Myth 1: Puberty blockers are 鈥榚xperimental treatments鈥� or permanent or dangerous.
The foremost and largest professional association of pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the use of puberty-blocking medications, stating: 鈥淚f pubertal suppression treatment is suspended, then endogenous puberty will resume.鈥� These medications are also frequently prescribed to cisgender children (whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth) who experience precocious puberty鈥攕howing signs of puberty before it is age-appropriate.
Myth 2: Puberty blockers will always, 100% of the time, result in infertility in children.
This claim is pseudoscientific and not up to date with current medical research. While there are risks associated with all medications, puberty blockers do not necessarily impact fertility, especially if taken for a short time. Research is ongoing, but the AAP recommends that鈥攍ike all other medical decisions鈥攑arents and children talk with their child鈥檚 doctor to make the decision that is right for them.
Myth 3: All gender-affirming care is sterilizing.
This claim is intentionally misleading. Anti-trans voices often conflate all gender-affirming healthcare鈥攊ncluding mental health care and medications鈥攚ith specific surgical procedures, which are a) not available to young children and b) not even pursued by all trans adults. Trans adults, just like cisgender adults, have families鈥攂iologically or otherwise鈥攁nd have the right to bodily autonomy in matters of fertility.
Positive Outcomes Associated with Gender-Affirming Care
Fact 1: The tells us that supportive families and affirming medical care are associated with positive health outcomes in kids, allowing them to pursue 鈥渁cademic success, relationship building, and future-oriented planning.鈥�
Fact 2: The risks of stigma and marginalization鈥攎ore severe for children of color鈥攖hat accompany family rejection or non-affirming intervention (i.e. conversion therapy) are with high rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide, as well as increased likelihoods of dropping out of school, as well as experiencing poverty and/or violence.
Read more: Combating Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Through Accessible Informative Narratives
