First off, her statement that nobody under 18 should be allowed to do anything to "permanently affect" their fertility really rubs me the wrong way. I'm so tired of "fertility" being put above every other health concern out there.
So, I feel like we should at least preface and acknowledge this part for what it is? Fertility, especially within the context of gender identity, isn't really a
concern - it's a dog whistle. The fact that it harms/hurts cis women is (distantly) secondary to the fact that TERFs believe trans women aren't women, and the ability to give birth is the one thing science and technology cannot (currently, safely) grant unto us. By saying things like "women have a uterus" or "only women can give birth" (which, again, is wrong - but they never acknowledge that trans men exist) they are
simply saying "trans women are not women."
Obviously the entire thing is steeped in misogyny, too. Top to bottom. Rigidly defining what a woman can or cannot be - I will once again say that not all outwardly cis women have XX chromosomes - will
always exclude someone. Women that are infertile, or have a hysterectomy, or simply women that have gone through menopause? Shit like this will catch them, too. I mean fuck
Joanne is 58-years old. By some of her own definitions
she is not a woman?!
I wish we could all agree that people who currently exist are more important than theoretical future people.
That would be swell, wouldn't it? Alas.
But that rant aside, this topic came up with my girlfriend once, and she generally opposes them too. She says they have long-term effects that aren't great, and we should trust kids and just put them on hormones if they say they're trans. "Kids know who they are" was also something said in response to the Cass report.
I feel like generally that's probably true, on the knowing part. Like for me, of course, I didn't "know" - but I also didn't know I could know, so it's not exactly fair. And judging the thoughts I had between the ages of 7 and ~12 based on the memories I have now of that time while pushing 40 is, uhh... not quite scientific. Or accurate, probably.
I would be curious about the "generally" qualifier on your girlfriend's stance, though. Because I
feel like she's probably giving you the cliffnotes version of the longer explanation that the system is rigged? It could vary though.
But like, strictly speaking, puberty blockers are as safe as everything else medically available. People's specific reactions to things notwithstanding, the simple act of
delaying puberty is not harmful. There is an actual phenomenon called "precocious puberty" wherein some cis children begin to enter puberty too early, and puberty blockers are used - were conceived of - to delay that. It is noteworthy, in fact, that as far as I'm aware Hillary Cass does not point out the existence of this (and as a pediatrician she should
absolutely be familiar with it) and does not say that cis children should not receive puberty blockers - only that
non-conforming children should be denied that access!
So,
if the medical institutions weren't being fucked with,
if anti-trans agendas and legislation weren't involved,
if everyone had easy and reliable access to both physical and mental healthcare? Children that were questioning their gender could 100% safely be placed on to puberty blockers and be referred to therapists/clinicians that could evaluate and educate both them and their parents. The children could then begin the correct type of puberty, with proper medical help and oversight, and everything would be fine. There would be no concern of/for being on puberty blockers for "too long."
Too long
only exists as a byproduct of transphobes/TERFs denying us access to lifesaving gender-affirming care. By saying that it's "not safe" or ethical or whatever - statements made with no medical background, understanding or genuine backing, I must point out - and that children must wait until age 18 (or 25*), they themselves create the false dichotomy wherein a non-conforming child would either 1) have to remain on puberty blockers for years/a decade or 2) go through the incorrect puberty and then face further discrimination, such as in sports, because of that.
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