There is a strange fear around trans young people transitioning. So much of this is based in ignorance and very little understanding on the systems which support said young people.
The words ‘coercion’, ‘forcing’ and ‘grooming’ are used by some people to deny children the chance to explore their gender in a safe environment with knowledgeable professionals.
The amount of trans and gender non-conforming people who do not go in for any kind of medical transition is actually huge.
The waiting times, beaurocracy, talking therapies, blood tests, full physicals, this is a MANY stepped and years long process. It is not for the faint hearted, it is not encouraging as every step of the way professionals reflect on the young persons physical and mental health. They are continously supporting the young person to reflect too.
Children are not being told to take or do anything with their bodies. It is the complete opposite. Children are being helped to understand themselves and how they relate to others.
Many children go through talking therapies in gender affirming healthcare and decide against it, because it doesn’t suit them or they’re worried about the affects on their body, having children later in life, they’re scared (rightfully) of surgery etc.
Children are a lot more introspective than we give them credit for. Giving them the information in a safe environment for them to make their own choices about their own bodies is not coercion.
Medical transition is exceedingly expensive so the government are not going to make it easy for people to access, let alone force it onto people.
The Conservative government hates trans people why would they fund organisations and make laws for them to do this?
Signed: a trans person who is uninterested in medical transition of any kind and has extensively studied this area for the past three years as a post grad researcher.
[ID: a light grey-blue background. A roller paint image in the middle of light grey paint over a darker grey. Large white text on this image reads: no coercion, only care].
Find out more about trans Autistic experiences in my articles:
Stories from under the double rainbow – trans and non-binary Autistic narratives