When is too young?

[Julie York]

I'm curious to hear the opinions of TS people.

If someone suspects they are genuinely transexual, at what age would you suggest they genuinely pursue transition?

It's not something you can reverse.

So when would you consider someone mentally mature enough to do it for real, absolute, and forever?

[veronica]

I was watching that very subject about a month ago on television. I believe it was on The Tyra Banks Show. The general consenses was if they have gone through all the testing and analysis it is best to start "pre-puberty" which makes total sense to me for a more "passable" apperance. :)

I just don't know how sure one is at that age. I can not imagine the difficulty of the decission for the parents.:eek:

That is my two cents:D

[Kimberley]

Hi Julie.
We have a child in our support group and her mother is seriously having to face this exact question. Crystal will soon be approaching puberty and she has to decide what is best. To put her on spiro (or other T-blocker) will slow the development of secondary sexual characteristics of course and some HRT will be required for health maintenance. The other avenue would be to let things take their own course.

If they delay things, her classmates will be developing and she will not. If they allow nature to run its course she will certainly be ostracized. We have a local doctor who is in favour of delaying things and willing to see her through since it is unanimously agreed by everyone in the psych community that Crystal is TS. However they will not perform SRS until she is of legal age.

:hugs:
Kimberley

[John]

I think if you can get a profecional psych opinion saying a child is TS, there shouldn't be anything to stop them transitioning. I know I wish I'd had that option when I was younger. I can see why they wate on srs though.

[melissaK]

We make kids wait for all kinds of things. Age of legal consent makes sense so parents and drs don't get sued by narrow minded relatives or district attorneys for 'child abuse.'

As long as you are a Guardian (i.e. a parent) others, including the government, can second guess your actions. (Look at Texas and the fundamentalist Mormons event going on right now).

Once a child reaches the age of consent, then they are responsible for themself and no one second guesses.

Of course, age of legal consent is a fiction in and of it's own. It is set by legislative fiat, and thus it varies from State to State, and then it varies by subject. In my State for example, Kids can consent to have sex at 15, but can't consent to get drunk until I'm 21. Kids can consent to work in a family run business at age 13, but can't consent to work for someone else until they are 16. They can consent to drive a car at age 16, but can't consent to enter into a legal contract to buy a car to drive until they are 18.

I can imagine the political debate for a law that would allow SRS on a minor . . . :eek:

I'd lay low with the delay tactic . . . those who don't are braver souls than I.

hugs,
'lissa

[Kimberley]

Well as far as I know (so correct me if you know otherwise... PLEASE) all surgeons doing SRS follow the HBSOC. Those standards suggest that no irreversible surgical intervention should occur before the child is 18 years of age.

It also outlines that many diagnosed TS children may revert to their natural gender but it is recognized that a child who goes through adolescence and still retains their TS diagnosis should be allowed to continue after RLE.

Please understand the the HBSOC are recognized as guidelines and are not cast in stone. There is flexibility for each case. Agree with them or not (and I have mixed opinions on them) they are used extensively by the medical community.

:hugs:
Kimberley

[Joanna-Louise]

Im unsure if anyone watched it, but ther was a documentery awhile back on a girl called lucy (the youngest TG in the uk to have the surgery). WHile she started at 15, she had to wait untill she was 18 to transform into lucy complely.

Like her ive known i was a girl since a very very young age (5 - 6 years old). At the age of 27 (28 in june) part of me regrets not going through with it at 22. I went back to docters 2 years ago when I left my ex, but one of the factors in my mind was, as im getting older and the waiting time on the NHS to get any surgery i require etc id be 30+ by the time I fully transition and therefore miss the best years for Joanna to have fun.

I don't think if your really sure and the with the professionals views i would have transitioned at 18, making way for the younger 20 years for Joanna to be a "girly girl" if Im making scense...

However iguess thats another part of the mental mindfield that all TG people have to go through in their lifes.

(Hope i make sence here :lol: )

Jo
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