Transitioning young friend.

Testimonies from many young women who've medically transitioned and later detransitioned have emphasised that social transitioning and affirmation by family, hcps and people in other supportive roles are not, in their view, neutral or harmless approaches. While many acknowledge they probably wouldn't have listened, they have explained how much they wish that hadn't been done.

OP. I'm in a very similar situation. When you've known a young person for a long time, it can be devastating to see them put their long-term health at risk. I do not cheerlead, but I try to listen and offer "adult in the room" advice on very specific things. Like, "As hormones cause bone loss, you should ask if calcium supplements would help."

One thing I did was suggest my godson use a journal to track his daily physical and mental health as he is just 18 and his parents aren't around to pay attention to small changes in his mood. A journal will show him over time how the cross-sex hormones make him feel (and I encouraged him to keep each entry very short which would make him more likely to keep it up).

I was appalled his doctors weren't tracking his symptoms...when I mentioned this he let on he wasn't TELLING them he was on hormones as he ordered them online. At this news, I simply said, "withholding information from medical professionals is not something adults do."

I think a journal is an historical record in addition to a health tracker. My hope is some day in the future he can determine whether the hormones are doing what he wishes.

My best advice is to just be the adult who will never turn your back...your non-cheerleading may be noticed but if it's balanced with trust and the truth, someday it may be the only anchor to grab onto.

OP is that another NC fail?

I think all you can do is let her know you will always love her and be there for her. You don't need to cheerlead on her new identity, and indeed, it may be valuable to her if you don't, as you can be someone she can come to, to explore whatever her identity is as it develops. I think a lot of young people get "stuck" in one identity, because all the adults around them are so over-invested in that identity, the young person doesn't want to "disappoint" everyone if they later develop in a different direction.

Re Dr Webberley - I don’t think the outcome of HRT hearing will have any impact on GenderGP, as she doesn’t hold a medical position within the business

Honestly at this point I think the only thing that will impact Gender GP’s ability to operate is when young people start suing them. Their continued association with HW doesn’t appear to be doing them any harm at all. I can’t see that changing when she is struck off. If she was going to cause them reputational damage it would have happened by now I think.

Is she currently using this money to support herself or is it just spending money? It wasn't clear from your posts.

Gingerkittykat The provision of support for Care Leavers is as you say very patchy and often inadequate. There is though a statutory responsibility which given the specifics of the unregulated Gender GP business supplying testosterone to a 16yr old can't be ignored by SWs. Accessing appropriate healthcare will be a key outcome.

Re Dr Helen Webberley, the impact will of course depend on what comes out during the course of the hearing.

Re Dr Webberley - I don’t think the outcome of HRT hearing will have any impact on GenderGP, as she doesn’t hold a medical position within the business.

Can I ask how she is affording this treatment? 16 year old care leavers rarely have spare money.

The PP mentioned the responsibility local authorities have to kids leaving the care system but in practice this is severely lacking. I know one 16 year old who is homeless, been chucked out of 3 hostels and messed up her universal credit claim in a few weeks. She gets one appointment a month with a social worker.

Unfortunately like PP have said all you can do here is offer to support her in any way you can. The average 16 year old feels invincible and isn't going to care about fertility or other long term issues.

[quote Shizuku]"There's nothing else to do, is there?"

Here are a couple of things you can do. Firstly, use his chosen name - this can really help:

www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30085-5/fulltext

And be sure to use the correct pronouns as that is also likely to be extremely beneficial to his mental health:

www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2020/?section=Supporting-Transgender-Nonbinary-Youth[/quote]
Just wanted to re-iterate this point. Confirm their chosen gender and be gentle in information that lets them know that they can have that gender and live in their body for while and live it out as it were. Giving room for all of the possibilities.

I'd be very pleased if Webberly was struck off.
Will kids be able to get it elsewhere, do you think? It's shocking. Really shocking.

The evidence that is coming in from NICE /NHS England does not appear to meet thresholds for safe practice. How children (under 18) are treated will likely not be determined until the Cass Report. Testosterone is a Class C under Misuse of Drugs Act so supplying (especially to a child) without a prescription could have consequences.

SEGM March 31, 2021
'New Systematic Reviews of Puberty Blockers and Cross-Sex Hormones Published by NICE
Weighing potential benefits against profound long-term uncertainties'
(extract)
"In 2020, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) undertook two systematic evidence reviews of the use of GnRH agonists (also known as "puberty blockers") and cross-sex hormones as treatments for gender dysphoric patients

As the mother of a transdaughter who went on blockers as a teen and is medically transitioning now as a very young adult, you just really need to buckle up and go along for the ride while offering as much support as you can. I know it is a MH disorder, and so do the whole pretending and affirming thing to the best of my ability, exactly the same as I do for my dd with scitzoeffective disorder. Because that's what's best for both her mental health and the health of our relationship.

[quote Shizuku]"There's nothing else to do, is there?"

Here are a couple of things you can do. Firstly, use his chosen name - this can really help:

www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(18)30085-5/fulltext

And be sure to use the correct pronouns as that is also likely to be extremely beneficial to his mental health:

www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2020/?section=Supporting-Transgender-Nonbinary-Youth[/quote]
You have completely misunderstood what op was asking. Surprise, surprise

The best advice I can give is to ensure he knows there are professionals out there and charities that can help provide support so they are not alone on this journey. Plus it means they will be able to safeguard any potential issues with his transition and ensure their safety.

name change alert??

I do agree, it is shocking. I would not be sad if Webberly was struck off, and I say that as a person with a young friend who gets medication via them. My friend will be absolutely devastated, but I will not be sad to see their care transfer to someone who works within guidelines and seeks to first do no harm.

I'd make a point of discussing the vaginal atrophy, which is shocking and very painful. It seems the pelvic pain and vaginal atrophy is little mentioned as a side effect of cross sex hormones, and not many of the community discuss it. I've heard Keira Bell mention it though. It's bad enough for an 80 year old woman, but, for an 18 year old? Rough.

If this was my young friend, I'd try to remind myself that the gender issues are symptoms of deeper issues, and try to support her with those issues. I don't envy you walking this tightrope - as I expect you are well aware, transitioning may be her coping mechanism for trauma, and so she may well push you away if she perceives you as directly attacking the thing she's using as a crutch right now, no matter how damaging that crutch is for her.

I've read in a couple of detranistioners stories about how a change of scene, getting away from screens and their online worlds and using their bodies more helped them get over dysphoria.

With being there for her, can you make time for her to do stuff she enjoys that's away from her normal world? Get out into the world together, if she's up for that?

Webberly will be back in court in June I think. She's only suspended right now, but she may be struck off completely then. Can't be a moment too soon IMO!

there's a lot of people on these boards who misgender deliberately

No, there aren't. It's not allowed to misgender people. MNHQ are very strict on that.

Does she regret self harming?

I'll read it and send something to her SW, whose details I still have. They are fully aware as she asked for funding and was refused.

see also website:
EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK ALLIANCE (EBSWA)

"As a coalition of qualified practitioners, academics and social work students, we came together in response to our individual concerns regarding the uncritical use of gender identity theory in social work and other professions. As a group we believe social workers have a responsibility in law, underpinned by professional ethics and values, to promote and uphold the safeguarding of children. Children and young people with gender dysphoria are presenting to the profession and we are being silenced in our attempts to understand and discuss the evidence-base approaches to exploring this phenomenon."
www.ebswa.org/

twitter: twitter.com/ebswa