Austin Mitchell

That was one of the most difficult experiences I've ever had in the field.

That was one of the most difficult experiences I've ever had in the field.

When I started to see the field shift, the nightmare that I had was, if things continue to move in this direction that I'm sensing they're moving, where assessment's no longer going to be really valued— Young people are going to move more quickly through this process to medicalization. More of them are coming in. The cases are more complex.

When I started to see the field shift, the nightmare that I had was, if things continue to move in this direction that I'm sensing they're moving, where assessment's no longer going to be really valued— Young people are going to move more quickly through this process to medicalization. More of them are coming in. The cases are more complex.

At the same time the cases are more complex, we're cutting corners. What's going to happen? Well, probably there's going to be more people who realize it was the wrong decision. And then what's going to happen? Well, probably it's going to result in backlash for after all of these years of work that we have tried to move the society forward with accepting trans people.

At the same time the cases are more complex, we're cutting corners. What's going to happen? Well, probably there's going to be more people who realize it was the wrong decision. And then what's going to happen? Well, probably it's going to result in backlash for after all of these years of work that we have tried to move the society forward with accepting trans people.

people are going to start to question it and question, is this even something we should be doing at all, especially with youth? And so I started talking about that. I would tell my students, you know, I probably sounded like a broken record, but I just had this gut feeling that if things did not slow down quickly, we were going to have a nightmare on our hands.

people are going to start to question it and question, is this even something we should be doing at all, especially with youth? And so I started talking about that. I would tell my students, you know, I probably sounded like a broken record, but I just had this gut feeling that if things did not slow down quickly, we were going to have a nightmare on our hands.

It was because of this that I agreed to be interviewed by Jesse for the Atlantic piece because I couldn't sleep at night. I

It was because of this that I agreed to be interviewed by Jesse for the Atlantic piece because I couldn't sleep at night. I

Then the Washington Post piece was the other huge event, I guess, in terms of me speaking out.

Then the Washington Post piece was the other huge event, I guess, in terms of me speaking out.

I told my husband and my friends, this is it. Like, okay, it's going to be somebody else's turn to step up to the plate. But it just hasn't happened.

I told my husband and my friends, this is it. Like, okay, it's going to be somebody else's turn to step up to the plate. But it just hasn't happened.

And I guess my perspective is that if I were a parent going through this and no one was talking about it, I would be livid. I would be absolutely livid.

And I guess my perspective is that if I were a parent going through this and no one was talking about it, I would be livid. I would be absolutely livid.

Right. Yeah. If my child was going through this and... I mean, and then to find out that the providers were being told not to speak about it also. I mean, I would feel like, what the hell is going on here? Like, that is very suspicious. Like, I would be, you know, questioning everything.

Right. Yeah. If my child was going through this and... I mean, and then to find out that the providers were being told not to speak about it also. I mean, I would feel like, what the hell is going on here? Like, that is very suspicious. Like, I would be, you know, questioning everything.

So I just feel like in order to be transparent with the public and with families going through this, we have to be talking about it. And we have to be coming up with a solution to move forward in a better direction. Like, we need to be problem solving.

So I just feel like in order to be transparent with the public and with families going through this, we have to be talking about it. And we have to be coming up with a solution to move forward in a better direction. Like, we need to be problem solving.