• @PugJesusEnglish
        13•5 days ago

        Idk. There have been cases where people have regretted having the treatment. They are few compared to the number of people who think that the treatment was the best thing they ever did, but they do exist. I guess that being trans might cause some effects, like people being mean and bigoted or just the stress of knowing that you don’t fit in to what society seem to expect you to. I think prioritizing mental support through therapy might be a good start before the physical treatment. It will be good for both those that would regret the treatment but also for those that will get all sorts of weird interactions with others during the transition.

        … is this the comment you’re talking about?

        • Sunshine (she/her)OP
          -6•5 days ago

          Pushing this message that therapists should be required before allowing transitioning is very harmful as it’s often not required as trans people know very well of who they truly are. Gender dysphoria is really terrible as it negatively affects your mental health.

          Some places in their world require 2 psychiatrists before allowing trans people to simply transition on hormones.

          • @PugJesusEnglish
            16•5 days ago

            Uh, okay, but at most this is “Commenter wants medical providers to be more cautious than is necessary”, and

            prioritizing mental support through therapy might be a good start before the physical treatment.

            is hardly a statement of gatekeeping

            • Sunshine (she/her)OP
              -12•5 days ago

              You do not understand how it feels to look at your body and feel out of place. It eats you alive. Therapy can only help so much.

              • @PugJesusEnglish
                18•5 days ago

                You do not understand how it feels to look at your body and feel out of place. It eats you alive. Therapy can only help so much.

                Okay? But therapy is not meant to cure, but to assist and prepare for future events.

              • @[email protected]
                13•5 days ago

                I’m trans and I support therapy before HRT, but I disagree with the sentiment that it’s because of possibilities of regret. I believe that gender-focused therapy helps one prepare for the changes and challenges they will endure on HRT - it’s a big step, afterall. Approaching medical transition with strong mental health is essential to wellbeing while undergoing difficult and impactful changes.

                For context, when I started on HRT in the early 2010s it was normal to be required to have a panel interview with your therapist, another mental health professional, and a medical doctor (with whom you had had a physical exam and blood tests) to present your case and ensure that HRT was the best treatment option before starting. It was a rite of passage for trans people who pursued HRT. I’m glad that things have gotten easier now, but at the time it helped me feel certain that I was ready and fully prepared.

                • Jerkface (any/all)English
                  1•4 days ago

                  Honestly, therapy is an almost necessary part of gender-affirming care. It doesn’t just prepare you or help you go through it, it’s fully part of it.

                • @PugJesusEnglish
                  5•5 days ago

                  I am cis and have mentioned that before on Lemmy; they may have seen that.

          • Jerkface (any/all)English
            12•5 days ago

            Certainly, everyone who is thinking of transitioning should have access to counseling. My partner is in this stage and it has been vital for them. I hate to think of people trying to go through it alone, without professional guidance.

          • CaptainBasculin
            5•5 days ago

            People can regret doing this you know. It’s a serious life altering choice after all, people should really think whether doing this makes sense for them.

            • Jerkface (any/all)English
              10•5 days ago

              The principle medical reason for gender affirming care is that it SAVES LIVES. We have statistics on how often and severely people experience regret and we know it is not a significant factor. You’re talking about outliers. Not everyone has access to counseling. We can deal with X number of people with regrets if it means X*Y (for some reasonable Y) people don’t actually die.

              Presumably you believe that anyone with a uterus should be permitted to have a child without first receiving counseling on how it is going to potentially destroy their body from the hormone exposure alone. What is the meaningful difference?