Leo Waddell, Transgender Pre-Teen, Denied Hormone Treatment To Prevent Puberty
James Nichols, The Huffington Post, 09/10/2013 2:35 pm EDT

A 12-year-old transgender boy is fighting alongside his mother after a British medical practitioner denied his request for hormone blockers that would halt the onslaught of puberty on his biologically female body.

Leo Waddell, who has reportedly lived as a boy since the age of five, is attempting to curtail the effects of puberty by taking hormone blockers until he turns 16. He then plans to begin taking testosterone, and eventually seek medical intervention for gender reassignment surgery at the age of 18.

Appearing on the popular U.K. talk show "This Morning," host Phillip Schofield read a statement from Waddell's general practitioner regarding his refusal to prescribe the young man hormone blockers:

QuoteI have no previous experience of administering this specialist medication to young people. I have already sought advice from my prescribing authority. Any clinical decision I make always gives consideration to every aspect of the patient's wellbeing. My priority is always infused with the welfare of the patient.