Puberty blockers are used for children primarily for two reasons. The largest is children with gender identity disorders and the second is precocious puberty. They are less of an issue with precocious puberty because it slows down children that go into puberty at a very early age, and they prevent a number of negative physical problems from a very early puberty. As far as the suicide risk for trans adolescents, we really don't have the data to know for sure. They entire narrative that those that are trans have higher suicide rates is based on two VERY flawed and useless studies. There are studies going right now and in the next few years we will have better information.
This is a theory or opinion that really isn't based on science. The data on transgenderism currently is VERY limited, so the idea that transgendered people are overwhelmingly white and affluent is a real reach. The little bit of data we do have on this specific question is 7-8 years old and actually there was a much higher percentage of black Americans that identified as transgendered than white Americans when adjusted for the population percentage. There is a lot of pulling straws by both sides on this issue. At this point we really do not have enough data to make definitive statements.
They don't do these surgeries on children. There's no need to outlaw them. It's like passing a law to outlaw people from driving their car into the sun. Looking into this yes, you are right there are rare surgeries - exceedingly rare - on transgender teens. Still, I don't think you need to ban anything but instead come up with policies and rules. DeSantis is claiming they are mutilating kids at the ages of 10-13. That isn't true. https://www.politifact.com/factchec...tion-related-surgery-limited-teens-not-young/ Regardless, Biden is clearly pushing back on the overall law, not the idea of trying to say that it's cruel to stop a 10 year old from having gender reassignment surgery. Still, if you can give a girl breast implants at the age of 16 with parental consent, they should be banning that as well then. Otherwise it smacks of a double standard don't you think?
Breast implants and breast reduction surgeries, even though I don't agree with them, are either purely cosmetic or alleviate back pain. Those girls could still nurse their babies. More importantly, those girls could still get pregnant later in life. Whereas gender-affirming double mastectomies eliminate the ability to ever nurse. And because a girl that has a double mastectomy is likely taking puberty blockers, she would not be able to get pregnant at all. So, call that a double standard if you like, but those breast surgeries are not the same.
We may not have reliable data on suicide risk for trans kids in general. But on an individual basis, family and health care team can make reasonable assessments on suicide risk and factor that into their treatment plan. They don't need politicians and "concerned citizens" poking their nose into the business of their kids' sexual development interfering with that, in my opinion.
There is no question that medical professionals can assess the mental state of individual transexual kids and determine if they are a suicide risk. I also suspect that transgendered teenagers have a higher risk of suicide than a cis teenager, but we don't know. As far as the government or medical bodies having a say in whether puberty blockers or sex reassignment surgery is something that should be considered legal, I don't agree with you. We legislate to protect minors all the time. The Courts also step in all the time.
To be clear, I do not Governor DeSantis and I will not vote for him. I do agree with how he runs the state of Florida and I do not agree with many of his policies. I believe that children should be prepared for the world, and that means they should be exposed to transgender people, homosexuals another others. I also believe that if a teach is gay, they shouldn't have to hide it, and neither should a transgendered teacher. I don't think it should make a major part of the curriculum, but I also don't think it is. Where I will draw the line now, is that I do not believe that underaged children should receive puberty blockers or have access to trans-surgery. They should have counseling and they should dress as they wish and receive respect. As the issue is studied more completely, and information comes in, I may change my mind - but right now we really don't know enough.
Independent medical bodies (consisting of actual doctors with relevant clinical expertise in this area) -- yes. I would consider them an extension of the health care system we have in place. Not just any government body, though. I don't believe that the welfare of kids is really what many of these people are about. They are, primarily, against normalization of non-traditional gender roles.
I respect your opinion - or you overall actually and agree with much of what you wrote. Except about puberty blockers. My friend friend, his daughter turned out to be trans - and now presents as a boy. Before this he was super depressed and had a lot of difficulty. Once addressing this, their biggest fear, is undergoing puberty. Imagine if you are a boy trapped in a woman's body. How shattering it would be to develop breasts and other womanly features. I know you don't agree with the studies around the suicide rate of transgender people, but in this case, his daughter was very much suicidal before getting care. Yes that's only one example, but that's what I have to share.
Persian families don’t want kids to indoctrinated @durvasa @ROXRAN @Commodore this is united American families against turning their kids into a woke experiment
It's painfully obvious that some of you have never seen first hand the struggle of a family to keep their very Trans teen alive through multiple suicide attempts.
This aspect of empathy is complete removed from the people spamming this content. @tinman might be different in that I genuinely think he's making fun of posters like @AroundTheWorld with a parody.