Federal judge declares children will 'suffer irreparable harm' if not allowed puberty blockers

We’re going to jump into conspiracy theory territory here to say that there’s about as much evidence that puberty blockers are harmless as there were studies showing the possible dangers of the COVID-19 vaccine. Just last month, Scientific American reported on the decades of data supporting puberty blockers … in the cases for which they were devised: early-onset puberty. People weren’t ranting then about children being made to go through “forced puberty.” To their credit, the New York Times took a lot of heat for a piece they did exploring the harmful effects of puberty blockers.

It’s the official position of the Biden administration that puberty blockers are entirely reversible:

Here's how the White House describes "gender-affirming care" pic.twitter.com/6XHyVxkcSo

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) March 31, 2022

Florida, along with some other states, passed a law banning “gender-affirming care” for minors. A federal judge, however, has blocked portions of that law having to do with puberty blockers:

A federal judge temporarily blocked portions of a new Florida law that bans transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, saying "gender identity is real." https://t.co/wpj1cYz3pi

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 6, 2023

The AP reports:

Judge Robert Hinkle issued a preliminary injunction, saying three transgender children can continue receiving treatment. The lawsuit challenges the law DeSantis signed shortly before he announced a run for president.

“Gender identity is real. The record makes this clear,” Hinkle said, adding that even a witness for the state agreed.

…

Banning treatment for minors ignores risks patients might face, Hinkle said.

Research suggests that transgender youth and adults are prone to stress, depression and suicidal thoughts, and the evidence is mixed on whether treatment with hormones or surgery resolves those issues.

Even ahead of contemplating medical treatment, experts agree, allowing children to express their gender in a way that matches their identity is beneficial, such as letting children assigned male at birth wear clothing or hairstyles usually associated with girls, if that is their wish.