Last week the popular Transgender Youtuber, Blaire White, made a video called "Transgender Children? NO!" which she decries allowing adolescents to be placed on puberty blockers or cross sex hormones

While I do enjoy much of Blaire's content, I disagree with her here and felt like she had misinformed the public. She doesn't go into any detail into what ages blockers and cross sex hormones are administered and treats them like the same thing.

I make a video response debunking her claims using peer reviewed research on transgender adolescents. I would appreciate it if you all would take a look. Thanks!

She's been on hormones for a year and a half and now she gets on her soap box and tells others how to manage their lives.

She also demonstrates her ignorance of blockers. They do NOT sterilize a person. Blockers merely delay puberty--hence the name, "blockers." From time to time endocrinologists deal with a biological issue where is some cases a child goes through precocious puberty. In these case young children start puberty way too early. The pediatric endocrinologist will administer blockers until the child is of the age that normal puberty can begin. These children are not sterilized. Puberty is merely delayed. No one is acting "insanely." Total straw-man argument. Sheeeze!

Hormones change your body? No ->-bleeped-<-, Sherlock! It's called puberty! The child does not want the wrong puberty. White argues the child many change his/her mind. True, but that decision is delayed and not forced onto the child who wants nothing to do with having a beard when she's really a girl.

She keeps going back to the word "child" as if we are dealing with a toddler. We are talking kids about high school age before they are put on hormones and then it is done after a LOT of counseling. She acknowledges that some people do not transition, but is that the reason to pull the plug on everyone? Talk about baby and bathwater.

->-bleeped-<- is a fad? Maybe she is speaking from first-hand knowledge.

She summarizes that children do not know who they are, but this does not stop her from stepping in between the child, the parents, and the doctors. How does someone know they are trans? I says that they go through RLE full volume. Clinicians report that if by ten years old a child continues to insist they are in the wrong gender, they are in virtually 100% of the cases, trans. Maybe people who present trans at a later time and then go through transition are different, but the thrust of her video is children, which means they expressed pre-teen.

She concludes saying she made her decision "to be trans" as an adult. For some of us it is not a decision--it was how we were born.

Addendum: And frankly she pisses me off to the point of tears. What I wouldn't have given to be given blockers? What would I have not given! She may be trans, but she doesn't know dysphoria any more than a spoon knows thew taste of food.

Blaire White has some of the best genetics for passing you'll ever see. So it's very easy for her to make that argument, that all this stuff isn't needed. Transition therefore worked out very well for her. She had the minimum of issues. All the above goes for Theryn Meyer too, who I think shares White's views on this. (Turns out she doesn't.)

I wouldn't mind the argument so much if it wasn't her making it. She's absolutely not the right person to be arguing this. She's not a medical person, nor is she non passing. She really shouldn't be telling the world that everything's going to be alright without blockers.

Quote from: JMJW on October 14, 2016, 03:07:12 PM
Blaire White has some of the best genetics for passing you'll ever see. So it's very easy for her to make that argument, that all this stuff isn't needed. Transition therefore worked out very well for her. She had the minimum of issues. All the above goes for Theryn Meyer too, who I think shares White's views on this.

I wouldn't mind the argument so much if it wasn't her making it. She's absolutely not the right person to be arguing this. She's not a medical person, nor is she non passing. She really shouldn't be telling the world that everything's going to be alright without blockers.

Maybe. I know of one person who clocked her within 20 seconds. Clocking isn't everything and neither are genetics. Let me rephrase that. There are people out there who would like very much to look better--who doesn't, cis or trans. But I'll give you that: she scored well in the genetic lottery which favors late transition. Therefore does everyone have to follow her path. But it's not that simple. Some people will not end up in as good a place as she and some people don't give two hoots about having children or their futile fertility.

Every movement has it's uncle Toms and it looks like she's ours.

In all fairness it's easier to clock a transwoman in a video than it is in real life. In a video you get to stare and certain aspects have more time to be noticed. IRL one wouldn't stare at her face for ten seconds straight from the front. Least I don't do that anyway.

I think "uncle tom" is way harsh, as I can't expect to agree with her on every issue. She has my respect for leaving her comments section unmoderated and replying to comments when she has the mind. She has my respect for putting her face on camera and talking openly on controversial issues.

Wow.  Someone on the Internet is WRONG!  How often does that happen?

She's not an expert.  She's someone who is good at making YouTube videos and marketing her channel.  Just another example of why not to take advice from strangers on the Internet.

Like me, for example...

Quote from: Michelle_P on October 14, 2016, 07:48:41 PM
Wow.  Someone on the Internet is WRONG!  How often does that happen?

She's not an expert.  She's someone who is good at making YouTube videos and marketing her channel.  Just another example of why not to take advice from strangers on the Internet.

Like me, for example...

Point taken. On the other hand, the next question might be, "Should teens coming off of puberty blockers at 16 get hormones since it will render them sterile?" After that, "Should anyone of the 'opposite sex' get hormones?" We have detransitioners arguing for just that.

