Hormone Replacement Therapy for a 16 year old?

[Danielson01]

Hello, I am posting on behalf of my transgender child. He is 16 and is female to male. The thing is, he can start testosterone at this age because he's the legal age and he has been diagnosed with transsexualism (at the age of 14). He really wants to start testosterone but he doesn't know if he will be able to cope with people's reactions and comments in school. He is accepted as male but just doesn't know if it's the right time for him to start hormones because there is some horrible people in school still.

What would you do in his situation?

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Could he change school for sixth form/college and start the medication then? Clean start, as it were.

[Palooza]

I think delaying the treatment he wants/needs because of other people is always a mistake, personally.

[Danielson01]

That's what I think too but he's a boy who unfortunately cares about what other people think!

[ThinkIveBeenHacked]

If he goes to school daily as a male, and is generally accepted, then surely this is a "gentler" environment for him to start the treatment?
I would worry that the hesitancy may be tied in to a seed of doubt.....not that he doesn't want to remain male, but the "finalness" of the decision.

[Danielson01]

I don't really believe that the schools a gentler environment to medically start transitioning, what about the younger ones who know he's trans? Surely they won't be great with him.

[Palooza]

I don't have a trans son/daughter but I do have trans friends. It's horrible and wrong, especially for a child, but there will be people being "not great" to your son. It's going to happen. It's part of what makes what he is doing so brave.

It's my understanding that the sooner he begins with the testosterone, the better? In which case, starting in an atmosphere where his situation is understood (so any comments etc can be referred to the head, there is a disciplinary structure in place, support and so on), is better than, what, waiting? Going through this while trying to hold down a job, or further education?

Ultimately it's your son's decision of course.