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.
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The court cases striking down these shitty laws really need to get moving. Restricting access to hormone therapy is blatantly unconstitutional, as the existing challenges that have made it through the courts have proved.
People born XXY (Klinefelter’s Syndrome) can get testosterone for treatment, so to say someone who needs testosterone for similar gender affirming care cannot get it is plain discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation.
I wholly agree with you. And I say this next part as an ally living in Louisiana:
I don’t see the courts being able to stop this from happening. Inevitably, it will get challenged and end up at the Supreme Court, which will rule 6-3 “states rights”.
Conservative justices have shown time and again that unless the constitution literally says the words “shall not infringe upon trans care for minors” they will not interpret it as such.
The only thing stopping this law in the last few years was a veto from the democratic governor, and now that that has flipped republican, the only thing that will stop it is enough people turning out to vote in 2027.
I’m not so sure SCOTUS would rule that way. Even Gorsuch ruled in favor of lgbtq rights because it is such obvious discrimination: https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/863498848/supreme-court-delivers-major-victory-to-lgbtq-employees#:~:text=Gorsuch couched his opinion in,or transgender without discriminating …
I hope you’re right. I think the involvement of minors might change that though
Very big difference between social discrimination and medical treatment
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I’d bet anything you don’t personally know or love any trans folk. On the off chance you do, please please please never tell them that their diagnosable condition is akin to plastic surgery. This is precisely what people are referring to when they talk about harmful, close minded ideals towards trans people and their identities.
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Why are we letting them delude themselves further?
Why would this ever be any of your business?
I don’t like the way you drive your car, I’ve decided it’s unhealthy and morally wrong. A bunch of people are all arguing that you should have your license revoked because of it. Seems kinda fucked up, right?
You could get real driving experts, with real bona fides, to present facts saying the way you drive your car is no different from anyone else (as it relates to health and safety). But because I feel like I deserve to be the moral authority on the matter, me and my crowd are going to continue dehumanizing you at every opportunity, and will ruthlessly demand that you lose your driving privileges.
You want the same thing, but for bodily autonomy. For no reason other than you think you know better than everyone.
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Stop being the language police, and people will leave you alone.
That might literally be the dumbest thing I’ve ever I heard.
“iF yOu DiDn’T cAlL uS oUt FoR bEiNg TwAtS, wE’d ToTaLlY mInD oUr BuSiNeSs”
That doesn’t even make sense. If you hear about using the wrong pronouns, it’s probably someone you know asking you not to misgender them. If you’re hearing about it more than that, it’s probably because of whichever talking head you’re listening to that’s trying to make you mad.
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Because they kill themselves. That’s why we give gender affirming care - because at best it just really can mess them up not to have it. And they were killing themselves. A lot.
So we came up with a protocol to do reversible puberty blockers for 4-6 years while they and their parents work with an endocrinologist and therapist to make sure this is the right call.
Only at 16 or 17 they then get the option for hormone therapy, and if they’ve been on puberty blockers then they either grow (or don’t grow) boobs naturally.
And unless they think there’s a high risk of suicide or self-mutilation otherwise (and there’s a process and a panel that needs to approve this) they can’t get bottom surgery until they’re at least 18 - assuming they even want it
We also do allow elective plastic surgery with parental and doctor approval - breast reduction or implants for example - at the age they’re eligible for hormone therapy.
Also, we give gender affirming plastic surgery to cis male teens and preteens who have manboobs, I think it can even be covered by insurance. It’s not unnatural or necessary unless they have a high risk for breast cancer, it’s purely because it makes them insecure
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LMAO, you think most people agree with you?
Most people don’t actually care much either way because they don’t know any trans people. They just parrot things that sound good without putting any thought into it
Let’s put in a little thought.
Why would trans people have a dedicated dating app if no one was interested? It would just be one of the million other failed dating apps no one has ever heard of. Why do they have prominent categories on many porn sites? Why do they do so well on only fans?
They’re less than 0.5% of the population… If they’re that overrepresented then clearly, there’s a demand
But I think we’re getting into the source of this… Trans girls make your dick confused, and you’re not secure enough in your sexuality to confront what that means
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Typical centrist idiot halting all progress because they think their thoughts are so profound.
