Writes Althea, Content writer
Headline Diplomat eMagazine, LUCDI.eu
Transgender surgeries and drugs for kids are permanent and an impractical option considering these individuals aren’t old enough to understand the procedure’s ramifications and may change their minds on the topic during adulthood.
Transgenders often employ different methods to fit their physical appearance with their mental perception, and one controversial method is surgery. Essentially, transgenders can undergo breast reduction or mastectomy, construction of a penis and scrotum, removal of the ovaries and uterus, and more.
Irrespective of one’s position on transgenderism, adults can perform any desired body modification since they understand the ramifications of their actions. However, some members of the LGBTQ argue against this logic, demanding gender-affirming surgeries for children.
This article will tackle transgender surgeries and drugs for children, outline the request’s flaws, and show legal actions on this practice. Read on!
Problems with Transgender Surgeries For Children
Gender Dysphoria is described as a sense of unease an individual faces as they have a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity. While this feeling exists in the general population, it’s only prominent in 1.2% to 4.1% of adolescents.
Essentially, less than 5% of individuals below the age of 18 report a gender identity different from what they had at birth. For this group, the Trans community requires the availability of surgical treatment to help affirm their new identity.
Unfortunately, this request fails to consider the malleability of a child’s mind, as studies conclude that children’s brains are more impressionable (or plastic) than adults’. In other words, they are easily influenced by outside events.
Combining this impressionability with a child’s natural attention-seeking behavior and the recognition associated with coming out as Trans, child Trans surgeries and drugs become problematic. Essentially, the child may be undergoing this life-changing procedure for unrealistic and uneducated reasons, resulting in future regret.
This conclusion is further supported by the latest Follow-up Study of Boys Experiencing Gender Dysphoria (Singh, Bradley, Zucker, 2021). The study concludes that out of 139 participants, 12.2% continued experiencing Gender Dysphoria, while the remaining 122 87.8% had changed their minds.
Additional research published in the Journal of Pediatrics showed that a significant number of children who underwent social gender transitioning changed their minds with time. Note that social transitioning includes changing one’s hair, name, dress style, pronouns, etc.
Ultimately, research shows that a significant number of children change their minds regarding altering their gender. This factor, combined with their attention-seeking tendencies and impressionable minds makes it necessary to create a system where children explore their identity without any permanent effect.
Unfortunately, transgender surgeries and drugs for kids are permanent and an impractical option considering these individuals aren’t old enough to understand the procedure’s ramifications and may change their minds on the topic during adulthood.
Legal Actions Against Transgender Surgery for Children
The ethical issue of providing life-changing surgeries and medications to children with gender dysphoria has been long debated. Recently, Republican Louisiana state senator, Sen. Fred Mills, made the tie-breaking vote to block a bill that would have outlawed destructive transgender drugs and surgeries for children.
The Senator and Pharmacist sided with Democrat colleagues in a 5-4 vote to shoot down the bill known as the “Stop Harming Our Kids Act.” Suppose this measure was passed, it would have prevented the administration of puberty blockers, mutilating surgeries, and cross-sex hormones to individuals younger than 18.
Senator Fred Mills argued that decisions to provide gender-affirming care to minors should be made by the child and physicians. However, other participants voiced their opinions on the subject; one example is, Dr. Jennifer Bauwens, a former clinical psychologist and the current director of the Family Research Council’s Center for Family Studies.
The medical personnel argued that many medical professionals have traded “basic practices of good mental health treatment” for gender ideology. She also mentioned a child’s neurological, cognitive, and emotional development, stating it’s not reliable for making such decisions.
While the battle still exists in Louisiana, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt already signed a bill into law that prohibits gender-affirming care for minors. The legal repercussion for this offense is a felony charge for health care practitioners.
Senate Bill 613 prevents medical experts from administering gender-affirming care to minors, including puberty blockers, surgeries, and hormone treatments. Surprisingly, the ban took effect immediately under an emergency clause; however, it left some exceptions for minors receiving treatment before the Bill.
Conclusion
Gender Dysphoria is a real issue that results in emotional pain and distress, which can inhibit an individual’s ability to function in school, work, social circles, and more. While this problem appears in children, life-changing and permanent procedures like surgeries and hormone treatments are unrealistic solutions.
These procedures can cause fertility loss, cardiovascular diseases, physiological damage, cancer, etc. Furthermore, a child’s mind is developed enough to assess the repercussions of proceeding with gender-affirming surgeries and medications.
Therefore, we recommend the implementation of legal measures that prevent procedures from producing permanent changes, allowing children to explore different gender identities while developing their personalities toward adulthood.
Featured Photo: Alexander Grey, Pexels
