Lawmakers scrutinize sex change procedures for children

[FireDragon76]

I guess the Republicans fixed the supposedly broken economy, fixed the border, fixed inflation and gas prices - which is what they ran on; and can now move on the next matter of national importance - something that effects ~10,000 people.

Elect clowns, expect a circus...

 

[FireDragon76]

House lawmakers clashed Thursday over gender transition medical treatments for children, which are on the rise despite criticism that the procedures are damaging, irreversible and performed on confused adolescents.

Chloe Cole, diagnosed with gender dysphoria at 12, testified before the committee. She was treated by Kaiser Permanente “gender specialists” in the San Francisco Bay Area from ages 13 to 17 and underwent a double mastectomy at age 16. Ms. Cole reverted to identifying as female a year later and is now an outspoken advocate against gender transition procedures for children.

“I used to believe that I was born in the wrong body and the adults in my life whom I trusted affirmed my belief and caused me lifelong, irreversible harm,” said Ms. Cole, who turned 19 on Thursday. “I speak to you today as a victim of one of the biggest medical scandals in the history of the United States of America. I speak to you in the hope that you will have the courage to bring this scandal to an end and ensure that other vulnerable teenagers, children and young adults don’t go through what I went through.”

Lawmakers scrutinize sex change procedures for children

House lawmakers Thursday clashed over gender transition medical treatments for children, procedures that are on the rise despite criticism it is damaging, irreversible and is performed on confused adolescents.

www.washingtontimes.com

The only people "grooming" here are the well-funded political opportunists taking advantage of unfortunate cases like Ms. Cole's to stir controversy about a practice that has been going on in the developed world for the better part of a century, and which has wide support from the medical community. All to confuse and distract the American public. That is child exploitation.

 

[dzheremi]

A sensible society would balance the need to protect children from making life-altering decisions based on potentially transitory feelings with the need that some do have for medical care that helps them deal with legitimate mental issues (note: I'm not meaning to imply here a mental illness where the DSM no longer says there is one, only to say that the issue as agreed upon by pretty much everyone is a mismatch between what their brain tells them they should be and what their body is). I won't pretend to know where the balance is, but I will say that when a friend of mine who I had gone to high school with underwent sex-reassignment surgery (as it was called at the time, 20+ years ago), it was after a long period of apparently quite intense psychological testing to make sure that they were 100% aware, informed, and certain that this is what they wanted to do -- and they were a legal adult when they underwent surgery. I have a hard time imagining that such a standard is being held to now, even just based on the case brought up in the OP, wherein the dysphoria is diagnosed in pre-puberty (or maybe quite early on in puberty), and the 'treatment' complete while the patient is still a minor. With all due respect to everyone involved in the medical care of such people, that seems awfully rushed, to what was apparently not ultimately the patient's satisfaction or well-being. I'm willing to posit that there could be a link between the rushed nature of the treatment and the regret now being expressed by the person living with its outcome, and that this is something that everyone would like to avoid in the future.

 

[FireDragon76]

A sensible society would balance the need to protect children from making life-altering decisions based on potentially transitory feelings with the need that some do have for medical care that helps them deal with legitimate mental issues (note: I'm not meaning to imply here a mental illness where the DSM no longer says there is one, only to say that the issue as agreed upon by pretty much everyone is a mismatch between what their brain tells them they should be and what their body is). I won't pretend to know where the balance is, but I will say that when a friend of mine who I had gone to high school with underwent sex-reassignment surgery (as it was called at the time, 20+ years ago), it was after a long period of apparently quite intense psychological testing to make sure that they were 100% aware, informed, and certain that this is what they wanted to do -- and they were a legal adult when they underwent surgery. I have a hard time imagining that such a standard is being held to now, even just based on the case brought up in the OP, wherein the dysphoria is diagnosed in pre-puberty (or maybe quite early on in puberty), and the 'treatment' complete while the patient is still a minor. With all due respect to everyone involved in the medical care of such people, that seems awfully rushed, to what was apparently not ultimately the patient's satisfaction or well-being. I'm willing to posit that there could be a link between the rushed nature of the treatment and the regret now being expressed by the person living with its outcome, and that this is something that everyone would like to avoid in the future.

If Ms. Cole believes she received poor quality care, she can take it up in civil court. That's why we have them.

 

[FireDragon76]

Even-handed coverage from the New York Times:

How a Few Stories of Regret Fuel the Push to Restrict Gender Transition Care

In the campaign to ban gender therapies for minors, Republicans have amplified a group of activists who no longer identify as transgender, overriding objections from transgender people and medical experts.

www.nytimes.com

 

[dzheremi]

If Ms. Cole believes she received poor quality care, she can take it up in civil court. That's why we have them.

I agree. I meant that as a more general comment on the issue of providing care to minors.

 

[HARK!]

The only people "grooming" here are the well-funded political opportunists taking advantage of

How are they grooming?

unfortunate cases like Ms. Cole's

There are many of these unfortunate cases.

about a practice that has been going on in the developed world for the better part of a century,

Oh really? These drugs weren't available until recently; and they are being prescribed illegally. It's illegal to prescribe a drug outside of its' FDA approved, intended use. Where is your proof?

and which has wide support from the medical community.

As they rake in the dough.

All to confuse and distract the American public.

I think that you're confused. Those who are pushing these child mutilations, are confusing children.

That is child exploitation.

Ms. Cole is not a child.

 

[dzheremi]

I think it's a bit beyond the limits of credulity to suggest that doctors who perform or authorize the performance of these surgeries are "raking in the dough" as a result. I haven't read or seen anything that suggests that a doctor who specializes in sex-reassignment surgeries or anything that is on the road to that (e.g., removal of breasts in girls and women without significant risk of breast cancer or other diseases of that area) makes substantially more than a surgeon who doesn't perform such surgeries. I think it's important that those of us who have concerns about the evolution of treatment in this area not fall into more general criticisms of medicine or doctors as essential components of proper healthcare. Such objections that are raised with a conspiratorial tone do nothing but harm everyone, and help to mischaracterize people who are really just questioning the efficacy and/or ethical dimensions of certain treatment paths, which is not in itself anti-medicine or anti-doctor/surgeon.

 

[FireDragon76]

How are they grooming?

There are many of these unfortunate cases.

Oh really? These drugs weren't available until recently;

Not true. Hormones have been used to treat transsexuals for decades..

and they are being prescribed illegally. It's illegal to prescribe a drug outside of its' FDA approved, intended use. Where is your proof?

It's not illegal. It's called off-label use.

 

[Pommer]

Not true. Hormones have been used to treat transsexuals for decades..

I’m pretty sure formulations are “new” in the patented market, but yeah decades

It's not illegal. It's called off-label use.

This is how “Rogaine” became a baldness “cure”: it had been approved as a blood pressure medication but is had the side effect of reversing some male-pattern-baldness.