At the age of 16, I embarked on a journey that will haunt me forever. Struggling with trauma and depression, I believed my challenges were tied to confusion about my gender. Influenced by online activists and my healthcare providers, I was convinced that a full gender transition was the only answer. Seeking solace and community, I followed their advice. By 18, I had started testosterone and undergone a double mastectomy. The physical repercussions of these decisions continue to affect me nearly a decade later, likely permanently.
My story, shared initially with Independent Women in their important “Identity Crisis” series, sheds light on a side of gender medicine that advocates would rather not acknowledge. Detransitioners like myself reveal the harsh realities of gender-related treatments. We demonstrate that so-called “gender-affirming” procedures are neither reversible nor temporary.
It is clear that medical interventions do not address the underlying mental distress experienced by many gender-confused individuals. In fact, these treatments often exacerbate issues, as evidenced by the scars on my wrists and chest.
However, I am hopeful that change is on the horizon. As President-elect Trump prepares to return to the White House, he has pledged to take action against institutionalized “gender-affirming care.” He can start by rescinding an executive order issued by President Biden, which promoted “expanded access” to these harmful interventions.
Gatekeeping is essential for safeguarding individuals. Increasing access to a model of medical deception that focuses solely on affirmation leads to more detransitioners like myself. Children in pain grow into remorseful adults. It is crucial to protect vulnerable populations, including those struggling with mental health issues and children, even if that protection means shielding them from activist physicians or themselves.
Additionally, Trump can direct the Department of Health and Human Services to push medical organizations and providers to move away from “gender-affirming care.” Contrary to Biden’s approach, this shift aligns with scientific evidence and common sense. A recent report by the U.K.’s National Health Service highlighted the lack of evidence supporting “gender-affirming care” for minors and its long-term consequences.
Many of the studies used to justify these interventions have been distorted or overstated. Hilary Cass, the report author, emphasized that lies and misrepresentations have no place in healthcare. The truth is unwavering, and reality will eventually expose falsehoods. Detransitioners have paid the price for doctors’ deception.
Trump should not limit his actions to halting expansion of harmful practices. His administration should prioritize evidence-based and sensible approaches to gender-related healthcare. It is time to prioritize the well-being of individuals over ideological agendas.
He has indicated his intention to collaborate with the Republican-controlled Congress to enact legislation that would “permanently halt federal taxpayer funds from being used to advocate or finance” medical procedures related to gender, as well as to outlaw what he deems “child sexual mutilation” across all 50 states. Had such laws been in place during my childhood, my body would have remained whole and healthy. I would have been spared the discomfort of vaginal atrophy and dryness caused by years of testosterone injections, and avoided a lifetime of medical dependence.
Numerous other children and young adults face the prospect of similar repercussions. According to the medical nonprofit Do No Harm, a minimum of 13,395 minors in the United States underwent various forms of “gender reassignment” treatment between the years 2019 and 2023, with the youngest patients being only 7 years old. Each of these individuals will endure enduring physical and psychological consequences.
The incoming administration possesses the potential to avert this unfolding disaster. It is imperative that America’s youth be safeguarded – shielded from activists who seek to exploit them for ideological purposes, from healthcare providers who stand to gain from invasive and costly medical procedures, and even from their own uncertainties and confusion.
I embody the tangible outcomes of the failure of those in positions of leadership to take this responsibility seriously. I can only aspire that my personal narrative, along with the narratives of tens of thousands of other detransitioners, will no longer be disregarded.
