“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
—Jesus Christ (John 8:32)
“The Surgical Gender Affirmation Program treats teens and young adults. We work closely with patients and families to make decisions about surgery age and timing. Patients must be 18 or older by the time of surgery for gender-affirming genital procedures.”
“Gender-affirming medical care for patients under age 18 requires consent from any parent or guardian that has medical decision-making rights for that patient, unless the patient is an emancipated minor.”
“To qualify for gender affirmation at Boston Children's Hospital, you must be at least 18 years old for phalloplasty or metoidioplasty and for vaginoplasty.
You must also have the following:
• A letter from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner stating that you have "persistent, well documented, gender dysphoria" and specifying the length of hormone therapy.
• A letter from your regular therapist stating that you have "persistent, well documented, gender dysphoria," that any significant mental health concerns are well controlled and that you have been living full time in your identified gender for at least 12 months.
• A second letter, from a mental health professional familiar with the procedure you are seeking, stating you are ready for surgery. This should include your understanding of the surgery procedure and recovery needs, fertility implications of surgery, and risks of surgery. It should also state that you are able to consent for surgery and include an assessment of your support systems.
Patients who want to pursue chest surgery must be at least 15 years old and have the following:
• A letter from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner stating that you have "persistent, well documented, gender dysphoria" and specifying either the length of hormone therapy or why you are not taking hormone therapy.
• A letter from a mental health provider stating that you have the capacity to consent and that any significant mental health issues are being addressed.”
“The World Professional Association for Transgender Health has declared that the minimum age for gender transition treatment can now be lowered to 14, which is two years younger than previously advised. Along with that decrease in the age requirement for hormone treatments, the association has also moved to lower the minimum age for some gender reassignment surgeries to between 15 or 17.”
“While potential risks are present when administering hormone treatments and performing reassignment surgeries on patients within these age brackets, those risks were weighed against those that could come from withholding treatment from someone in need of it.”
“Transgender people can experience high rates of distress and suicidality. Almost half (43%) of transgender people have a history of attempting suicide. Suicide risk is highest when experiencing transphobia and when waiting to transition. Rates of suicidality can drop markedly once transition has been completed. Some transgender individuals choose hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. Currently, candidates for hormone therapy must demonstrate a consistent and persistent gender-variant identity that meets criteria for gender dysphoria as categorized by the DSM-5.5”
“…81 percent of transgender respondents reported having contemplated suicide during their lifetime compared with 30 percent of cisgender heterosexual adults…”
“A new study has shown incredibly high levels of satisfaction with gender-affirming surgery. The study, published in ‘Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery’, the Journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, says that 99.7% of trans people who had undergone such surgery experienced a degree of satisfaction with the outcome, an incredible figure in the context of any healthcare outcomes.”
“In total the Transgender Health Program examined 1989 trans patients. Only 6 patients (0.3%) requested reversal surgery or transitioned back to their sex assigned at birth. The study also concluded that an environment that normalises authentic gender expression, affirming each individual’s surgical goals without any judgement, are foundational to mitigating against regret.”
“The 0.3% regret rate of our newest study is much smaller compared to other, common yet serious surgeries. Interestingly, knee replacement surgery has a dissatisfactory rate of 6-30%. The rate is up to 100 times that of gender-affirming surgery. However, knee replacement surgery does not go through the same scrutiny as trans healthcare does.”
“The evidence is overwhelming in showing that fears around ‘transition regret’ are blown out of proportion. Conservatives cling onto this myth in order to justify their anti-trans bills banning gender-affirming healthcare. Instead we focus on the joy that gender-affirming healthcare brings, and the positivity of so many people being able to live freely as themselves, celebrating who they are.”