Are you a trans person? No? Quit telling them how they should treat themselves, you empathy lacking dumb ass.
It’s none of your fucking business.
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Your opinion screams of a lack of understanding, and your manner belies an unwillingness to even hear contrary information.
Don’t be surprised when people refuse to engage with you in this punji pit you’ve constructed around a boxing ring.
In my mind
Are you a doctor?
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You’re claiming something is flat out not medically necessary when you clearly do not have the knowledge to make that call. Your opinions cost people their lives.
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My opinions cost nobody their life?
yikes
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They’re both gender affirming care even if you don’t like it.
If a child is born with a cleft lip would you repair it or tell them that’s the way god made them and they have to live with it?
If a child is neurodivergent and has severe gender dysphoria becasue of it do you force them to remain unhappy and uncomfortable or do you help them make adjustments to make them more comfortable?
If you can’t “fix” the issue isn’t the next best step accommodating for it? If someone is paralyzed and the spine can’t be repaired do you leave them in bed or give them a wheelchair? If I person is deaf do you just leave them in silence or give them hearing aids and/or teach them to sign?
Being trans is very often like being gay, it’s hardwired into the brain, just like being left handed. If it’s just the way a person’s brain is wired isn’t it better to relieve discomfort by adjusting the physical to match the mental if the mental can’t be adjusted to match the physical?
There will be kids who are experimenting with their gender identity and decide that they’re most comfortable as their birth gender and that’s great, any form of self discovery is awesome but there will always be people who are gender dysphoric and the most successful way of alleviating that dysphoria is to transition.
Years and years of therapy come before any form a medical transition for kids and often transition simply means a preferred name change, change of clothes and gender affirming hair style. If a child is comfortable with just those changes then medical transition isn’t necessary. If however they, after therapy and non medical gender affirming care still feel uncomfortable puberty blockers can be used to pause puberty until the child is older. Once they’re older they can decide whether or not transition is the right choice for them.
No one should go into transition without therapy first but gender dysphoria is so uncomfortable. It’s like walking around in shoes that are 3 sizes too big or too small your entire life. You can get by, but it’s painful.
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A beautiful woman? It’s not about beauty, it’s about gender identity, wtf lol. You ignorant ass hahaha
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So you’re actively arguing they not receive treatment for something you do think is a mental illness?
No wonder mental health is failing so hard across the board, people are just deciding which things do and don’t get treatment all willy nilly based on feelings apparently!
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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!
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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.
Lots of doctors disagree with you. I think I’ll go with their opinions over those of some uninformed internet rando who decides things based on feelings.
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ohh, you’re a conspiracy theorist!
god, that explains everything. you should’ve opened with the big-hormone shit, we could’ve all just had a big laugh.
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Pick a lane.
You’re not less of a transphobe because you also buy into really ridiculous reasoning for your transphobia.
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That bible chastity belt, is becoming a noose. Good work you Christians. Very Jesus of y’all.
Another proud moment for Christianity
The fucked up part is that they literally are proud of this.
Sure. Apologists will tell you that there was some pure form of Christianity that was good and it got corrupted in recent times by its alliance with the political right. History doesn’t tell us that. It has always been a tool of oppression.
I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity.
-Fredrick Douglass 1845
Over a century prior to the Jerry Falwell moral majority. In1845 the Christianity presented was viewed as a temporary oddness not aligned with the real Christianity.
Heck even in the letters of Paul, decades before any Gospel accounts he talks about homosexuals going to hell and how people deserved death for not giving the church money.
It was always a shit cult that attacked the vulnerable. Always willing to punch down. “Slaves obey your masters!” It declares.
Another proud moment for Christianity
And for the Republicans who pander to them
Folks, if you live in one of these places and are threatened by this: fucking leave. They threaten your life! They have intent and ability to act on those threats, and the ability to get away with it within the system you are currently living in.
Save yourself.
There are people/groups/communities in California that will help you. I can’t speak for other states but I see it every day here.
