The Science On Brain Development Rebukes Those Pushing Gender Transition On KidsAdolescents with gender dysphoria should not be making decisions that lead to permanent, unnecessary surgeries, mutilation, and infertility.BY: JANE ANDERSON
JUNE 16, 2022
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently considering publishing regulations that will push for potentially irreversible medical and surgical interventions for people with gender dysphoria in the name of health care. In April, HHS Assistant Secretary Rachel L. Levine stated “gender affirming care is medical care” and included children and adolescents in that equation.
Levine also reaffirmed a principle articulated by Hippocrates that physicians should do no harm. Can a physician provide interventions like potentially sterilizing hormones and surgeries for children and adolescents without doing harm? Research on adolescent brain development and decision-making indicates these two concepts are contradictory.
Our society is encouraging adolescents to make crucial decisions with lifelong consequences as research continues to document the immaturity of the adolescent brain. It does not utilize the strategizing and planning center, the prefrontal cortex, in the same manner as adults.
The American College of Pediatricians, of which I am a board member, just published a new position statement entitled “The Teenage Brain: Under Construction” with research showing that adolescents’ brains are not developed enough to make sound decisions, and this should inform potential medical and surgical interventions on minors with gender dysphoria because of their lifelong consequences.
* * *
Given this research on the immature processing that occurs in the adolescent brain, it is crucial that adults assist with decision-making, especially those decisions that involve lifelong consequences. Practically, this means that adolescents who are struggling with gender dysphoria should not be allowed to make decisions that contribute to permanent, unnecessary surgical procedures, mutilation, and infertility.
The research on brain development indicates that adolescents should wait until they are 25 before attempting to make such significant decisions with lifelong consequences. This would mitigate the potential influence of peer pressure and emotions, while allowing the adolescent to experience natural puberty and associated hormonal influences on brain development. When allowed to do so, 85 to 90 percent of adolescents with gender identity concerns will accept their biological sex.
In addition, evidence is demonstrating that those who are allowed to undergo hormonal blocking of puberty, followed by surgical procedures, may experience regret and criticize the adults who did not properly warn them of the consequences of their immature decisions. An article published in Pediatric News on March 17, 2022, reported on a Zoom conference of people who had “transitioned” back to their natural sex.
They said “the medical establishment initially failed them when they transitioned to the opposite gender, and again, when they decided to go back to their natal gender.” This was confirmed in a 2021 study of 100 “detransitioned” patients in which over half felt they had not received appropriate information or evaluation prior to transitioning.
* * *
Source:
https://thefederalist.com/2022/06/16/the-science-on-brain-development-rebukes-those-pushing-gender-transition-on-kids/
