Guardian describes puberty blockers as fully reversible

[TheGreatATuin]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/22/alabama-ban-treatments-trans-children

Puberty blockers are fully reversible prescription medication that pause sexual maturation, typically given in injections or skin implants.

It's had me wondering about responsible journalism. Puberty blockers are being pulled back across multiple countries due to concerns. I guess I find it extraordinary that a mainstream supposedly reputable newspaper can just trot that out. It feels deeply irresponsible at best.

This seems to show the claim being made in 2005 in a film called The Gender Puzzle:

https://www.journeyman.tv/film_documents/2876/transcript/

JANINE COHEN: Lawyer Rachael Wallbank presented medical evidence in court that puberty-blockers were reversible and could save the child from self-harm or, worse, suicide. Not everyone agrees with the view that adolescents should receive puberty-blockers for this condition. Many religious organisations are opposed to any form of medical intervention, and some doctors question the long-term effects of puberty-blockers.

As Glinner rightly points out, puberty blocker medication is the drug that was given to chemically castrate Alan Turing. Unbelievable that the Guardian is so relaxed about this poison being given to gay and autistic kids.

I had the misfortune to be given this medication for endometriosis. It was literally the worst experience of my whole life. They list the possible 'side effects' and of course one never dreams that they will all occur. But it's like being lobotomised. You lose everything that makes you feel human, not just your entire sex drive.

Luckily I was only on them for a few months, and I haven't had had long term problems from it (many women have had far worse experiences). But my heart bleeds for vulnerable kids who can be on blockers for years and are missing out on the best parts of their lives.

If only I could make it the law that anyone who wants to recommend puberty blockers has to take them for 6 months first. That would stop this idiocy in its tracks.

That link seems to have gone Nauticant

That sounds horrible Speed. I hope they've helped your endo in a different way now.

This was the separate thread which has some excellent links detailing how the statement that they're reversible arose in the first place.

Where did the 'fact' that puberty blockers are reversible come from? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/where-did-the-fact-that-puberty-blockers-are-reversible-come-from

Is there a time frame beyond which puberty is switched off permanently even if you stop medication entirely, ie. You've missed your slot.

I don't know. A PP has said that when used to treat precocious puberty, they are usually only given for 6-12 months but is that really so? I'm not sure it would be worth delaying an early puberty by only 6 months.

I hav seen them prescribed (by paediatric endocrinologists, ie experts!) to a 2 year old and to a 6 year old, both because they were entering puberty. Obviously the 2 year old will be on them for a good few years.

Edited to add - I've just seen the separate thread about this so I'm off to read it now.

Isnt it that they're then allowed the time to actually go through puberty?

Which doesn't happen in gender medicine applications

Let's try this WarriorN:

<a class="break-all" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230825173828/webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?cd=9&ct=clnk&gl=uk&hl=en&q=cache%3AGuOTVaphMgYJ%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.journeyman.tv%2Ffilm_documents%2F2876%2Ftranscript%2F" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20230825173828/webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:GuOTVaphMgYJ:www.journeyman.tv/film_documents/2876/transcript/&cd=9&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

Well, that's a mess. Here's another go:

https://archive.ph/XYA9J

The push towards stopping sexual maturation ought to give people pause. Who benefits? I daren't say for fear of a ban, but it starts with p and rhymes with weedophiles.

Genevieve Gluck did some
research around who influenced the latest WPATH v 8.

genevievegluck.substack.com/p/academics-involved-with-top-transgender

@WarriorN thank you for asking. The joy of menopause is that it cures endometriosis, in much the same way that puberty so often cures gender dysphoria.

Sadly there are a huge number of women who have taken Lupron (the puberty blocking drug) who were irreversibly damaged. I think there are quite a few class action lawsuits happening in the US.

The tragedy is that it takes the general public so long to realise how devastatingly harmful these drugs can be. Look at the massive number of lives ruined by the scandal of Oxycontin. I think anyone who has watched Dopesick will see the similarities between opioids and Lupron.

That's good to hear - seems to be a common issue for women's health conditions, they don't get heard for a long time.