skills for issues like shifting dysphoria or transition failing to solve all problems as research indicates.

Parents socially transitioning more children will create more community and support for trans youth.

Trans environments are places extremely hostile to the concept that some children desist and may provide a social grooming environment for some children who would have otherwise outgrown GD. Parents are socially punished in these environments for even suggesting avoiding surgery and hormones would be a good outcome.

Pros: Hormone Blockers at Puberty Onset

Cons: Hormone Blockers at Puberty Onset

Puberty blockers are physically reversible.

The effects of blockers are intense and not likely to be 100% reversible and likely impact the way the brain and body organizes. There are lawsuits involving Lupron claiming severe and bizarre side effects years later. One study shows reduced IQ points and another bone density loss (see here).

Puberty blockers are psychologically reversible and give the youth time to explore their identity.

There is no proof hormone blockers are psychologically reversible. Blockers have major impacts on the brain and may affect the youths psychosexual and gender identity development. They deny the brain exposure to natural hormones which may impact the youth’s maturation process and process of body alignment. The rates of persistence are extremely high of cohorts put on blockers indicating blockers may cause persistence.

Puberty blockers reduce stress in the youth.

Experiencing some discomfort in puberty may be a necessary part of the process towards self-acceptance.

Medical transition has been shown to improve mental health in most studies and in some to reduce suicide risk ( PULSE, Cornell review).

Adams 2017, Marshall 2015, and Dhejne 2011 call into question the long-term efficacy of medical transition on rates of suicide. The Williams Institute trans survey calls into question the efficacy of medical transition on the mental health of increasing numbers of FtMs

Trans youth should have the human right and body autonomy to make the choice to go on hormone blockers.

A 9 or 11-year-old cannot consent to medical treatment that 1) sterilizes them 2) may cause permanent sexual dysfunction before the youth has even explored their sexuality 3) takes MtFs’ choices away around bottom surgery, which not all adult MtFs want 4) may lower IQ 5) may cause severe side effects later in life 6) may prevent desistance in youth whose identity is now dependent on the medical industry for life.

Puberty blockers to cross-sex hormones allow the youth to pass as the opposite sex. Passing in the desired gender is extremely important to many trans people.

Most homosexual transsexual MtFs are already very feminine, even well into puberty. Testosterone is very effective and many FtM females pass very well. All of the above negative consequences may not be worth an intense worry over passing.

Puberty blockers will allow the youth to have less surgeries.

This is not the case with puberty blocked males who have the genitals of an 11-year-old child who will 1) have to have bottom surgery now for any kind of normalcy 2) has to have a more extreme surgery than the usual “gold standard” easier (and likely safer) technique.

Children can make decisions about giving up their fertility. Sterilized trans youth can adopt. Many trans people do not have children anyway.

Puberty blockers to cross-sex hormones cause sterility making this a eugenics protocol on any false positive LGB (or heterosexual) gnc youth. It is also a eugenics protocol on trans youth themselves. Many MtFs have children and there is an upsurge in FtMs getting pregnant or saying they want children. Surveys show many trans people want biological children.

Puberty suppressed youths will pass better which helps GD, allows them to live stealth if they choose, may improve chances with the gender they want to date, keeps them safer from assault, and will reduce the problems trans people have with employment discrimination. FtMs will be taller. MtFs will be shorter.

Youth transition protocols prioritize passing as being more important than the actual physical health of the youth’s body. This mirrors an unhealthy beauty-obsessed culture that negatively impacts girls where anxiety around beauty standards is socially contagious and ultimately causes more body dysmorphia in the culture.

All the positives out way the negatives in the long-term.

Early transition may not only change the gay and lesbian community forever, it will change the trans community forever. Trans people will never be the same community again if chemically altered as children. This will have unknown effects on trans people and trans culture that may not be all positive or may represent some losses. There are trans people allowed to mature naturally, who love themselves and have people who love them already as they are, whether they pass or not. Many trans people have children. Many won't in the future.

Pros: Transitioning teens under an affirmation/ informed consent model rather than a mental health model.

Cons: Transitioning teens under an affirmation/ informed consent model rather than a mental health model.

Studies and clinical experience show children with GD who persist into puberty are going to be trans adults, making denying care pointless and cruel.

