Treatment for gender dysphoria aims to help people live the way they want to, in their preferred gender identity or as non-binary.
Some young trans, intersex, and gender non-binary people may decide to take puberty blockers after talking about it with their parents or guardian and a nurse or doctor.
I do not know about the NHS. In other countries it is required to see multiple specialists including a therapist and psychiatrist for over a year or two. It needs all of their approval stating that it is medically necessary, as well as both parents and the prescriber.
If this is not also the case in the UK, then it makes much more sense regulating healthcare rather than banning it completely even for those with obvious severe cases.
There is public concern that someone who isn’t trans might get trans healthcare. Completely overlooked is the fact that the majority of people getting trans medical treatment are in fact trans. This would be like banning any medical treatment completely because of the risk that someone may be misdiagnosed.
Don’t forget going through an unwanted puberty also has lifelong permanent effects as well as immediate self harm risk. For example, that child grows a beard, deep voice, masculine bone structure etc before finally being permitted healthcare as a woman. She will be living with the mental and physical effects of that for the rest of her life and suffering discrimination.
This is the best argument for starting early which is exactly what makes this topic so difficult and why nuanced discussion about it needs to be had rather than just calling the people transphobes who advocate for caution. If there was a way to make sure they’re not going to change their minds later then starting with the treatment as early as possible would seems like the obvious way to go, but it’s not quite that simple. And no, I’m not for blanket bans either.
Except that’s fine if they do? If you stop taking puberty blockers, you start going through puberty. This is not some magic irreversible medication or something, for the ~1% that do change their mind this isn’t an issue.
I could maybe see this argument work for gender reassignment surgery, but not for puberty blockers.
We should let healthcare experts make healthcare decisions.
I agree that there is nuance, and that there is a balance somewhere to make sure everyone gets the proper medical care that they need without a misdiagnosis that would lead to regret. However, I don’t think that the majority of people discussing it including myself are qualified to set medical policy.
The average person has no experience with trans healthcare. They just want to know that the kids are ok, because politicians have spent hundreds of millions of dollars exaggerating concerns to generate outrage.
While misdiagnosis is a real concern, medical experts and governments have already taken steps to mitigate that. They can always do better so they do periodic reviews to improve care. There are eligibility criteria and safety regulations in every country that I am aware of. There are also financial incentives to avoid being sued, and governments or health insurance companies often put up a lot of additional red tape to avoid paying out.
I just did a quick search for the NHS specifically and here is a list of what was required before someone underage could start treatment:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/clinical-commissioning-policy-prescribing-of-gender-affirming-hormones.pdf