A lesbian couple in California has triggered a controversy by giving their son hormone blockers to delay his puberty so that he can decided whether to be a girl or a boy. The 11-year-old boy named Tommy could decide to be a Tammy now that he is approaching puberty, but many are questioning the basis for such treatment or the ability of a minor to make such a decision. I am one of them.
We have seen prior stories of parents engaging in what seems questionably gender experimental approaches with their children. In this case, the mothers insisted that at age three Tommy seemed unsure whether he wanted to be a boy or a girl — so they started him on hormone treatments.
The Hormone Blocking Therapy delays puberty and is advocated by experts like Joel Baum, director of education and training for Gender Spectrum, a California-based non-profit group, who says “this is about giving kids and their families the opportunity to make the right decision.”
Yet, r. Paul McHugh, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University has denounced this as nothing short of child abuse “ike performing liposuction on an anorexic child.” Others have objected that the treatment could retard growth and have negative physical consequences.
Tommy’s parents, Moreno and Lobel, say that they will now call their son Tammy after he elected at age 11 to start the therapy by taking GnRH inhibitors over the summer to give him more time to explore the female gender identity. They insist that one of the first things he said when learning sign language (due to a speech impediment) was “I am a girl.”
He is eleven. I find the idea of inhibiting growth based on the wishes of an eleven year old to be highly disturbing. Indeed, I fail to see how any doctor could proscribe such a treatment if a prescription is indeed required (as it should be).
Source: Herald Sun
the state needs to save this child from the parents
Mike S. and some of the more cautious commenters are right. On the face of it, this sounds like a form of child abuse. On the other hand if they have tried a number of things and the child is desirous of the treatments, then it may not be abuse.
Based on my past experience with some of the child welfare agencies and, “I never saw a case of abuse I didn’t believe,” zealots, the parents better have all their mental health efforts documented in triplicate.
I’ve been pretty busy today, so have not researched this case, but suspect there is more to it than meets the eye. I am willing to watch and see how it plays out.
Steve88,
You blaspheme the Creator by the hubristic assumption that YOU understand the Creator’s reasons for doing anything. Have you no humility?
Juris:
I have 2 but since they have been raised in a conventional family environment, they have both male and female role models and so turned out pretty normal and well adjusted.
Not that same sex parents cannot provide the same atmosphere but it must be rather confusing for a child to grow up with 2 mothers or 2 fathers.
A man and woman each offer certain emotional support for children. While same sex couples are no less loving and affectionate to a child, there is something missing. Some children can handle not having a mother or a father some cannot and need the nurturing both provide.
Maybe all this child needs is an uncle or “big brother” to take them fishing or to a ball game once in awhile and pay attention to him?
It definately sounds like child abuse based on the facts presented. However, we can only guess if the parents have an agenda and I’ve worked with too many agenda ridden Psychiatrists and child abuse activists too just take their opinions as fact. I would hold off judgement until we know more.
If the self sex awareness is so strong, why resort to chemical means?
The war of the sex drugs can’t be far away, if this runs amok.
Envision parents of every persuasion unleashing the chemistry of their politics on children they want to make in their own image.
Some are afraid that we will go back to the whores and buggy daze before the 1% – 99% disparity existed.
Based on what was presented, then I say yeah, it sounds like child abuse. But I really don’t think we can assume the parents have some sort of militant agenda either. There must be more to the story as blhlls reminds us.
Bron, I suspect you don’t have any children of your own. The same reason we don’t regularly try 11 year olds (or younger) for murder in this country, the same reason most states have age restrictions on children entering into contracts, driving, buying alcohol, getting tattoos, and countless other decisions, a child should not be allowed to make such a life-altering decision after considering all the ramifications (some of which are presumably irreversible) – IMHO
I also have an issue with the hormone treatment, but the story doesn’t really discuss some of the relevant factors. Other stories indicate that he actually began transitioning when he was 8, after threatening to mutilate his genitals at 7. It appears the family has also pursued therapy/psychiatric treatment. If the child is suffering significantly in spite of support from family and professionals, making suicide or self-mutilation a real possibility, I’m not sure what I would do. Of note, the quoted Dr. McHugh appears to believe that gender identity disorder is a psychiatric illness without a biological component, and does not believe that reassignment surgery is appropriate or useful. I only mention these views as his disapproval of reassignment treatment, even for adults, may be relevant to his opinion as to the propriety of the treatment provided this particular child.
why? What is the problem with this? My friends who are gay say they knew when they were very young 5-6th grade. Why make someone suffer for years?
I applaud these women for having the courage to let their child be who she is.
This is absolutely appalling
Jo,
Too bad. We missed you over at the Academy barbecue.
“[T]he mothers insisted that at age three Tommy seemed unsure whether he wanted to be a boy or a girl — so they started him on hormone treatments.”
Age 3 the boy made the decision? At age 11 you give him hormone treatments? Really? This is absolutely appalling. The doctor involved should lose his license and the so-called mothers should be investigated by state agency for their fitness as parents.
This could potentially mess the child’s endocrine system up for life.
I applaud the parent’s decision to support a child’s gender exploration/discovery, but not with the aid of hormone suppression.
When I was eleven I wanted to be the captain of the Starship Enterprise. I outgrew that desire and luckily my parents didn’t enroll me into the Starfleet Academy.
Definitely child abuse and likely medical malpractice.
[quote]He is eleven. I find the idea of inhibiting growth based on the wishes of an eleven year old to be highly disturbing.[/quote]
Especially when the only proof of such a desire is the parents AND the fact that the parents have their own agenda, it could be nothing more than a child trying to make his parents happy.
I would agree with Elaine. If this child makes a decision when he has reached the adulthood, then it is his/her decision. But, for parents to make this bizarre decision for an 11 year old is outrageous.
I believe what this couple did to their son is a form of child abuse.
I’d like to know who prescribed the hormone blockers.