this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2024
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Are there any quality long term studies on the outcome of surgery as a child?
While it's my understanding treatment is more effective when provided sooner rather than later, I don't know if I would have been wise enough to make such an irreversible decision as a child.
Based on what I've heard, the idea that operations are being performed on children is greatly exaggerated. The VAST majority of those receiving gender affirming care under the age of 18 are 17 year olds whos doctor, mental health professional, parents, and themselves have come to that decision.
Also gender affirming care != surgery
In other words, I'm not sure there is much (if any) data to be studied, despite this being an extremely common talking point.
Well the whole "minors" thing is a little overblown. There is one surgery available for 16 year olds with parental consent covered for trans affirming care. Top surgery.
Every other surgery is only available when a person is basically voting age and can make their informed decision as a legal adult.
All in all the surgery is basically aesthetically reversable via silicone implants and formula exists for anybody who has trouble lactating for any reason so it is pretty low risk all told.
Ah I was under the assumption surgery was of the downstairs variety
Nope. Just boobs. Bottom surgery is actually all told not a super popular option since it has a long recovery process. Only about 14% of people who identiffy as trans actually go in for it.
There's a bit of a risk reward calculation to make regarding how the options turn out and a lot of us compromise based on other life factors. It really is a very personal process and the general conception of transitions following a checklist to full surgically isn't an accurate representation in the slightest. Most transitions are sort of composites of social engineering techniques combined with psychological practices of avoiding triggers. If you can get by without a surgery generally speaking you do.
That kind of surgery being performed on minors is rare and the individual must meet a very high criteria before any surgeon would actually perform it.
check out intersex medical interventions in infants, that's the vast majority of sex assignment surgeries on people under 18
It's important to note that "gender-affirming care" does not only mean surgery.
I had a trans phase as a teen, but I was eventually able to resolve it internally. I've also met a handful of people who regretted their transition. I don't have a strong opinion because I won't pretend to know what's best for trans and questioning people, only that I wish there was a perfect way for everyone to receive timely care while minimizing negative outcomes.
Psychological evaluation is a standard part of ethically determining if even adults should receive certain types of healthcare with potentially permanent effects. I was made to do one before I could get a vasectomy, and it was a straightforward appointment. It might not be such a bad thing if it was regulated as a mandatory precursor to receive gender-affirming care as a minor, in place of total bans. It's the bare minimum I would be willing to propose with complete certainty.
the regret rate on transitioning is about 1% while the regret rate for any surgery is usually around 14%. most people who regret transitioning regret it because of the way they've been treated. I'm glad you didn't have to transition because it's not a fun time, but you didn't have a "trans phase", you just aren't trans. and yeah psychological evaluation is a standard part of being trans. it's so difficult to get hrt, let alone any surgeries, without years of appointments and referrals and lab work and psychiatrist appointments. I'd say your concern is a null concern.
Of course, but it's not what conservative politicians say or believe. If it helps for them to write useless laws instead of banning transition outright, then I say shoot.
In parlance we generally prefer that to be referred to as a "questioning phase" as saying it's a "trans phase" tends to be in active use by some of the sort of anti-trans rhetoric peddlers like Abagail Shrier and Jordan Peterson. In the activism scene it's a little "nails on a chalkboard" ish when you come across it .
Also generally speaking gender care for minors in the US and Canada is a four professionional team. A psychologist, a pediatrician, a social worker and an endocrinologist. In the UK it has extra personnel through their kind of arcane structure of gender clincs... So it's already pretty well covered.
Makes sense. Thanks.