Put yourself out there on social media and ask for assistance in relocating, I guarantee you will find help. It won’t be glamourous and you will still have to fight for yourself, but not for the same reasons. You are accepted here. Fuck those fascists, do not give them the chance they are frothing to act upon.
I keep seeing comments like these in different threads. Every one of them seem to forget all the factors that keep people stuck in red states. Housing prices are sky high, especially in blue states with prices being 5 times what housing costs here. Wages here are well below a living wage on average as well as being highly stagnant. Most of us live pay check to pay check and have no way of saving enough to relocate. My wife and I have been wanting to move since we got married but that’s not likely to happen anytime soon.
You’re absolutely right, of course. I am familiar with the comments you’re speaking of, and I meant mine to be a bit more than the usual “Well just move” flippant remark. Hopefully that came across.
The unfortunate truth is exactly as you described, and for someone (and/or their family) to change their circumstances requires sacrifice of some kind. Often, very significant sacrifices.
I don’t want to minimize that- Quite the opposite really. I want to reinforce the fact that for anyone who feels their lives are endangered, those sacrifices might be worth it. And importantly: they don’t have to go through that experience alone.
Anyway, I hope you and your family stay safe and happy. Cheers
Christ, that sounds kinda miserable. My condolences, I hope you can figure something out. If you’ve got free time, try for some licensure of some kind.
Thanks. Not a license per say but I am working on getting some IT certs to try to help out with our finances more.
I like the enthusiasm, but minors are not generally in a position to up and relocate. Supportive families are increasingly finding themselves needing to move out of hostile states. Most of us are holding our breath for national elections to determine if we need to flee the country.
I agree with you and I don’t have anything useful to add, but I wish the very best for you and your family; that you are all safe and thriving.
fucking leave
Ideally vote on the way out, if you can.
At a certain point, in some states, and esp if Trump wins in 2024, trans youth need to start thinking about their bodily safety. That will become priority number 1.
What exactly is “gender-affirming” care? Is it a sex change? Is it hormone therapy?
Why can’t articles report on specifics instead of using loaded language?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loaded_language
“This type of language is very often made vague to more effectively invoke an emotional response and/or exploit stereotypes.”
Both sides do it, and we should feel shame whenever we stoop as low as /r/conservative.
I think it’s sorta telling that you did a wiki search for loaded language instead of one for gender affirming care. To be clear, it’s absolutely not loaded language, it’s just language you don’t understand, literally anything can seem vague if you don’t know what it entails, if you truly don’t want to be like /conservative then I think you should be a but more proactive at self education.
Here is a better rundown from a neutral source. But tldr it’d everything from parental support/respect for prounons/new haircut/clothes and possibly puberty blockers for minors. To hormones, electrolysis and an extremely long list of different surgical options too numerous to lost depending on the person.
So the idea of blocking all medical options for minors is ridiculous since no minors are getting surgery. Period. And puberty blockers are both reversible and have been used for decades. Legislation restricting what psychologists, pediatricians and endocrinologists have all agreed as safe and effective treatment is just lunacy and bigotry.
It’s also not just for trans kids. There are all sorts of types of gender affirming care that have nothing to do with transitioning.
Gender affirming care is professionally administered interventions that help a person live an affirmed life as the gender they most identify with.
In practical terms, it’s a giant-ass flow chart with a bunch of different questions and options that end in a wide array of care options that properly guided individuals and either partake of, or not. Everything from talk therapy, to puberty blockers, to hormone replacement therapy, to physical surgeries on their genitals, to adding or removing breast mass, to changing the configuration of their face. Whatever makes sense to the individual.
I didn’t read the article, and I refuse to do even the most basic research on this subject, but let me tell you (with undeserved confidence) why you’re wrong.
You have a hotkey for that around here?
Did you bother following any links in the article? They have a link to the bill, explaining exactly what they’re banning, as well as another explaining in detail what gender affirming care is.
I thought all the evidence was coming back that being a minor and transitioning is too young.
Seems that when kids start going through puberty they they get unhappy with their body which is a tale as old as time. But then when they turn into an adult that have gone through the natural process of growing up and they fit with their body.
