Shocking Times article "For the past four years I've been stuck as a child"

I've always been deeply concerned about the extent to which "puberty blockers" inhibit development of cognitive abilities. That's worrying enough but... I'll say it, it's even more chilling to consider that there are men out there who are likely getting rather excited about the prospect of a new generation, where thousands of girls and boys will be physically and, I think, likely mentally and emotionally stuck at age eight, ten or twelve [such a popular age group], yet turning sixteen. ie. "legal" , age of consent. The whole thing is sinister to my mind.

And the men who monitor us here may as well also read this: We see you too. And we do not gaf when men who hate us call us "pearl clutches" "prudes" or any other term that deeply dodgy men have always called women who call them out.

Some discussion on this thread around aesthetic effects on girls v boys who take blockers.

Iirc it's less positive for girls wanting to look Male as described. And iirc suicidal intent is higher in girls on blockers - I remember this from earlier times Tavistock threads this year.

(Missing R0wantrees! sending up batsignal...)

Newsnight tonight: Britain's Experimented with Puberty blockers http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3645243-Newsnight-tonight-Britains-Experimented-with-Puberty-blockers

Mermaids really seem like they are doing damage limitation at present. That comment was very much distancing themselves. Can anyone remember what previous comments from them were like?

The last big story had a very non-commital quote from them.

This is so upsetting to read. Like many GC women, I suspected this must be happening but to see it written down and made personal is just heartbreaking. I hope that there will be a special place in hell for those "professionals" who have compounded the abuse of already traumatised kids.

That account is a heartbreak for so many reasons.

This trauma failing to be explored before the decision to embark on puberty blockers? What were the clinicians involved thinking or was the perceived push from other parties deemed to be irresistible.

the trauma of a sexual assault at primary school

We need different language. We can't consent to this being termed puberty blockers or described as a pause button. The language makes this damaging decision appear benign - it's borrowing the language from those who are seeking to delay puberty for clinically sound reasons and for relatively short periods.

I've never seen any discussion about the differences of the affect of puberty blockers on boys and girls. I would have thought it would be very different.

I also suspect that the doubts over puberty blockers will just lead to more calls for cross sex hormones so the kids experience the 'right puberty'.

However, it would produce the desired aesthetic in boys. Has this ever been considered, I wonder?

A few on FWR have begun to ask this question lately.

I wonder if it's more of a pause for the clinicians; give some sort of treatment that is neutral to support the child and show they're taken seriously.

The issue for boys is that they don't grow a penis large enough to be well remodelled into a neo vagina, though I've seen of new methods using pieces of gut

This is awful, I’m very sorry Jacob

It’s just a disgrace this is allowed to happen. I am even more against blockers after reading that.

Ie can they go through normal puberty or is there an age where they reach a kind of awful 'suspended animation?'

The only potential reference I'm aware of is that puberty is delayed if a child suffers from untreated hypothyroidism. (I think I was mildly affected by this.) I know there are reports of thyroid issues and other endocrine issues in Lupron users for precocious puberty so potentially a loose link.

De-lurking to post, as I think this is probably the saddest thing that I've read in all this madness.

It strikes me that the prescription of puberty blockers as a blanket treatment for dysphoric children - irrespective of sex - is indicative of the fundamental struggle for natal females to receive appropriate medical care. The treatment described in the article seems wholly unsuitable for FTM, preventing the child from developing like boys of the same age. However, it would produce the desired aesthetic in boys. Has this ever been considered, I wonder?

If they stop taking blockers at 16 and don't take cross send hormones does anyone know what might happen? Has this happened anywhere else?

Should be illegal for any kid to be experimented on.

That’s what this is

How can a 12 year old know that the drugs they are being given are experimental

Ffs they can’t buy fags or drink get a tattoo

Yet doctors are allowed to experiment on them

A 12 year old

Heartbreaking. I truly hope someone will actually listen to a child who has been through this now though. Thank you for sharing.

Just linking this film by GNC centric Ben - it's relevant in that Thomasin describes her experiences of GIDS and also social peer group factors in both transitioning and then de transitioning at 19, earlier this year.

She didn't take blockers thankfully.

I don't really get puberty blockers - does a child stop growing on them, or do they continue to grow height wise and everything? So a boy would continue to grow in height, but their penis wouldn't grow, they wouldn't get pubic hair, their voice wouldn't break? Would their facial features change the way they do in puberty? And obviously there is the problem of brain development.

It just seems absolutely batshit fucking crazy to give a healthy, physically normally developing child, drugs to stop something as huge and important as puberty. It's nuts!

A huge scandal waiting to break. These poor children will have a rightful case against the medics that prescribed the puberty blockers to them. I hope they go after Mermaids too.

The Times coverage of this has been excellent. And I noticed that the Mail today had a very good article about prisons. The press are ensuring that this is high on the agenda for the new cabinet- good for them. Thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3648139-Rapists-abusing-the-prison-system-by-transitioning-claims-trans-inmate

Who is going to be made accountable for this?

No one. That's the heart breaking reality.

This is something that I've never understood about blocking puberty. It just leads children to be further alienated from their peers.
They are being fed a myth by everyone around them.
And playing right into the hands of the group who really, really want child bodies past the age of consent.

Probably one of the reasons all go on to transition due to the alienation, they'll find peers who are also alienated and so become more solidified in their journey to transition rather than just explore puberty.

The lack of visible GNC women and lesbians is a massive problem.

Share token here:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/transgender-children-puberty-blocking-drugs-for-the-past-four-years-i-ve-been-stuck-as-a-child-5s6tkh7z2?shareToken=fd8ff48027eb9af4d3829ad49612a29c

It is truly shocking. A really brave step by this young person to tell their story.

I don't have a share token I'm afraid. This is the accompanying article:

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/experts-investigate-use-of-puberty-blockers-on-transgender-children-6l695lflf

I honestly think criminal charges should be brought.

Poor poor child.

One thing neither of these articles addresses is do these children who go on to take cross sex hormones go through puberty at all??

Yes Zutt
I saw someone on Twitter say that it just means they don't get the opportunity to access what would probably cure them - puberty.

There is an accompanying article that says there will be an official enquiry into the use of blockers. Hopefully this will conclude they should not be used in this way in the future.

If blockers are only licenced for precocious puberty, how come they are given to children who are not going through early puberty?

Only, Jacob found that wasn’t what happened at all. Far from becoming one of the lads, as he’d hoped, he felt even more alienated from them as their physiques changed and Jacob’s remained the same.

This is something that I've never understood about blocking puberty. It just leads children to be further alienated from their peers.