r/changemyview CMV:I believe the trans community is taking the child hormone therapy move too far. u/Nagger_ I understand that there is scarce scientific claims that a child knows that they are the "wrong gender" early on in their life and that early hormone therapy is more effective and could improve the quality of their life. BUT, it is my opinion based on anecdotal experiences that people are desperate to see this movement through for the wrong reasons. To put it simply, acceptance of this practice would be a great victory to claim for the LGBT rights cause. If you can have solid scientific backing on this movement, then social equality is that much closer. But the fact of the matter is that there is none. Nothing that can stand alone that is. There are too many holes in these (few) studies. Children are too volatile that early on and theres no way of knowing, or they themselves even knowing, what they really feel.

Theres no way of knowing if the child would want to go through with the change at age 18. I wanted crazy tattoos at age 14 that I'm grateful I did not get at 18. Four years is a long time for mental/social development. I don't think there is a child out there that fully understands the magnitude of hormone therapy. I'm not saying tattoos and gender identity is a fair comparison, but how do you know that the child wishes to take on YOUR fabricated identity solution. What if the child is uncomfortable now, but blossoms into their own unique persona later? You'll never know until you let them grow up, teenagers are weird.

But my main point being that it is literally life changing, and for that reason I think it is horribly irresponsible for a parent to give the green light. We don't let our children make choices they can't fully wrap their heads around yet. These people who promote Child hormone therapy are either misinformed, willfully ignorant, or just telling you what you want to hear.

I really want to hear what you guys have to say, particularly those who are trans or have any related experiences to this topic. CMV ppl

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Top Post is archived convoces71∆ • 1y Contrary to common misconception and the strawbogeymen perpetuated by misinformed groups, the standards of care used by the medical community for treating trans people doesn't actually just say "change your sex and/or gender frivolously and at your whim."

Instead, the Standards of Care published by WPATH details step-by-step treatment guidelines based on scientific and medical research on how to address varying levels of gender dysphoria and how best to treat the physical and mental health of those suffer from gender dysphoria proportional to its severity, and taking into account research on the variations in which it presents in different demographics.

Just like any other health issue, it weighs the consequences and side effects of treatment against the dangers of the condition (in this case for example potentially, depression, anxiety, self-harm, harassment, suicide).

The Standards of Care categorizes physical intervention into fully reversible treatment, partially reversible treatment, and irreversible treatment. It explicitly details criteria that must be met before administering each type of treatment and also explicitly says to not to advance quickly, and to give ample time for patients and their parents to assimilate the situation. First of all, prepubescent patients are not treated physically with hormones or any irreversible treatment at all.

Here is an example citation of criteria for administering fully reversible puberty-suppression treatment once a patient has reached puberty:

The adolescent has demonstrated a long-lasting and intense pattern of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria (whether suppressed or expressed); Gender dysphoria emerged or worsened with the onset of puberty; Any coexisting psychological, medical, or social problems that could interfere with treatment (e.g., that may compromise treatment adherence) have been addressed, such that the adolescent’s situation and functioning are stable enough to start treatment; The adolescent has given informed consent and, particularly when the adolescent has not reached the age of medical consent, the parents or other caretakers or guardians have consented to the treatment and are involved in supporting the adolescent throughout the treatment process. All 4 points strongly refute the idea that the children are making decisions lightly. Psychological evaluation, concrete evidence of gender dysphoria, long-term presentation of symptoms, even addressing any confounding psychological, medical, or social problems, and the consent of legal guardian are all critical factors necessary before even safe&fully reversible treatment is started.

Keeping this in mind, scientific evidence refutes the idea that treating actual gender dysphoria by forcing individuals to conform to their birth-assigned sex is a viable option.