Evan Urquhart 🏳️⚧️
Generally speaking, I think the conversation about gender affirming care for youth should focus on allowing parents to make the final decision, and on pushing back against bad journalism that leads parents in the wrong direction on the science.
Politically, the GOP has made a big bet on parents rights. So it makes it easier to argue against state bans to use that pre-existing propensity to support parents' deciding for their kids.
But that's not ultimately why I think it's the right approach.
Sexypink
Hunter S. Bloomfer
Jessica Craven :verified:
@Bloomfer @e_urq Let children be who they are and celebrate them for it. I agree!
Hunter S. Bloomfer
Jessica Craven :verified:
@e_urq even here in Los Angeles a nurse at our pediatrician’s office told me that most of the parents of non-binary kids don’t support them. “So nice to see your kid so healthy and happy. Most kids like yours have anxiety or depression.” ? This is in one of the most progressive areas in the country.
Evan Urquhart 🏳️⚧️
Studies consistently show that having affirming parents is one of the most powerful protective factors for trans youth. Way too few trans kids have that. THAT is what needs to change to really make a different in kids' lives.
Changing parents hearts and minds may be hard, but it's the only way I can think of to really help the majority of trans youth.
Evan Urquhart 🏳️⚧️
I've foster parented queer youth. It was a wonderful experience. But what it taught me more than anything is that the system sucks and most kids do better w their families, even when the families are pretty bad.
Kids are dependent on their parents. Practically speaking, even if they're legally able to access care w/o permission, very few will be able to do so safely. It feels like a red herring to put a lot of effort into arguing for something unlikely to work for kids in their real lives.
Evan Urquhart 🏳️⚧️
Parents are a... fraught topic for LGBTQ+ people, and all the more so for trans folks. Many in our community have been outright rejected by their families, and those who don't often have difficult reltionships.
So, it's not without real reluctance and strain that I come down on the side of letting parents decide, at least in the absense of abuse.
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