
Not OP here but I know some of the parents in this situation and they are in agony. They don’t know what’s best. They’re being told by some that if they don’t support medical transition (for a 14 year old!) their child will die by suicide. They’re being told by others that this is a permanent decision with either likely or certain loss of bodily functionality and lifelong dependence on pharmaceuticals. They have zero good choices. My heart breaks for them. There has to be a better way to deal with gender distress in children. There just has to be. |
OP the number of minors that transition by surgery in the US is extremely low.
RW idiots want everyone to think this is a daily occurrence it is not. No parent gets gender affirming care from a doctor without thoroughly getting vetted them their child etc. No one does any of this without a lot of time thought and consideration. RW is gas lighting you. The stats are online from reputable sources. Things like puberty blockers are not just given out like candy. |
NP. Are these your students? Because you sound very much like an outside observer wringing their hands over something they don't know very much about, not someone who has emotionally joined a parent on their journey with their transgender child. I wonder if it would help you to hear from transgender adults. I follow a few on TikTok and it's been very educational. |
The good thing is that it doesn’t matter if you understand or fully support their choices. Just be kind. |
Eh.
1. You're worrying about a minuscule number of minors, OP. 2. Do you also worry about trafficked minors? Kids with fatal diseases? Abused minors? 3. Many kids make really, really bad decisions. Sometimes they die from them. Are you grieving about them? So again, unless we're talking about legislation to prevent minors from transitioning... eh. |
+1 Think about why you’re fixated on this particular topic vs others that do cause significant harm to teens. |
+1 It’s so saddening |
I guess its between kid, their parents, child protection services, pediatrician, therapist, endocrinologist and surgeons, my opinion or yours shouldn't matter either way.
However, not every child has clarity, not every parent is competent and not every paid professional neutral so this is not as black and white as it seems. On one side society says no one should marry or face criminal prosecution until 30 or whenever their prefrontal cortex is fully developed but on other side body and mind altering hormones and surgery is justified at 13. I'm not sure about these issues but guess just like parents have power to permit needed medical and surgical intervention, actually even elective like circumcision or growth hormones for height etc., probably they can make other decisions as well. |
Who said surgery is justified at 13? ![]() |
What about aesthetic surgeries for teen girls? Aren't those irreversible? |
There are no specific laws in the United States that prevent teenagers from getting cosmetic surgery; however, parental consent is required for patients under the age of 18. |
Right. So no one is pushing surgery for 13yos. Lame a$$ fearmongering. |
This topic is so confusing and polarizing that its not possible to try to brainstorm without getting bashed by both sides. I don't have enough knowledge to see it clearly but support whatever makes lives easier for these kids.
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This is a tad dramatic and not reasonably provable. Maybe keep the kids off of social media which feeds this idea to kids constantly |
I don't think that's transphobic, OP. You have practical and important questions that impact a person for the rest of their life.
I believe that being trans is real. I believe trans persons have a right to live safely, with confidence, and peace. I certainly believe in adults doing and living however they want. But teens + parents + doctors + therapists need to be in this together, to figure out a long term, lifelong plan for a child struggling with gender identity. It just needs to be thought about in depth and not rushed - though yes, I understand the implications of interfering in/before puberty. |