Thread by @Wwchester

Today is #DetransAwarenessDay—a day to hear the stories of men and women whose gender dysphoria was not helped by medical transition—which raises the question,

What’s the best way to care for people experiencing gender dysphoria (GD)?

(THREAD)

The Gender Affirmative care model recommended today as *THE* way to address GD looks something like this:

-Affirm their internal sense of gender
-Therapy to alleviate distress
-Social transition
-Hormonal transition
-Surgical transition

What’s the harm in that?

This care model is based on a classical typology of GD:
1) Rare
2) Appearing around ages 3-5
3) Mostly Boys

But in the last ten years, a new typology has developed that is markedly different:

1) Increasing rates
2) First appearing in adolescence
3) Mostly girls

Writing in a journal for Pediatrics, one of the principle authors of the “Dutch Protocol”—the basis for today’s Gender-affirmative approach—has questioned whether the Gender-affirmative care model actually helps adolescent-onset GD.

pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/146/4/…

Just because the symptoms of Classical GD and Adolescent GD are the same, doesn't mean they require the same treatment approach.

But, there’s another problem: we’ve got no objective test to determine whether someone’s GD would be best remedied by physical transition or by exploring other psychological causes.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health “Standards of Care” recommend that...

“Before any physical interventions are considered for adolescents, *extensive exploration* of psychological, family, and social issues should be undertaken... The duration of this exploration may vary considerably depending on the complexity of the situation.”

But the reality is, if you know the right doctors and therapists, an adolescent can begin hormone treatments in only 1 or 2 visits.

So much for "extensive exploration"...

Here’s an example from my state of Illinois: a minor can begin hormone treatments that will permanently change his/her body after only *two* visits to Planned Parenthood.

How does testosterone affect a young woman’s body?

For one, it hurts: body aches, cramping, sweating.

Even if she goes off of “t,” she'll be left with a permanent facial and body hair, a lower voice register. Combined puberty-blockers, she’s now infertile for life.

Here’s a story from @post_trans, an account dedicated to sharing the stories of women who were not well-served by today’s Gender Affirmative model.

Gender dysphoric teens are hurting. No question about it.

But today’s care model isn’t the solution. They need something better—something that provides space to explore what else is going on, whether bodily discomfort, internalized misogyny or homophobia, or trauma.

For more resources, I highly recommend Gender Health Query: A Resource & Community For LGBT People Who Want To Promote The Long-Term Physical & Mental Health Of Gender Dysphoric Youth.

genderhq.org

If you know me, then you know I hold some moral convictions that are clearly not shared by genderhq.org. That's why I'm recommending them.

This isn't just an issue for dusty old social conservatives. This is for anyone who cares about hurting teens.

Peace, love, and happy #DetransAwarenessDay! Their stories deserve to be heard!