The truth about how many transgender kids are using hormones and puberty blockers, according to a new study
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/the-truth-about-how-many-transgender-kids-are-using-hormones-and-puberty-blockers-according-to-a-new-study/ar-AA1x3pbG?ocid=windirect&cvid=6daf3f28dd934bb7b257073326779d29&ei=14
Story by Beth Greenfield (6 Jan 2025)
Among the many political wedge issues raised by president-elect Donald Trump have been those concerning health-care for transgender Americans—particularly trans youth, who have already been the target of gender-affirming care bans in 26 states.
"With the stroke of my pen on day one," Trump said at a rally just before Christmas, "we're going to stop the transgender lunacy."
Transgender adolescents are frequently cited as a huge and growing population by anti-LGBTQ legislators, despite only comprising 300,000 youths 13-17 in the U.S. And a new study published today in JAMA Pediatrics finds that despite fears of their over-medicalization, transgender adolescents are very rarely prescribed hormones and puberty blockers.
"The politicization of gender-affirming care for transgender youth has been driven by a narrative that millions of children are using hormones and that this type of care is too freely given. Our findings reveal that is not the case," said lead author Landon Hughes, a fellow in Harvard Chan School's Department of Epidemiology, in a news release.
The study looked at private insurance claims representing 5.1 million patients ages 8 to 17. It found that less than 0.1% of U.S. transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescents were prescribed puberty blockers or gender-affirming hormones—and that not a single patient under age 12 received hormones.