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Original poster

B.C. court rules transboy should be given testosterone, against father's wishes

38 replies

QuietContraryMary · 28/02/2019 14:59

nationalpost.com/news/canada/transgender-teen-can-proceed-with-hormone-treatment-despite-fathers-objections-b-c-court-rules

The arguments are:

  • a 14-year-old is fully capable of consenting to 'his own medical treatments', i.e. cross-sex hormones
  • the judge said that if the testosterone is not administered the child might attempt suicide (again)
  • the father said 'the child does not understand the risks and consequences of the gender transition treatment, and the harm that can come to the child,'
  • the mother said 'If his treatment is put on hold, I am terrified that A.B. will conclude there is no hope and will take his life.'

The judge ruled:

  • the father's expert evidence about potential harms from gender transition was inadmissible as it was general rather than specific to the child
  • calling the child by female pronouns, or suggesting that the 'gender transition' not take place, will be regarded as 'family violence' (the father has joint custody)

Elizabeth Saewyc, from UBC school of nursing, said the ruling:

'reinforced that delaying or refusing care for young people with gender dysphoria “is not neutral, it can have health consequences,"'

This is the child's doctor:

www.drwallacewong.com/about

Wallace is the author of 'When Kathy is Keith' (and also 'It's So Gay and It's Ok')

www.straight.com/life/when-kathy-keith-surrey-psychologist-wallace-wong-releases-transgender-childrens-book which is about a girl who says she is a boy but people don't take her (him) seriously

Dr. Wong recommended that the child in this case be put on testosterone in 2018.

Wallace Wong has a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Brigham Young University Hawaii (Mormon university)

OP posts:
RockyFlintstone · 28/02/2019 16:47

I just looked it up and, like the UK, you have to be 18 to get a tattoo in Canada. I wonder why the judge thinks this is?

Bowlofbabelfish · 28/02/2019 16:44

This is horrendous.

A 14 year old cannot technically consent - they can assent. the judge ruling a 14 year old can consent to life altering, irreversible treatment sets up a terrifying precedent. What else can a 14 year old consent to then? Sex? Because that’s an argument that has been used before and it will be used again.

Why no expert testimony allowed?
Why no ‘wait and see?’
Why no ‘sort the mental health issue out first?’

Why is the parental veto removed? This again is a precedent that shouldnt be set.

I hate to say this, but in almost all of these cases it’s the mothers pushing this. It’s almost like munchausens in how the parent/child dynamic is playing out.

Canada is an absolute basket case at the moment.

Lumene · 28/02/2019 16:37

When I was 14-15 I wanted to be a nun.

Me too @2rebecca !

My mum just said don’t be so silly.

I would have been a truly rubbish nun!

2rebecca · 28/02/2019 16:32

I agree. For women wanting plastic surgery on the NHS for breast reductions or augmentations being suicidal and saying you'll harm yourself is considered a contraindication to the surgery as the surgeons say they have body dysmorphea and have an exaggerated idea of the difference surgery will make to their lives and will be disappointed when it doesn't fix everything. This is a very pertinent argument for transgender hormones and surgery when the teenager rarely focuses on what they actually can't do in their biological sex but will be able to do in their desired gender. It's all very nebulous and based on outdated stereotypes.

butteryellow · 28/02/2019 16:09

* the judge said that if the testosterone is not administered the child might attempt suicide (again)

This is the bit that scares me - why aren't they dealing with suicidal thoughts before doing this - how can someone at the stage of attempting suicide be able to consent to these kind of life-altering decisions - especially at 14!

2rebecca · 28/02/2019 15:35

When I was 14-15 I wanted to be a nun. Celibaby didn't bother me as I'd never really experienced sexual desire. I was swayed by watching the nun's story and reading loads of nun books.
14 year olds can consent to some stuff but should not be able to consent to this.
We can't say the don't have criminal capacity and then say they can permanently change their bodies. The brain is not fully mature at 14.
Why are mothers always the ones pushing this nonsense? Fathers seem able to be more objective about the dangers of it.

Original poster
QuietContraryMary · 28/02/2019 15:22

"I guess the child had been coached."

The mother's statement 'I am terrified that A.B. will conclude there is no hope and will take his life.' seems indicative of that. How does that make sense?

Logically you would say: 'If you can't get this treatment now then you can get it at age 18, it's not the end of the world. How on earth do you even BEGIN to suggest that there is no hope?

While there are significant issues with MTF people 'passing' after puberty in terms of height etc., a double mastectomy and some testosterone is going to make you look reasonably masculine no matter when you do it.

OP posts:
Vixxxy · 28/02/2019 15:20

Absolutely appalling decision. This is surely a scandal about to break, so many kids caught up in it.

Original poster
QuietContraryMary · 28/02/2019 15:20

Oh and he says he deals with transgender children from the age of 2.5 or 3 years old. And that's proof it's real because they know aged 3.

Batshit insane.

OP posts:
Original poster
QuietContraryMary · 28/02/2019 15:19

Dr. Wong says 'they cannot be changed' (video here: www.drwallacewong.com/media-room re 'conversion therapy') However we know that in fact lots of people desist from their gender identity.

OP posts:
Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 28/02/2019 15:18

That is shocking. I actually cannot understand how the child could have convinced the judge that they had independent capacity to understand the risks involved here.

I guess the child had been coached.

How very sad.

StealthPolarBear · 28/02/2019 15:12

We are experimenting on our young people. This will be a scandal of epic proportion

BickerinBrattle · 28/02/2019 15:09

I hope it’s made clear to the patient that they must have a hysterectomy before age 19 to avoid cancer risk.

Though that, of course, will create other risks.

Dr. Wong does have a clinical psych doctorate, but I’d be curious to know if he’s ever concluded that a patient WASN’T a good candidate for transition.