NYTimes Highlights Problems New Trans Rule Creates

WASHINGTON - Feb. 5, 2024 - PRLog -- The New York Times, in an article entitled As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do. (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/opinion/transgender-children-gender-dysphoria.html), reports and illustrates with a number of actual examples that many children are undergoing sex-change medical interventions at a very early age even though they are not in fact trans.

The results of these often irreversible life-altering medical interventions can be disastrous for many who wish that the mistaken decision to alter their very sexual identity had not been rushed, and made without a lengthier more extensive evaluation.

Unfortunately, this problem is likely to be exacerbated by a new Olympic rule (https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/lia-thomas-vs-common-sense/) which bars those who have undergone "any part of male puberty" from competing as females in swimming events, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf, who has won over 100 cases of illegal discrimination against women.

One so far overlooked problem with that new Olympic rule is that it provides a strong but very dangerous incentive for young boys to begin medical sex transitioning treatments at an age when in many cases their immaturity prevents them and their parents from making a truly informed judgement about their true status as possible trans.

While many medical professionals and their organizations agree that transitioning children to the opposite sex is warranted in many situations - and this may even involve changes which are arguably irreversible such as when when children are administered puberty-blocking drugs, opposite-sex hormones, and even surgery such a breast removal - most also admit that there may be improper diagnosis of trans status among very young children, especially those who may suffer from various mental or emotional problems.

Since there is no recognized test to be sure that a boy saying he is or wants to be a girl is truly a M2F transgender child who would benefit from early medical intervention at a very young age, even those who generally support so-called "gender reaffirming" medical treatment for children are wary of having it begin prior to puberty or before the child has reached a certain level of maturity.

Thus Professor Banzhaf argues that the Olympic rule makes this decision even more difficult, and more likely to be incorrect, because it puts a thumb on the scale in favor of irreversible medical interventions as a very young age.

Thus, if a very young boy shows great promise in youth competitive swimming, parents hoping to have an Olympic champion may be tempted, especially if the signs of true "gender dysphoric" aren't crystal clear, to err on the side of beginning and even concluding puberty-blocking and M2F hormonal medical treatment before the boy reaches the age of 9.

jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com @profbanzhaf