" I took hormone-blockers to become an ice-skating champion "

[kittykarate]

This article describes how a Russian teenager took hormone blockers in an attempt to keep the correct build for skating.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/mar/20/experience-i-took-hormone-blockers-to-become-an-ice-skating-champion

There is an interesting paragraph in it

"At this point, I was advised to take medication that would block the production of hormones: I would stop menstruating, my breasts would stop growing – and I would keep my young, slim body. I never questioned it. In Russia, it is widely known that young ice skaters use hormone blockers to keep their bodies from changing. In most cases, taking the hormone blockers works – although there are always side-effects, such as problems with your nervous system and your heart, that no one really talks about."

I think this used to be common for female gymnasts as well.

I saw that. The cognitive dissonance at the Guardian is sky high - they publish this and helpfully publicise the terrible side effects of puberty blockers. And then put their fingers in their ears when it comes to ordinary children who aren’t ice dancers but are just sad and confused.

I knew eating disorders were common in girls training in sports but this takes it to a new level.

It's like they are drip, drip, dripping the gender-critical points into their articles, but are in denial about how it links to The Other Conversation. And if they are wilfully blind to the link, then it's not "transphobia".

It's all very bizarre.

Well, I'm not sure it's almost like "yeah there are side effects of puberty blockers but they are completely reversible, look at me I'm now a normal adult".

Whereas we all know gender confused children who take these blockers 100% of them go on to cross sex hormones and surgeries.

It's completely different to being a ballet dancer / ice skater. It looks a bit to me like another attempt by the Guardian to "normalise" puberty blockers.

This has been going on since the 70s with Russian gymnasts - anyone else remember Olga Korbut?

Wow 😮

I remember Olga Korbut. ThatLibraryMiss.

I just assumed that they were starved to keep them from developing normally. Maybe amphetamines to kill the appetite. Should not surprise us if they also blocked puberty.

2012
"Legends who fell to earth: Bankruptcy, shoplifting, adultery and disgrace. Which Olympians stayed on track - and which didn't?"
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2180129/Past-Olympic-Athletes-Legends-fell-earth--Bankruptcy-shoplifting-adultery-disgrace.html

2017
"Former Soviet gymnast Olga Korbut sells Olympic medals"
‘The Sparrow from Minsk’, now a US citizen, who dazzled audiences at Munich in 1972 reported to be ‘almost destitute’
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/28/former-soviet-gymnast-olga-korbut-sells-olympic-medals

Olga's web site - she looks lovely and happy (I want a heart emoji ❤️)
olgakorbut.com/olga-korbut-today/

The cognitive dissonance at the Guardian is sky high.

Absolutely. The Weekend section, where this article appears, is edited by Melissa Denes - who signed the letter condemning the "transphobia" in the Guardian.

Of course, another phrase you could use instead of "cognitive dissonance" is "extreme stupidity".