Trans youth will no longer be prescribed puberty blockers at NHS England gender identity clinics in a new “blow” to gender-affirming healthcare.
Puberty blockers are a type of medicine that prevent puberty from starting by blocking the hormones – like testosterone and oestrogen – that lead to puberty-related changes in the body. In the case of trans youth, this can delay unwanted physical changes like menstruation, breast growth, voice changes or facial hair growth.
On Tuesday (12 March), NHS England confirmed the medicine, which has been described as “life-saving” medical care for trans youth, will only be available to young people as part of clinical research trials.
The government described the move as a “landmark decision”, Sky News reported. It believed such a move is in the “best interests of the child”.
You’re not going to get any sympathy here, but for what it’s worth I agree with you. Some children may be entirely convinced that they know exactly what they want, and two years later they may find out they were completely wrong. I’m a trans ally, but I think children should require the explicit informed consent of their parents for any and all medical treatments including hormone therapy.
Good thing puberty blockers are completely reversible should the child end up being wrong. But if they are not wrong they are spared living through their body changing further into the opposite of their gender.
As I understand it, the rate of post-hormone regret for these kids is extremely low. Like, single or double digits low.
And to add to that, this isn’t hormone replacement therapy. This is a temporary pause on your hormones.
I did not say hormone replacement therapy. I said hormone therapy, which is exactly what “pausing puberty” involves.
Okay then, but that doesn’t really help your position either way.
Gillick competency be damned.
Gillick competency be damned.