Austin Mitchell

And so I think that's been a huge thing that has shifted, that has led to an increased number of young people questioning their gender and sometimes getting answers much sooner than they would have otherwise.

And so I think that's been a huge thing that has shifted, that has led to an increased number of young people questioning their gender and sometimes getting answers much sooner than they would have otherwise.

Aside from that, you know, the big things were the later onset of gender dysphoria with no childhood, you know, gender confusion.

Aside from that, you know, the big things were the later onset of gender dysphoria with no childhood, you know, gender confusion.

And... Much, much more complex mental health presentations.

And... Much, much more complex mental health presentations.

To follow the kid's lead and to be supportive and to affirm and to help get the parents on board.

To follow the kid's lead and to be supportive and to affirm and to help get the parents on board.

Meaning to just listen to the kid and help them. explain to the parents what the kid is saying, and then help facilitate the connection with a medical clinic.

Meaning to just listen to the kid and help them. explain to the parents what the kid is saying, and then help facilitate the connection with a medical clinic.

It was an annual conference that I'd gone there every year.

It was an annual conference that I'd gone there every year.

Part of what I was asked to talk about was like the assessment process and what it entailed and why it was important. And it turned into this very tense conversation about... assessment being like this hurdle that people were being made to jump through. And one of the other panelists, you know, just felt very strongly that it was completely unnecessary.

Part of what I was asked to talk about was like the assessment process and what it entailed and why it was important. And it turned into this very tense conversation about... assessment being like this hurdle that people were being made to jump through. And one of the other panelists, you know, just felt very strongly that it was completely unnecessary.

And she even said, you know, re-traumatizing to people to have to tell their story a second time or if they'd already told it, you know, when they came out to their parents. And And that alone was shocking that, you know, that there was this opinion, perspective that the mental health role was causing trauma to the patients that we were trying to help.

And she even said, you know, re-traumatizing to people to have to tell their story a second time or if they'd already told it, you know, when they came out to their parents. And And that alone was shocking that, you know, that there was this opinion, perspective that the mental health role was causing trauma to the patients that we were trying to help.

But then I think what was even more shocking was the reaction from the audience, which was a standing ovation for the person who was commenting about assessment so negatively. People just were suddenly seeming to feel like it needed to be like child led entirely and that there could never be complicating factors that needed to be looked at.

But then I think what was even more shocking was the reaction from the audience, which was a standing ovation for the person who was commenting about assessment so negatively. People just were suddenly seeming to feel like it needed to be like child led entirely and that there could never be complicating factors that needed to be looked at.

That it can never be because someone experienced a traumatic experience. Or they're just fed up with what's expected for them as an assigned female. And so they wanted to escape that. That the gender piece was always just in and of itself a separate thing that we needed to treat as quickly as possible. Whereas that's never been the way I've seen it.

That it can never be because someone experienced a traumatic experience. Or they're just fed up with what's expected for them as an assigned female. And so they wanted to escape that. That the gender piece was always just in and of itself a separate thing that we needed to treat as quickly as possible. Whereas that's never been the way I've seen it.