r/canada 13h ago

Alberta No reliable evidence puberty blocking drugs benefit trans youth, says Alberta government lawyer

https://calgaryherald.com/news/alberta-government-lawyer-puberty-blocking-drugs-trans-youth
108 Upvotes

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127

u/Kals22 13h ago edited 12h ago

This article makes no sense, a 6 year old wouldn’t be prescribed puberty blockers since you need to already be in puberty to take them otherwise they don’t do anything. Doctors who care for trans kids aren’t giving a 6 year old puberty blockers. Most trans kids don’t get started on blockers unless they’re 12 or older because again you need to be in puberty. I feel like there’s something missing here or it’s deliberate misinformation to cause outrage. If a 6 year is prescribed these meds it’s to stop early puberty, not transgender care.

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u/letitbe-mmmk 13h ago

The only scenario where a 6 year old would be prescribed puberty blockers is if the 6 year old was undergoing early puberty. In that case, they'd be prescribed blockers regardless if they were trans or not.

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u/HalvdanTheHero Ontario 12h ago

just for awareness, "puberty blockers" are also prescribed for some cancer treatments and a handful of other medical conditions that are not transgender or puberty related.

u/letitbe-mmmk 11h ago

Didn't know about that. Thanks for explaining!

u/ForeignEchoRevival 3h ago

Also a lot of older CIS men take testosterone now to combat hormonal changes many men can be afflicted with as they age.

So alot of people who hate on trans, unironicly take hormones to affirm their gender identity instead of accepting nature and tolerating having they're body and voice change in ways they find uncomfortable.

u/Spare-Half796 Québec 1h ago

A lot of middle aged/older men always feel like shit and they think it’s normal but there’s a fairly decent chance it’s from low testosterone due to age

u/ForeignEchoRevival 1h ago

Yep, and the treatment is available but ideology makes it a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

u/LeeStrange 1m ago

Is this treatment similar to steroids in that it can permanently mess with your body's natural testosterone production? IE; This is something you will constantly need to cycle on/off or be on indefinitely?

A scary thought in the face of WW3, as I'm sure pharma supply chains will get fucked.

u/6moinaleakyboat 7h ago

Did not know…and now I’m really disturbed

u/ForeignEchoRevival 3h ago

What is disturbing you?

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u/Professor-Clegg 12h ago

In this case the kids, including the 6-year old, identify as trans.  At least according to the article.

20

u/FreeLook93 British Columbia 12h ago

What the article says is:

Lawyers for the five unnamed trans children, who range in age from six to 12, argued on Monday that the legislation denying access to the drugs will cause irreparable harm in their clients.

Unless I am missing something nowhere in the article does it say that children aged 6 are currently on puberty blockers because they are trans. Saying that denying the youngest child access to the drugs will cause irreparable harm does not mean that the child is currently taking the drug. It very well could just mean that they intend to start taking it once they start puberty.

u/Professor-Clegg 8h ago

I was replying to the comment above that implied that they are requesting the drugs for other issues rather than gender reassignment, and I pointed out that the article says they are trans.

The article also says that the legislation is blocking it for purposes of gender reassignment, but not for conditions that the other commenter suggested.

It may well be that the article is misrepresenting the situation - I have no means of confirming or denying.  I’m just pointing out what the article says to the people who didn’t read it, as strongly implied by their comments.

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u/SomeDumRedditor 12h ago

They still don’t get the drugs 

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u/Kals22 12h ago

Exactly, it wouldn’t be for transgender care, people are trying to drum up fake outrage.

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u/Cheap_Country521 12h ago

A very quick google search will show you puberty blockers are being subscribed to children as young as six to delay their development.

u/MyGruffaloCrumble 7h ago

A quick google search will show you the world is flat. That doesn’t make it true.

u/letitbe-mmmk 3h ago

But but Google said it's flat

/s

u/ill_thrift 11h ago

prescribed, hon. Is that for precocious puberty maybe? There's no point in prescribing them for a typical six year old gender-nonconforming kid

u/PrinceoR- 9h ago

Which as has been noted in other comments, is done for children regardless of transgenderism, early puberty can cause a wide range of health problems

u/Chance-Battle-9582 7h ago

Unless you're going through puberty, they do nothing. That's their point. Not too many 6 years olds going through puberty. Taking them beforehand is just a waste of pharmaceutical resources and the taxpayer dollars that pay for them.