Article in Feminist Current: interview with detransitioners

[EdgeOfACoin]

www.feministcurrent.com/2020/08/07/interview-sam-nele-and-ellie-transitioned-as-young-women-living-as-men-before-realizing-theyd-made-a-mistake/

Shocking article. Yet more evidence that some of these medical professionals need to be sued to high heaven.

Sample quotes:
'The therapist said, “If you want to be accepted as a man, you need short hair.” So he totally reinforced the sex stereotypes.'

'Before the hysterectomy, nobody explained to me what would happen if for some reason I had to stop taking testosterone. When I stopped taking testosterone after almost three years, I went to an endocrinologist because my body was no longer producing its own sex hormones. It was the same endocrinologist who had prescribed me the testosterone. He just said he didn’t know what to do now either.'

This wasn't the UK. I think it was Germany.

[MiraWard77]

Fuck. If I was 10 years younger I'd have been sterilised before I made it out of my 20s.

"I was never overly feminine. I’ve had short hair since I was 10 and have always worn loose clothing. When I was young, people kept saying, “You look like a boy!” That’s why I got bullied a lot. I was told how I look and act is wrong, which made me an outsider."

This is literally my experience. But how have I grown up confident in the conviction that the sex stereotypes are wrong, and young people now are so convinced that it's their bodies that are wrong?

(Mind you, I'm only just getting to the point of enough confidence to refuse to wear a dress to weddings. It would be a lot easier if I announced myself as a lesbian (I'm not) or Queer/NB or something. It's not as acceptable to be just a normal woman who doesn't like womaning. But that's how I know the problem is cultural, not personal).

[MiraWard77]

"CL: How did your parents react? 

Ellie: My mother told me that, at 16, she thought this decision was too early. That made me very angry. After all, the message online was that this reaction is “transphobic.” I didn’t realize she was just worried about me. I then put so much pressure on my parents, they took me to a gender clinic. The therapist there explained that I am not a trans, but a victim of trans-hype in the media. After that, I convinced my parents to bring me to a therapist at the trans organization. He said of course I was trans. My parents were very concerned about the long-term effects the hormones would have on my health. A male gynecologist recommended by the organization told my parents there was no reason to wait with the hormones — the earlier you start, the better the result. He also said that all the effects of testosterone are reversible.

CL: But that’s not true. 

Ellie: No. He lied, and I knew it. But I just wanted my parents to agree. Which they did. At 17, I had the mastectomy. I am Belgian and in Belgium there is no age limit for sex reassignment surgery. You just need to find a doctor who will do it."

This is so sad. Parents and teachers know how self destructive some teens can be, and how some will use this kind of manipulation in their bloody mindedness. But the narrative is now that a conservative approach, waiting for the emotional intensity of adolescence to pass without making permanent changes is Transphobic.

I am terrified that my children will be caught up in this.

[MiraWard77]

"Ellie: I asked my gynecologist if testosterone increases the risk of cancer. He said that there seems to be one study that came to this conclusion, but that this study shouldn’t be taken seriously. Another doctor had already explained to me that my life expectancy would shrink, but I did not care. I was 16. I never thought about my health at all. That came later."

All I'm reading is normal teenage/young adult behaviour.

No one cares about their long term health till they're in their 30s, do they? I didn't. But fortunately I didn't do anything so... permanent.

This just makes me so sad

[MondayYogurt]

There has got to be some lawyer out there willing to take on a class action or human rights case for these women? Does Germany allow that sort of thing?
The fact the one therapist has fraudulently created appointment dates would surely be probable on closer examination of his diaries.

[EdgeOfACoin]

MiraWard Ellie's parents seem to be the only ones who tried to fight it!

Sam and Nele's parents didn't seem to challenge the narrativd at all. Sam's parents seem to have been pretty complacent about the whole thing.

[EdgeOfACoin]

Narrative*

[StillWeRise]

why aren't the lawyers all over this? one of these women is saying she can't afford to risk sueing
I've worked in maternity care (UK) and there is a very high awareness of the risk of being sued, and we know there are plenty of firms ready to encourage people to bring lawsuits- normally something I'd be sceptical about- so where are the lawyers here? why aren't these surgeons, counsellors, endocrinologists practicing defensively?

[EdgeOfACoin]

I know StillWeRise.

I think part of the issue is that transitioning and detransitioning must take such an emotional toll that starting litigation must seem too much to handle in addition to sell that.

It shows how strong mentally Keira Bell is.

Unfortunately, without lawsuits, this practice isn't going to stop anytime soon.