Nautilus said:
sundin13 said:
I feel like you guys are kind of arguing different things. People aren't having sexual reassignment surgery at 10. People aren't even usually taking puberty blockers at ten. When someone is transitioning, there are several steps that are taken:
1) Social transitioning: Basically just being treated as and expressing yourself as the gender you identify with. This obviously is not irreversible in any way and this is the only transitioning you see on kids under ten(ish).
2) Puberty blockers: Assuming someone has not gone through puberty already, the individual will often begin taking puberty blockers to prevent or delay the onset of secondary sex characteristics. This is generally considered to be reversible in the sense that when you come off the puberty blockers, it is expected that those sex characteristics will form in the absence of other treatment.
3) Hormone therapy: This allows the development of characteristics of characteristics matching the gender an individual identifies with. This is permanent in the sense that something like surgical intervention would be required in order to reverse something (ex removing/adding breast tissue). From what I can tell, under current guidelines, this cannot be done to anyone under 16.
4) Sexual reassignment surgery: This seems to be what you are talking about where an individual's genitals are changed by a surgical procedure. This is not a reversible process (however I suppose you could possible get the surgery again but I highly doubt that would be advisable). This step is also not always taken by the individual transitioning. From what I can tell, under current guidelines, this cannot be done to anyone under 18.
You seem to largely be arguing against something that doesn't happen, which is fine, but I don't think anyone in this thread is actually arguing in favor of sexual reassignment at ten years old.
|
Assuming steps 1 through 3 arent irreversible and that dosent inflict damage to the body if they stop taking it(like the blockers) then Im kind of fine with this.I just assumed that the articles were trying to imply that the surgery should be done as soon as possible.
Having said that, I dont think this should be encouraged like its something normal.I mean, in the sense that parents and doctors jump to this series of procedure, just because the child says he/she wants,without extensive research on the child first(therapists and all that talking with the child to know if they really want that)
|
I don't think steps 2-4 are done lightly, psychological support is probably mandatory. In germany for example you have to attend a psychologist over a period of 12 month before you can do the surgery, that's the requirement for an adult.
