Transgenderism: Gender Identity Disorder (GID)

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Transgenderism, also known as gender identity disorder (GID), in the medical field, is defined as a strong and persistent discomfort with one’s natal sex and the gender role of that sex, which causes clinically significant distress or impairment (Abel). This means that people who are diagnosed with GID often experience incongruity between their expressed gender and their natal gender. As today’s society becomes more and more accepting of the LGBTQ community, it has become clear that the medical needs of this community, specifically the transgender community, have not been researched or addressed in much depth. Although transgenderism has become more frequently discussed in the media, transgenderism is still not fully understood from a clinical …show more content…
While puberty blockers have been used for decades on children who experience precocious (or early onset) puberty, the use of puberty blockers in children with GID is a fairly new practice that has yet to be FDA approved (Boghani). However, by using puberty blockers in children with GID, it is believed that it gives them time to mature and explore their gender identity prior to beginning more significant cross-sex hormone therapy, which results in irreversible changes. After receiving a puberty blocker, if a child decides to not continue with the transition, he or she will experience normal puberty once off the puberty suppressing medications. However, if the child decides to continue with his or her transition, the next step is to begin cross-sex hormone …show more content…
While most young children diagnosed with GID ultimately choose to return to their natal gender, children who continue the experience GID as adolescents are more likely to have GID persist into adulthood. However, since approximately 80% of children diagnosed with GID do not continue on to be transgender adults, the United States Endocrine Society recommends that cross-sex hormones should not be used on children under the age of 16 (Heyer). The United States Endocrine Society also suggests that, due to clinical experience, GID can only be reliably diagnosed after the first signs of puberty (Scutti). However, many physicians and gender specialists have begun administering cross-sex hormones at younger ages in the United States, and believe that it is best to begin cross-sex hormone therapy at the same time the child’s peers are entering puberty, which is typically around the age of 12-14 (Heyer). Physicians such as Dr. Johanna Olsen, director of the LA Children’s Hospital Transgender Clinic, even believe that it is best to skip puberty blockers completely and immediately begin the child on cross-sex hormone therapy (Heyer). Some children are even being started on cross-sex hormone therapy before the age or 12 despite the irreversible effects and need for lifetime medical
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