My little cousin is transitioning: How young is too young for hormone therapy?

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My sister went to visit our cousins and confirmed our latest family drama.

My little cousin is transitioning.

He’s got a new name, pronouns, haircut, clothes, everything.

When my sister visited she said he seemed much happier and comfortable.

I think that’s great.

But now he wants to start hormones before even going through puberty.

He doesn’t want to grow breasts or start periods and such.

He’s only 12 or 13.

Is that too young?

I think so.

But I also understand that I’ve never been in his shoes,

So I don’t know.

What do you think?

When should kids be able to make that call?

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I don’t know where I stand on this… I do think that’s too young, but I am not in his shoes. I have no clue about the subject.

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do they do HRT for kids that young? I always thought like you had to wait till like 16… but i’m not sure.

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He sounds very certain about himself.

Maybe the earlier the better. More power to him.

-S

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I’m not sure.

His mother says they do.

Or they can.

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if it’s allowed then i think it’s a good idea… it’s better to start early probably. It would suck that he has to get surgery for breasts later then. But it’s a hard decision for his parents i guess =O

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I think it’s way too young.

I’m sure it must suck to go through puberty if you feel you’re in the wrong body, but it’s not even legal to get a tattoo at his age.

I may be in the minority, but I say let them find themselves with clothing and name and identity, and when they are 18, if they still feel the same, then do the surgeries. Kids explore. It’s what they do. Do they know what kind of damage taking hormones can cause long term?

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Does his parents agree with his decision? If he lives in California he can take hormone blockers without his parents’ consent (I disagree with this law).

How long has he felt that he’s a boy? If less than 5 years I think he should wait.

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It’s a tough call but I have to agree with @Pandy . 12 years old is so young. But I can see the other side as well. I will join what is possibly the minority.

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His mother is 100% on board,

His dad is being a dick about it.

And he just started living as a boy and changed his name.

Like within this year.

What worries me is his mother has a kind of body dysmorphia and plastic surgery addiction.

Also all the money she needs to feed that addiction.

I’m worried the kid may have similar issues and may rush into hormones/surgery.

But I completely agree.

5 years is a good time to wait.

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I’d say he should wait till he is 18.

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I think the problem is you need to start some of these treatments before puberty for best effects, but I may be wrong. My only knowledge is from watching YouTube

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Ah I don’t know how it works. Just it might make sense to make sure the person knows it’s the right decision with a little time.

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I think it’s hard decision to make, but that said the number who reverse transitions in older age is small.

Think it’s less than 1%.

Gender Dysphoria is not nice thing to deal with

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I agree, that’s ridiculously young for such a huge step. Personally I wish queer values were more firmly established in society so individuals wouldn’t feel so strongly compelled to follow such restrictive existential scripts.

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I’m unable to relate to it so it’s hard to understand. I guess this person is a woman that feels they are actually of male organs or is it psychologically?

I have no idea honestly.

It’s like how mentally well people can’t easily relate to schizophrenia because they haven’t experienced such a thing.

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My cousins daughter wants to transition also.
But he is over 18

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Honestly the best transitions happen before puberty. If you go through puberty as your birth gender it can do irreversible things to your body. I know this is a political issue for some but honestly if they really are trans, I’d start the hormone therapy as soon as possible. Some of these kids are borderline suicidal and the closest thing to a magic wand is early hormone therapy.

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As a transmasc, I want to say my youth would have been enormously happier if I had gotten to transition before my body grew cantelopes on my chest, and I had to live through dysphoria for a week every month due to periods.

If the kid only started going public this year, there’s a good chance they’ve been having those thoughts for years.

Forcing them to grow the body parts of a gender they clearly don’t want to be in any way is cruel if it could have been avoided.

I don’t think anyone who isn’t trans should weigh in too heavily regarding transitions.

I’m sorry to be gatekeeping, but this bugs me.

Would you want someone who’s never had a mental problem to decide your med regimen? Not just force meds on you, but deny you the ones that would drastically improve your lives?
Because THEY felt you shouldn’t have to get them until 5 years from now?
I think we know the answer to that.

I commend the kid for their bravery. It takes guts to go public at 13, bloody hell, but it is in no way, shape or form an easy desicion.

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I think puberty blocking meds are needed. These kids are really suffering and it’s really between them, their drs and their parents

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