It may come as a shock to some families when their child claims they are the opposite gender. Evie, as young as 2 years old told her mother she was a boy and refused to associate with stereotypical “girly things”. Evie is transgender and her parents described her as “a boy’s brain with girl parts” (Farwell). Throughout the rest of Evie’s adolescents, her name was changed to Evan and since then he has been living as a boy. This is only one of the thousands of cases of children identifying opposite of the gender they were assigned at birth and living as the opposites lifestyle. Many people believe children shouldn’t be able to transition into their preferred gender because there are medical risks that come with reassigning and people believe
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Puberty blocking medication is offered to children as young as 10 years old to ensure it postpones puberty and the development of undesirable physical characteristics like breasts or unwanted facial hair (Besse). Later into adolescents, hormone therapy can begin, with the use of estrogen and testosterone depending upon the sex of the patient (Gender Non-Conforming & Transgender Children). Doctors conclude that although effective, hormone therapy affects bone health which has damaging affects on growth, but can also make children sterile (Jeffreys). Sterilization as a result of hormone therapy in children is a massive concern among medical practitioners. Early sterilization leads to bigger problems that children will have to face after they grow up, hysterectomies “as early as 18 years old in girls” and the danger of liver cancer (Jeffreys). Medical speculation suggest “birth defects may occur in children born to ‘transmen taking testosterone prior to pregnancy’”, but with no concrete evidence to support this theory, it’s just been used a scary, preventative side effect …show more content…
Children who are forced to match their biological gender are 2x more susceptible to depression and anxiety, especially in environments where they aren’t accepted. (Farwell). Dismissing a child when they say they are transgender can be even more detrimental than doctors claim hormone therapy is; a study shows that 80% of transgender teens have committed suicide because they are unable to express their true gender identity because they are ridiculed or keep it a secret (Farwell). Hormone therapy and reassignment is important in creating high self esteem in transgender children living a world where they are constantly mistreated for their situation. While doctors claims of sterilization and liver cancer may scare people away from the life changing therapy, hormone blockers are reversible and the effects are almost identical as the natural growth hormones in the human body (Gender Non-Conforming & Transgender Children). With proper support and family acceptance, reassignment can prevent depression and attempted suicide and create a better life for a transgender child (Human Rights Campaign). Gender identity is more than a phase a child grows out of like a pair of shoes or genre of music, it is a medium for self expression, and when that is kept from a child, it can be harmful, even deadly. (Human Rights
Puberty blocking medication is offered to children as young as 10 years old to ensure it postpones puberty and the development of undesirable physical characteristics like breasts or unwanted facial hair (Besse). Later into adolescents, hormone therapy can begin, with the use of estrogen and testosterone depending upon the sex of the patient (Gender Non-Conforming & Transgender Children). Doctors conclude that although effective, hormone therapy affects bone health which has damaging affects on growth, but can also make children sterile (Jeffreys). Sterilization as a result of hormone therapy in children is a massive concern among medical practitioners. Early sterilization leads to bigger problems that children will have to face after they grow up, hysterectomies “as early as 18 years old in girls” and the danger of liver cancer (Jeffreys). Medical speculation suggest “birth defects may occur in children born to ‘transmen taking testosterone prior to pregnancy’”, but with no concrete evidence to support this theory, it’s just been used a scary, preventative side effect …show more content…
Children who are forced to match their biological gender are 2x more susceptible to depression and anxiety, especially in environments where they aren’t accepted. (Farwell). Dismissing a child when they say they are transgender can be even more detrimental than doctors claim hormone therapy is; a study shows that 80% of transgender teens have committed suicide because they are unable to express their true gender identity because they are ridiculed or keep it a secret (Farwell). Hormone therapy and reassignment is important in creating high self esteem in transgender children living a world where they are constantly mistreated for their situation. While doctors claims of sterilization and liver cancer may scare people away from the life changing therapy, hormone blockers are reversible and the effects are almost identical as the natural growth hormones in the human body (Gender Non-Conforming & Transgender Children). With proper support and family acceptance, reassignment can prevent depression and attempted suicide and create a better life for a transgender child (Human Rights Campaign). Gender identity is more than a phase a child grows out of like a pair of shoes or genre of music, it is a medium for self expression, and when that is kept from a child, it can be harmful, even deadly. (Human Rights