Controversial Therapy for Pre-Teen Transgender Patient Raises Questions

Submitted by anthony on Mon, 2011-10-17 18:25

Article here. Excerpt:

'A lesbian couple in California who say their 11-year-old son Tommy who wants to be a girl named Tammy are giving their child hormone blockers that delay the onset of puberty -- so that he can have more time that he can have more time to decide if he wants to change his gender.

The couple’s supporters say the Hormone Blocking Therapy has only minor side effects and is appropriate for a child who is unsure of his gender. "This is definitely a changing landscape for transgender youth," said Joel Baum, director of education and training for Gender Spectrum, a California-based non-profit group. "This is about giving kids and their families the opportunity to make the right decision."

But critics of the treatment say 11-year-olds are not old enough to make life-altering decisions about changing their gender, and parents should not be encouraging them. They say it’s too soon to tell what the side effects of the treatments may be, and they say Tommy’s parents, Pauline Moreno and Debra Lobel, are irresponsible for seeking them and allowing them to be administered.

"This is child abuse. It's like performing liposuction on an anorexic child," said Dr. Paul McHugh, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University.'

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Comments

Makes me sick! Where are all the mental health professionals? What is this country coming to? The perversion of children should never be allowed! An 11 year old child hasn't in most cases even started puberty, so how could anyone say that that child isn't being influenced by his "gay parents"? Very sad day for Humanity, very sad day for our future.

David A. DeLong

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Submitted by David A. DeLong on Tue, 2011-10-18 16:50

I agree.

We are going way beyond "gay acceptance". It seems now young people are offered this as a lifestyle choice. We are moving towards one gender.

Even in some middle schools (6th to 8th grade) are forming "gay and lesbian clubs". They are totally acceptable, according to the schools, because the clubs are open to everyone. IMO this is way too early for kids to define their sexuality.

IMO homosexuality is acceptable because it is not harmful to consenting adults who wish to participate in it, but it is not normal (as in everybody does it) and it is not healthy (our species could not survive if everyone chose this behavior).

PS - in case anyone is wondering I offer gays the same respect I give everyone. I have never had any problems with a gay person.

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Submitted by Kris on Tue, 2011-10-18 18:43

The big question I have is this: When Tommy/Tammy was somewhere around 4-7 -- did he feel it was more appropriate to dress like a girl and play with girls toys? Or was Tommy prodded and encouraged in that direction?

A friend of mine is transgendered. When she was a boy she knew she should be dressing in her sister's clothes and playing with her sisters toys. Of course he was forced to dress and act like a boy. In her words, "forced to live a lie."

So Tommy thinks he should be Tammy. Does this come from within or without? An unbiased Psychiatrist that specializes in working with the transgendered can tell for sure.

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Submitted by canaryguy on Wed, 2011-10-19 07:50