For the last two years, Koen has routinely self-administered weekly testosterone injections without a second thought.

During that time, the trans 17-year-old said his self-image and school and family life has drastically improved. His fear of needles, too, has faded.

“[Transitioning] made me look forward to things more because now I can start paying attention to the better version of myself,” said Koen, who asked to be identified by his first name because of fears for his safety. “It’s something I feel like I’ve needed for a while. I’m able to express myself more fluidly and feel comfortable doing that, which I think is a very big step for me right now.”

At the start of the year, though, a greater worry emerged.

A new law banning gender-affirming care for minors in Louisiana took effect on Jan. 1 prohibiting puberty blockers, hormone treatment, and gender-reaffirming surgery. Now, Koen isn’t sure he could continue his hormone treatment.

Louisiana is one of 22 other states that have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for minors, disrupting health care needs for trans and nonbinary people.

  • @samus12345
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    4 months ago

    Reconstructive surgery to fix an aesthetic-only deformity isn’t “medically necessary” either, by your definition. So you get upset that people stare at you in public? Ha ha, feelings aren’t real, get over it!

      • @force
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        24 months ago

        You literally said “so of course hormone treatment [for klinefelter syndrome] is justified”. you didn’t say the exact words “it’s medically necessary” but you’re acting like for some reason it’s justified for X person to get HRT that exists solely to make their bodies more similar to what would make them comfortable, while it’s not justified for Y person to do the same thing. You’re drawing arbitrary lines for what specific condition “counts” as justification to get the treatment. And here you are admitting that you label both as “not medically necessary” yet only one you’re vehemently against and crying about online?

        It’s also ignoring the fact that a large portion of people who are trans are also born with “abnormal” hormone production or sex characteristics (major chromosomal abnormalities are reported to be about 8-10x as prevalent in trans populations compared to the general population) and gender dysphoria (along with pretty much every other disorder in existence) is heavily tied to genetics, prevalence of anything like ADHD or gender dysphoria or bipolar can be traced to various sets of specific genes and in the case of e.g. latent gender dysphoria or latent bipolar or latent depression, are often present for someone’s entire life (i.e. they’re “predisposed” to it) without being “active” but then (irreversibly) start developing from, or are triggered by, events – like reaching a certain point in development (especially puberty), or experiencing certain environmental conditions over a long period of time (especially as a child), or even as an acute chemical response to a drug (for example, anti-depressants and hallucinogens can cause trigger full-blown bipolar in those who are predisposed), or various other factors, and a combination of a bunch of them.

        You are discriminating against people for their medical condition and hand-picking scenarios in which medical treatment is “acceptable” with absolutely zero scientific, logical, or moral basis. You are acting on your insecurity, emotions, and hatred of trans people alone, and nothing else.