Good article! First of all, I don’t know if this test does accurately measure if a person is trans or not. I’m sure as 13 year old girl there were times when I thought life would be better as a boy, and I’m very cis.
But let’s assume these tests do represent trans kids eventually realizing they are cis as they grow up. A good friend of mine is a doctor, and a mother to a trans girl, she is going her best to get her daughter care and tells me every detail of this system (I also live in the most trans friendly area of the US so if kids are getting trans care, it’s happening here). Apparently, among trans kids, there is always some desisters vs persisters when puberty hits. Many trans kids continue to be trans when they are teenagers and adults. Some react differently to puberty and become more comfortable with their biological sex. Kids can’t really access HRT until they’re about 16, and until then they are puberty blockers. Puberty blockers are not hrt and have been used for decades in treatment of precocious puberty, they don’t cause damage. Even then, I probably have met 30 trans kids, none of them were on puberty blockers, or hrt, it happens but it’s not common. No one has surgery until the are 18 and a legal adult.
So, let’s just argue for some kids, being trans is a phase. So what? Let them go through their phase. The more you try to control it, the worse it gets. If a kid is still claiming to be trans at 16, and they’ve been on puberty blockers for 3 or more years, then yes, it’s okay to talk about hrt if they understand informed consent. 16 is old enough to make such a decision, with supportive parental and medical guidance, as long as it’s not impulsive. Most of the transition these kids do is social. They have different name and pronouns, dress differently, and cut their hair a certain way. No harm there. Just them do it. Yes, there are trans people, yes there are trans teens, and yes there teens who are just confused and figuring things out. The fact that there are teens who are confused and figuring things out, should not be seen as grounds to invalidate trans people, trans teens, or anyone else. No one’s genitalia are being mutilated if you’re under 18. At best some 16 and 17 year olds are getting HRT. Most kids are just socially transitioning, and possibly using puberty blockers until they can figure this confusing stuff out. It’s okay, it’s not the genetl mutilating, hrt hormone hell at age 8 the right wants you to think. Gender variant kids need the time and space to figure this stuff out without being held as representatives of the whole trans community and their supporters. That’s way too much pressure to put on some kid. Yes, there are trans kids, and there are also some kids who are just confused. Don’t let the latter group be an excuse to erase trans kids. People have the right to transition, detransition, and drink coffee without it being used as an excuse to invalidate an entire community they may or may not even be an apart of.
If someone identifies as trans as a child, and grows up to cis as an adult, that’s fine. It happens. But don’t use that to invalidate or deny healthcare to other trans kids who do grow up to be trans adults. Trans people are real, they’re not going away, and they deserve protection and to live a good life. Confused kids and teens should not be used as an excuse to invalidate trans people.