That’s why countries are reducing giving life changing drugs to kids that just need time. Sometimes you just need to go through the growing pains.
I’m 49.
I knew in 1978 that I was the wrong gender even though I didn’t know what being trans was.
I come from a conservative CATHOLIC British/Irish family living in small town Canada. Went to catholic school and everything. Needless to say I got ZERO help.
The first time I tried to kill myself I was 9. It wasn’t until 2020 and covid that I actually sat down and realized I need to do something because if I die of covid (autoimmune disorders) I will die never being happy and I WANT to be happy.
Unfortunately my realizations came at the same time americans decided to go full nazi and all I get when reaching out to trans communities is those communities being bombarded with attacks from american nazis.
I wish I could have transitioned when I was a kid, it would have saved me from 40+ years of pain and suffering. Ironically before I can take the steps medically to feel better I actually have to repair the damage caused by 30 years of anti depressants and anti psychotics used as a Band-Aid trying to fix my mental health without dealing with the root issue which is gender dysphoria likely caused by being neurodivergent (which was something that wasn’t discovered until a few years ago).
Children shouldn’t have to suffer the way we older generations had to suffer. The brain cannot be reprogrammed, it’s hardwired, someone who is trans can’t stop being trans any more than someone can stop being autistic or having adhd.
I wish you all the luck in the world and hope we’re able to do something about the slime oppressing you and other trans people.
Thank you so much for sharing your story 💖
Love ya, friendo
Did you know: Puberty blockers cause ZERO harm to children, and to reverse the effects, which will allow puberty to continue its course, just stop the medicine!
This adolescent person that is nearly the age of majority will now have to suffer anxiety, body image issues, potential suicidal and self-harm ideation, and general misery, because the a person decided that what this other person was doing for self care, and to improve their mental health, was wrong. I’m so glad these lawmakers with NO BIAS and MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE are making laws, that are obviously not for any agenda and hurting nobody in particular, because trans people like me aren’t actually real people and shouldn’t be allowed to be comfortable in their own body.
Puberty blockers cause ZERO harm to children
You can’t just make stuff up
Hey how about you educate yourself, since you’re rejecting lots of good faith attempts to do it for you? The science checks out, you just haven’t actually read any of it. At best you’ve had it misrepresented to you, much the way a parent would lie to a child.
Anything that messes with your hormones absolutely has the chance of causing harm. Whether that is birth control, or even giving test to a guy with low levels.
Go on then in good faith. How does it cause zero harm? Zero has been emphasised. I want to know it doesn’t cause more or less height, more or less hair growth. No pain. No anxiety. No worries. Nothing for anyone. Remember it has to be ZERO harm. Not only mild or only small harm, not occasional harm. It has to be 0. ZERO harm. Can you show me a source for that please?
Government of the world are educated on this matter and they are changing there minds on it. I’m not an expert so I’m not the one that needs convincing they do.
Zero harm in the context of being used for folks concerned with their gender identity. If we’re considering height discrepancies to be “serious harm”, then we’re not really having a good faith discussion at all. You CLEARLY don’t need convincing, seeing as any effort spent will be wasted. You’re a brick wall asking me to walk through you.
Like I said. I don’t need convincing it’s the trained experts in multiple countries having looked at the evidence are deciding to change things stop puberty blockers because of worries of harm.
What, only you’re allowed to just make shit up?
What have I made up?
The only statements I have made are messing with your hormones have an impact on a person. Can’t believe that’s in dispute.
Secondly. Countries are reducing the use of puberty blockers for teens due to worries over harm and I provided a source.
Or hear me out we let them block puberty because that’s literally hurting nobody and preventing them from doing so very clearly does hurt people.
But also you know that kids don’t think they are trans cause of puberty angst right? Come on man. If you were fundamentally unhappy going through puberty as a teen then sorry to say but that’s actually not normal. Most people are rather content knowing their balls will get hairy or they’ll grow boobs. We’re talking about kids who’ve been dreading puberty since like they knew what it was. I’ll again repeat if you dreaded puberty that’s not normal.
