Posted on Apr 24, 2023
Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week
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https://www.npr.org/2023/04/24/ [login to see] /missouri-attorney-general-transgender-adults-gender-affirming-health-care
Chelsea Freels has spent a good bit of time in 2023 trying to convince Missouri lawmakers to not vote for legislation barring what's known as gender-affirming care for transgender youth like her.
Over and over, the 17-year-old from suburban St. Louis has heard GOP lawmakers talking about how they need to pass legislation to protect people like her. And over and over, she says she replies:
"Protect me from what?" Freels says. " 'Oh no! The kid is getting better grades. Oh no! The scary transgender has friends! What are they going to do? Smile?' "
Despite Freels testifying that gender-affirming care has made her feel much happier and has helped her heal from depression and suicidal thoughts, Missouri lawmakers seem poised to approve legislation that bars puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender transition surgery for minors.
Chelsea Freels has spent a good bit of time in 2023 trying to convince Missouri lawmakers to not vote for legislation barring what's known as gender-affirming care for transgender youth like her.
Over and over, the 17-year-old from suburban St. Louis has heard GOP lawmakers talking about how they need to pass legislation to protect people like her. And over and over, she says she replies:
"Protect me from what?" Freels says. " 'Oh no! The kid is getting better grades. Oh no! The scary transgender has friends! What are they going to do? Smile?' "
Despite Freels testifying that gender-affirming care has made her feel much happier and has helped her heal from depression and suicidal thoughts, Missouri lawmakers seem poised to approve legislation that bars puberty blockers, hormone therapy and gender transition surgery for minors.
Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week
Posted from npr.org
Transgender
Medical
Health
Gender
Posted >1 y ago
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Don't care what you do as an adult...kids are a whole other thing.
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It's a tough spot to be in. It's even tougher when we are talking about Minors. What if they change their mind after these treatments and surgeries? Teenagers are known to change their minds quite a bit. I have family in education and many of the kids in schools transition back after a while. Suicide rates also don't seem to necessarily go down after treatment either. Championing this as a solution or prevention for suicide isn't 100% accurate. I'm glad Chelsea is happy but using that as a universal metric wouldn't be accurate. In the past 12 months there have been several high visibility folks who de-transitioned and that should be part of the conversation because all of this is new terrain. Doctors are using treatments and surgeries for different purposes than what they were designed for and that should be looked at. Is it effective? How much does it truly change? I have seen videos where supporters say it is reversible but when I see chemical castration drugs being used it is easy to see that isn't reversible. Forcing parents to make a third party decision for something that is not traditional life saving medicine is a hard step to take.
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