We have come down the road very fast. Blindingly fast, and there is a tendency to think we are living at the end of history, but there are forces out there--all you need to do is look at some of the youtube sites--that are ready to take this all away in a heartbeat.

White is arguing that treatment be withheld from young people. Do we really buy that? Is that a tenable stance?

Late-transitioning adults of today could have been the early transitioning teens of 40 to 50 years ago.

Quote from: Michelle_P on October 14, 2016, 07:48:41 PM
Wow.  Someone on the Internet is WRONG!

https://xkcd.com/386/

Have studies been done on the effect of puberty blockers on young people's livers? I once heard a doctor say on youtube that the children of today are the guinea pigs, that they simply don't know what effect it'll have down the road.

Quote from: JMJW on October 14, 2016, 10:19:40 PM
Have studies been done on the effect of puberty blockers on young people's livers? I once heard a doctor say on youtube that the children of today are the guinea pigs, that they simply don't know what effect it'll have down the road.

Puberty blocks have been used for years to prevent precocious puberty--basic young children beginning to develop as adults.

We do know the effects on trans kids of going through puberty without blockers and the results are rather mixed.

Quote from: Virginia Hall on October 14, 2016, 11:34:16 PM
Puberty blocks have been used for years to prevent precocious puberty--basic young children beginning to develop as adults.

We do know the effects on trans kids of going through puberty without blockers and the results are rather mixed.

I believe she actually meant starting HRT at such a young age (the puberty appropriate age, aka 12) is a very recent development. They are pioneering in that regard.

Personally, in order to truly justify starting very young, I would like to see hard numbers on the effectiveness of transition itself. I've seen much in the way of anecdotal evidence, but I've never seen numbers on it.

If I had started hrt during those years I wouldn't have tried to kill myself at 14 but puberty blockers are "bad" lol anyone who says that obviously doesn't understand how terrible those years are for some of us. I get that not all trans people share the heavy dysphoria narrative during adolescence but for those of us that did, we deserve a fighting chance and puberty blockers give us that.

Puberty blockers would of been nice but actual hrt would of been 10x better at that age for me. Having some semblance of a "normal adolescence" would of been amazing.

A favorite quote "I survived testosterone poisoning" 

Quote from: JMJW on October 15, 2016, 05:54:31 AM
I believe she actually meant starting HRT at such a young age (the puberty appropriate age, aka 12) is a very recent development. They are pioneering in that regard.

White's concern is misplaced. HRT is only started at about 16-years of age and then after intense counseling. Trans kids prior to 16 only have pubertal blockade. In other words no hormones are administered until the patients are high school sophomores or juniors. Google up Dr. Norman Spacks youtube talks where as part of Harvard Medical School he describes the treatment of trans kind. He gives a TED talk, for example,

https://www.ted.com/talks/norman_spack_how_i_help_transgender_teens_become_who_they_want_to_be?language=en

Full disclosure: I was one of Dr. Spack's "pediatric" patients.

Quote from: Virginia Hall on October 15, 2016, 06:19:54 AM
White's concern is misplaced. HRT is only started at about 16-years of age and then after intense counseling. Trans kids prior to 16 only have pubertal blockade. In other words no hormones are administered until the patients are high school sophomores or juniors. Google up Dr. Norman Spacks youtube talks where as part of Harvard Medical School he describes the treatment of trans kind. He gives a TED talk, for example,

https://www.ted.com/talks/norman_spack_how_i_help_transgender_teens_become_who_they_want_to_be?language=en

Full disclosure: I was one of Dr. Spack's "pediatric" patients.

It's typically started then. But as I said, there has been a pioneering shift to doctors prescribing HRT earlier in America.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/when-transgender-kids-transition-medical-risks-are-both-known-and-unknown/

Quote:
While the Endocrine Society's guidelines suggest 16, more and more children are starting hormones at 13 or 14 once their doctors, therapists and families have agreed that they are mentally and emotionally prepared. The shift is because of the concerns over the impact that delaying puberty for too long can have on development, physically, emotionally and socially.

Quote from: JMJW on October 15, 2016, 07:33:34 AM

Quote:
While the Endocrine Society's guidelines suggest 16, more and more children are starting hormones at 13 or 14 once their doctors, therapists and families have agreed that they are mentally and emotionally prepared. The shift is because of the concerns over the impact that delaying puberty for too long can have on development, physically, emotionally and socially.

Agreed. It varies. Speaking only for myself, if I was in such a program as a teen, likely earlier HRT would have worked and SRS pre-18-years-old would have been good, too. I agree people are people and not check-boxes. This is why medicine demands the doctor-patient relationship.

One kid is ready at 14. Another might not be ready until 22. However, from what I have been reading in the anti-trans websites, misinformation is being bandied about that four-year-olds are getting HRT.

I am corresponding with some detransitions and many are very measured in their thinking. However, there are some who are played up by the anti-trans faction, poster-kids if you will, to "prove" all medical intervention is evil, crazy, and vamperic.

The truth of it all is still out there somewhere.