I was actually pretty happy with my body, but I’m a specimen. I was concerned about girls being taller than me when I was like 12 and slightly worried about my dick size. But I ended out coming above average it both so no bother.
I was on about the UK, France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark etc all these countries having given hormones to kids for years now realising its not the best idea.
https://apnews.com/article/uk-transgender-puberty-blockers-abd9145484006fea23de6b4656c937da
So you think trans boys want to be… Taller?
I was on about the UK,France, Finland, Sweden, Denmark etc all these countries having given hormones to kids for years now realising its not thr best idea.
All of who are wrong. We’ve been using hormone blockers (that’s what puberty blockers are) for decades. It’s how we treat genetic malfunctions that cause too much testosterone or estrogen to be produced. The side effects are extremely well known and documented there’s nothing scary about them plus at any point you can just stop taking them and your hormones stop being blocked. Typically you’ll take estrogen or testosterone for awhile afterwards to go through puberty if you prevented it from happening naturally.
So to recap hormone blockers are harmless as well as fully reversible. Allowing trans people to access them greatly reduces suicidality and preventing access increases suicidality. So if you are somebody who cares about people’s well-being you cannot prevent access to hormone blockers as it objectively results in more harm than allowing access. When confronted with this reality you guys typically pivot to saying that actually trans people are unhappy which no fucking shit, you people are trying to prevent them from existing.
I wasn’t talking about what trans boys want at all.
I was talking about myself wanting to be taller. Most guys do because tall guys are treated better. Also being bigger than people tends to make you better at sport.
I love how you can just make claims like that, must be a great power. Never mind all these government agencies with loads of data and doctors and experts on hand. No Traister has spoken!
Anything that make changes to you can be harmful. You’re telling me if a boy has no testosterone from 12 to 18 then decides it was a mistake 6 years of no testosterone will have no effect on him mentally or physically? If it doesn’t why would anyone want to take it.
Edited: changed from girl taking test to guy not having test.
Testosterone is not horome blockers. From what I recall the conservative (medical) recommendation is to postpone horome therapy until 16 since that’s when the law determines them able minded enough for the rest of the medical decisions. As for regret yes, some people do regret transitioning but all the studies that have been done (that aren’t using faulty methodology like counting girls playing with action figures when young children as being trans) have shown that the regret rate is lower than fuckn knee surgery. That’s pretty goddamn low. And guess what? Most people who regret transitioning regret it because transphobes make their life hell. Plus the majority only de-transition temporarily, typically because they are unable to pay for their hormone therapy. However they generally are still transitioned socially IE they have different pronouns and dress differently so in reality there’s very few de-transitioners. Many of the ones you see on Fox News still refer to themselves as trans even. It’s pretty sad how easy it is to be a grifter.
Testosterone is not horome blockers.
I edited my comment for better accuracy.
Looks like you got different studies to many countries in Europe. They are seeing something you are missing.
Okay sure so with your updated comment not going through puberty will have some mental and physical effects. That’s obvious though since well, so does puberty, that’s the point of it happening. Not going through puberty will obviously mean you won’t experience the results of puberty.
What hormone blockers do is allow people to postpone puberty which is exactly what people like you should want trans kids to do. They get to decide what they want when they are older not have an irreversible puberty forced upon them. I’m not of the mind that we need to force trans kids to wait until they are an adult but that’s the obvious argument you should be making, not prevention. Trans kids will exist even if you remove access to horome blockers you just make their lives worse for no reason.
Wow, you should read some actual evidence then instead of just thinking about it!
The rate of kids that don’t transition after being on puberty blockers is something like <2%. All I’ve seen is some people crying about regret rates increasing by a lot when it goes from like 1 to 2%. “It doubled!!!” (Should be obvious that it will go up a little the easier it is to get treatment).
In any case, while puberty blockers aren’t without adverse effects, those aren’t huge, so prohibiting them is utterly nonsensical unless a majority of kids end up not going through with it.
And if a child knows at age 7 that it’s not the gender it was assigned at birth, that’s not some puberty thing. Which is a significant portion of transgender people.
