The Truth About Gender Affirming Care

"Isn't catering to gender dysphoria harmful?" This question, steeped in misunderstanding and prejudice, calls for an honest and evidence-based response.

Before anything else, it's essential to underline that the viewpoint is misaligned with those held by reputable medical and psychological organizations.

The American Psychological Association, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, and the National Institute for Children's Health Quality, all esteemed institutions in their respective fields, resoundingly advocate for gender-affirming care for individuals with gender dysphoria.

This isn't simply an empathetic gesture, but rather a robust stance backed by thorough scientific research. Studies - hundreds of them, covering thousands of individuals - underline the significant benefits of gender-affirming care, ranging from social transitioning to puberty blockers and gender reassignment surgery.

The numbers don't lie. The regret rate associated with gender-affirming procedures is astonishingly low, between just one and 2%. Astonishing, especially when compared to knee replacement surgery, a common procedure with a regret rate up to 20 times higher.

Saving Lives, One Transition at a Time

Remember this: gender-affirming care saves lives. A mountain of evidence supports this claim. It's an inconvenient truth for those whose prejudices steer their beliefs.

But the harsh reality is, opposing access to such care, especially when aimed at children, is not just discriminatory but potentially life-threatening.

Contrary to misguided beliefs, childhood transitioning is not a capricious process. The whims of a nine-year-old are not the basis for transformative medical decisions. There's a rigorous procedure in place that begins with consultation with a team of mental health professionals.

Psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists all play a role in the process. These professionals conduct meticulous observations and evaluations over months, sometimes years, ensuring the desire to transition isn't a fleeting phase.

Throughout this period, open communication and collaboration between the patient, parents, doctors, and mental health professionals is the name of the game. Everyone involved strives for one common goal - the child's best interest.

Safeguards in Gender Transitioning

At age 16, top surgery becomes an option. However, this isn't exclusive to trans individuals; it's an option for anyone. As for bottom surgery, most states mandate an age minimum of 18 years, with few exceptions at 17 given a list of preconditions.

In short, the transitioning process is anything but casual or light-hearted. It's a well-monitored, carefully considered journey, ensuring children aren't coerced or tricked into a trans identity. The aim is to help those who identify as trans access the medical care that could drastically improve their quality of life or even save it.

Asking the Right Questions

If, after understanding the evidence and processes involved, you still find yourself against gender-affirming care, it begs the question: Who are you to decide what's best for these children? Are your opinions more informed than medical professionals and the loving families of these children? It's time to reevaluate, time to listen, learn, and let live.

A Deep Dive into Regret Rates

An often-overlooked fact in the debate around gender-affirming care is the incredibly low rate of regret among patients. As mentioned, it hovers between one and 2%. To put it in perspective, that's significantly lower than regret rates for many other medical procedures. A person is about 20 times more likely to regret a knee replacement surgery than they are to regret a gender-affirming procedure.

These figures paint a clear picture: those who undergo gender-affirming care have carefully considered their decisions and are generally satisfied with the outcomes. These figures should serve as a potent antidote to any who claim that patients often regret their choices.

Childhood Transitioning: A Deliberate Process

One of the most common misconceptions is the idea that childhood transitioning is a quick, rash process. This could not be further from the truth. A child expressing a desire to transition doesn't spur an immediate response of hormones and surgeries. In fact, it initiates an extensive and rigorous evaluation process involving a team of mental health professionals.

The team, which may include psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychotherapists, carries out meticulous and prolonged evaluations. These evaluations can span months, even years, to ensure the child's desire to transition isn't merely a passing phase. Only after a careful review would doctors consider interventions such as puberty blockers.

Throughout the entire process, the focus remains on what's in the best interest of the child. There's a continuous flow of communication among the patient, their parents, doctors, and mental health professionals. This collaboration ensures that every decision made is carefully considered and in the best interest of the child.

The Waiting Game: Age Restrictions and Pre-Conditions

Contrary to misconceptions, transitioning is not an immediate decision. The medical community has established age-based boundaries and preconditions for surgical procedures. Top surgery, for instance, is only available to those 16 and above.

And even then, it's not exclusively for those who identify as trans.

As for bottom surgery, restrictions are even stricter. Most states only permit this surgery for those 18 and older, with a few exceptions for 17-year-olds, subject to a list of preconditions. This age restriction ensures that major life-altering decisions are not made prematurely.

The Truth About Coercion and Consent

There's a pervasive myth that children are coerced or tricked into becoming trans. The reality? There are significant checks and balances in place to prevent this. From extensive evaluations to age restrictions and constant dialogue, no stone is left unturned to ensure that the child's best interests are at heart.

In reality, it is the systemic barriers that prevent trans kids from accessing life-saving medical care that are truly harmful. Ignoring or denying the existence of trans kids does them a disservice. They deserve access to the care that can significantly improve their quality of life or even save it.

A Final Thought

If, after all this, you still find yourself in opposition to gender-affirming care, it's worth asking yourself why. Are your beliefs grounded in fact, or are they rooted in misinformation or prejudice? And most importantly, who are you to dictate what is best for these children? Isn't it more appropriate to leave that decision to the medical professionals, and to the children and their families, who know and understand their situations better than anyone else?

Resources

The American Psychological Association (APA) - www.apa.org: The APA offers an array of resources on topics like gender dysphoria and transgender issues, including various studies, articles, and guidelines.

The National LGBT Health Education Center - www.lgbthealtheducation.org: A part of the Fenway Institute, this center provides educational programs, resources, and consultations to health care organizations with the goal of optimizing quality, cost-effective health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

GLAAD - www.glaad.org: GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change.

Transgender Care Listings - www.transcaresite.org: A directory listing of professionals sensitive to transgender healthcare needs from medical doctors to therapists and lawyers.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) - www.wpath.org: An international multidisciplinary professional association aimed at promoting evidence-based care, education, research, advocacy, public policy, and respect in transgender health.

The Trevor Project - www.thetrevorproject.org: An American non-profit organization that focuses on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth. They also provide education and resources on their website.

Transgender Law Center (TLC) - www.transgenderlawcenter.org: The largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people, TLC changes law, policy, and attitudes so that all people can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination.

PFLAG - www.pflag.org: PFLAG provides support, education, and advocacy to LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families, and allies. Their website offers numerous resources on a variety of related topics.

National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) - www.transequality.org: The NCTE advocates to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. They offer a comprehensive list of resources for trans people and their families.

Gender Spectrum

 - www.genderspectrum.org

: Gender Spectrum provides consultation, training, and events to help families, educators, professionals, and organizations understand and address the concepts of gender identity and expression.