The epidemiology of GD has changed dramatically in several ways 1) large increases in dysphoric females 2) large increases in bisexual and heterosexual biological females wanting to transition 3) more AGP biological males are coming out younger without data on long-term rates of satisfaction.

Gender identity is innate. Studies show brain similarities in dysphoric individuals with cross-sex individuals. Denying a person’s innate gender identity is a human rights abuse.

Gender is not innate in many youths as desistance and increases of shifting non-binary identities are proof of. The differences between gnc trans youth and gnc gay and lesbian youth is likely a dosing effect on a spectrum with no clear delineation in children. Reinforcing body dysmorphia in young children may be harmful to borderline youth.

Trans youth denied medical transition have dysphoria so extreme they seek hormones on the black market and self-harm. Denying medical treatment is unethical.

There appears to be more cases of youths self-harming who have mental issues that are beyond just gender dysphoria but are being masked as gender dysphoria.

Teenagers are old enough know their gender. Trans people come out at all ages.

Littman (2018), and many parent accounts are indicating high numbers of teen desisters, indicating not all teenagers truly know their gender. Blanket transition appears to be increasing regret. There is a growing number of young people regretting medical transition and detransitioning in an environment of no gatekeeping for minors who do not have the full faculties of an adult until age 25.

Teenagers are old enough to understand the medical risks.

Teenagers are impulsive and transition has serious side effects such as vaginal atrophy, cell mitochondrial damage, and other unknown long-term health consequences . Exposure of the ovaries to testosterone may cause birth defects in the children of increasing numbers of bisexual and heterosexual females (wanting to be gay men) transitioning. Teens can not truly understand long-term risks.

Pros: Introducing Gender Ideology in School Systems

Cons: Introducing Gender Ideology in School Systems

Early intervention provides psychological support to a population at risk for serious mental health problems and suicide. Normalizing trans youth will improve treatment by peers and well-being. Research suggests access to a school LGBT group improves mental health.

Teaching a “born in the wrong body” and gender fluidity narrative risks confusing children, particularly pre-same-sex attracted youth who may experience GD and are more likely to be gnc. Gender training footage documents the reality that gender workshops are causing many more young people to view themselves as trans. Trans identification seems to have some similar socially contagious aspects to other body dysmorphias in females. Gender ideology presented in schools appears to be Inducing more rumination over gender and more gender dysphoria with soring numbers of trans-identified youth, particularly females.

Pro transition policies integrate trans youth into the life of their preferred gender for inclusivity. It is a human rights abuse not to allow full integration, including sports competition.

There are rights conflicts and safeguarding issues with girls caused by placing biological males in locker rooms and allowing dysphoric males on sports teams. Incidences of sexually inappropriate behavior have already happened in schools. Girls are being badly beaten in sports by MtFs, violating their sex-based protections under the law.

Gender trainings liberate youth from binary gender stereotypes.

There are many examples of the opposite happening. Trans/genderqueer ideology seems to be exacerbating body dysmorphia and causing an unhealthy obsession with identity and superficial issues such as third gender pronouns. Gender nonconforming women now constantly get asked if they are trans. Gender training material graphics are all based on gender stereotypes.

Teaching pronoun etiquette teaches inclusivity and respect for differences.

There are 2 biological sexes. Third gender pronouns are made up language designed to force others to recognize an ideology they may not believe. Forcing other’s speech violates their rights. Taking time away from educating children for pronoun checks ins is cumbersome and impractical. It is reinforcing a culture where gnc youth rest there psychological well-being on the validation of others to the point of being unhealthy.

It is the schools' job to validate the youth’s gender identity by changing pronouns. School systems should protect trans youth from unaffirming parents.

Several parents of desisters have reported schools hid what was going on with their children, delaying proper psychological support. If there are abusive parents at home, CPS or other government services should be called. It is not the school systems place to make the decision to hide extremely important information from parents about their children.

Teaching LGBT curriculum in schools is progressive and will help LGBT youth

Many LGB and even some trans people despise gender ideology (mostly based on postmodern queer theory). They find it intrusive onto the rights of women and girls and eradicating of the meaning of sexual orientation based on biology. Some LGB people find gender ideology regressive, gender stereotype-reinforcing, gender dysphoria glorifying, and a risk to LGB youth. There are trans people feel that trans/genderqueer ideology has become too extreme and they fear a backlash.