It's just her opinion. Most people following her aren't thinking too deeply on the matter, but because she routinely goes after "SJW types" the general thought process behind most subs viewing that video will probably be that today's kids will be influenced by media and Tumblr and whatnot into thinking they're trans when they're actually not. Few actually espouse anti-trans views - they're following a transsexual woman after all - and I doubt in genuinely diagnosed cases of transsexualism they'd really want to deny someone treatment.

I'm somewhat divided on the matter. I have known of people who jumped on the trans bandwagon and were not actually trans. But that's why the vetting/diagnosis process is lengthy and exhaustive, after all. Regards kids going on hormones before puberty - I think she may have a point, but blockers resolves it. I know I wouldn't have been able to make a fully-rationalized decision on the implications and risks of transition as a child and it's a good idea to defer until the person is legally recognized to make these decisions.

Quote from: T.K.G.W. on October 15, 2016, 10:41:53 PM
It's just her opinion. Most people following her aren't thinking too deeply on the matter, but because she routinely goes after "SJW types" the general thought process behind most subs viewing that video will probably be that today's kids will be influenced by media and Tumblr and whatnot into thinking they're trans when they're actually not. Few actually espouse anti-trans views - they're following a transsexual woman after all - and I doubt in genuinely diagnosed cases of transsexualism they'd really want to deny someone treatment.

I'm somewhat divided on the matter. I have known of people who jumped on the trans bandwagon and were not actually trans. But that's why the vetting/diagnosis process is lengthy and exhaustive, after all. Regards kids going on hormones before puberty - I think she may have a point, but blockers resolves it. I know I wouldn't have been able to make a fully-rationalized decision on the implications and risks of transition as a child and it's a good idea to defer until the person is legally recognized to make these decisions.

Appreciate your viewpoint. The gatekeeping used to be like trying to break into Fort Knox. Now it seems it's Dodge City. For example, blockers would have NEVER been given in the gatekeeper days. For MTF, we had better be normative cis het unmarried quasi-women or you could not get treatment. A hard battle was fought to break down the gates and with dismay I hear how some people are bringing out the hammers, the boards, and the nails and suggesting those gates really weren't so bad.

Glad to hear you got blockers and were allowed to make the decision for yourself. To hear this is possibles makes me feel our struggles were all worth it.

  I did see that and I gave my response in the comments. I'm antsy about children transitioning, but the blockers do give them time to decide without doing harm to their reproductive system. Her vlogs are a reminder to us about taking HRT and the adolescent behavior in adults this brings on!

Joelene

Quote from: Joelene9 on October 16, 2016, 07:59:30 PM
  I did see that and I gave my response in the comments. I'm antsy about children transitioning, but the blockers do give them time to decide without doing harm to their reproductive system. Her vlogs are a reminder to us about taking HRT and the adolescent behavior in adults this brings on!

Joelene

When you and I were young, we did not have that option. Speaking for myself, I would have given (literally!) my right eye for blockers and HRT. My decision about my reproductive system?: It was the wrong one. I would be damned f I was going to "reproduce" with another woman. I never did, so for me it's a moot point, like: how will you stay warm without your mukluks when you move to Hawaii?

The cost of electrolysis, FFS, BAS, and God knows what other surgeries which can all be avoided with blockers and HRT at the right moment.

Wow. I watched Blaire White's video first, and I am so furious that I am holding back enough profanity that would probably get me a mod warning. I also saw on the sidebar some of her other videos titled things that are extremely offensive to me. I didn't watch those, to spare my blood pressure.

Violet, I watched your video and gave it a thumbs up. You managed to take down her BS point by point with research backing you up. That video of hers shows nothing but ignorance, and frankly, intolerance. I'm really angry at her statement that "->-bleeped-<- is cool".

OK, sure, you have a subset of young adults on Tumblr that come up with some frankly ridiculous pronouns and throw a fit if you forget. I am still rolling my eyes over the "fae" pronouns, for one. But most of those people aren't out there pursuing transition. ALL of the people I have seen who are pursuing transition identify as male or female, with some of the non-binary community pursuing HRT as well.

For those who take it seriously, it is NOT cool. They struggle with a LOT, the same as any other trans person. They struggle with acceptance of families and peer groups, employers, financial ability, and so much else. It's not a walk in a park, and the statement that it's "cool" suggests that it's easy and it's extremely offensive to adolescents and young adults who are seeking transition. I don't know how old Blaire White is, but she appears to be not far off from that age group herself, so the complete lack of compassion is just chilling to me. The politest I can say it is that gods, she strikes me as a terrible human being, and I hope she learns this little thing called empathy.

I knew a woman in college who was EXTREMELY lucky and had gotten puberty blockers as a teen. She wasn't able to start HRT until she was 18, because this was the 90s and HRT was not started immediately at the time. But it meant that she didn't have very much time to go through puberty before starting HRT, and it made a difference. She had a very slender, feminine build, and even without HRT, I would never have guessed that she was trans if she hadn't come out in class. She also still remains the most beautiful woman I have ever met. If I hadn't been engaged myself at the time (and still trying to convince myself I was monogamous; as it turned out, poly is as intrinsic to me as my sexual orientation), I would have asked her out.