I'm taking about something you clearly haven't experienced: gender dysphoria.
Trans children are born, not made. Going through the wrong puberty is deeply distressing for them, because the outer body doesn't match how they know themselves to be.
It is immeasurably cruel to deny these kids the appropriate counselling to help them cope with this - and, further down the line, treatment which will give them time to mature and make decisions later.
Puberty blockers have been used by cis children for a long time (they still are) to prevent early puberty. A very small number of trans children are suitable for them, and have been helped by them.
Campaigning against help for trans children has had three effects:
- Deterioration of mental health. There is widespread depression, anxiety, use of prescription medications, distress, school refusal, self-harm, hospitalisations and suicides among trans children.
- The demonisation of trans children, who are seen as deserving violence (especially sexual violence) at school. Statistics show all trans children are targeted within schools and suffer greatly - many just leave without doing exams, because it's so awful.
- Far more adult surgeries. Forcing trans boys to develop breasts they don't want, just means they'll have top surgery later. It also forces them to wear binders.
None of these effects have helped trans children.
Yes, some trans kids change their minds - but most of that's because of the.immense social pressure and ceaseless harassment trans people face. And the vast majority of them have changed little more than a haircut.
Trans adult surgeries have a very low regret rate, and many trans men have babies.
All the young trans adults I know have been through things no child should - denial of care, violence, harassment and (in all cases bar two, one of them my own son) getting kicked out by their families. They are picking up the pieces of their lives, starting again, forming relationships and getting jobs. Many have PTSD after their experiences. It has stopped precisely none of them being trans.
Breaking children at a young age is inexcusable. There is not even appropriate counselling for them if they can't afford to go private (true in most cases).
I hope terfs know that all their campaigning has led to this: young trans men now contemplating the quickest, cheapest way to get surgery they wouldn't otherwise have needed.
No one would be trans unless it meant everything to them. Their lives are too hard. Harassment, violence - not to mention online forums dedicated to discussing their bodies, lives and appearance. Formulating paranoid conspiracy theories about them. Declaring them evil fetishists. Could you cope with that?