Laura Edwards-Leeper

I mean—

I mean—

Adults get to make choices about their own bodies that are different from children's. I don't talk about it much, but it was traumatizing to work in that center. It was, I came home from work

Adults get to make choices about their own bodies that are different from children's. I don't talk about it much, but it was traumatizing to work in that center. It was, I came home from work

in tears and could not fall asleep at night because I knew that the next day we would have a certain patient coming in where the team was in chaos over whether or not they were actually meeting criteria and knowing that all of my professional assessments are going to be overridden and I would have no ethical say. I am at peace and have so much more calm and sense of self on this side.

in tears and could not fall asleep at night because I knew that the next day we would have a certain patient coming in where the team was in chaos over whether or not they were actually meeting criteria and knowing that all of my professional assessments are going to be overridden and I would have no ethical say. I am at peace and have so much more calm and sense of self on this side.

I feel like a human being again.

I feel like a human being again.

So sidebar, you might not know this, but I experienced intense gender dysphoria as a child. Some of my first memories were very intense. I was a kid who did not understand why I didn't have certain body parts. I almost medically transitioned a number of times in my life. I bear physical scars from self-harming, experienced really difficult adolescence around it also.

So sidebar, you might not know this, but I experienced intense gender dysphoria as a child. Some of my first memories were very intense. I was a kid who did not understand why I didn't have certain body parts. I almost medically transitioned a number of times in my life. I bear physical scars from self-harming, experienced really difficult adolescence around it also.

So I am not naive to those feelings. And one of the things that came up in the center often was really wanting those kids to get more therapeutic supports. because they were not getting therapy. They were just getting hormones.

So I am not naive to those feelings. And one of the things that came up in the center often was really wanting those kids to get more therapeutic supports. because they were not getting therapy. They were just getting hormones.

there's an assumption there that medicine today can figure out who that one kid is and all the others. And the problem that I saw working in the center and this care now is that not only can people not say how they know for sure that that's the one kid that would actually long, long, long-term benefit with the least amount of medical harm,

there's an assumption there that medicine today can figure out who that one kid is and all the others. And the problem that I saw working in the center and this care now is that not only can people not say how they know for sure that that's the one kid that would actually long, long, long-term benefit with the least amount of medical harm,

They can't even tell me or be clear about how they can identify this person. And then they also aren't trying. So if you could convince me that these centers in the country actually give a shit about figuring out who this one kid is and not just medicalizing all of these other kids. Because the collateral damage right now is it's not this kid. It's all of them.

They can't even tell me or be clear about how they can identify this person. And then they also aren't trying. So if you could convince me that these centers in the country actually give a shit about figuring out who this one kid is and not just medicalizing all of these other kids. Because the collateral damage right now is it's not this kid. It's all of them.

We are transitioning all of, to me, it's almost like a 15 to 1 ratio. We're transitioning medically all of these kids with the hope that we catch this one. If these centers actually really cared about that one, then they also need to really care about these other 15 because we should not be medicalizing them.

We are transitioning all of, to me, it's almost like a 15 to 1 ratio. We're transitioning medically all of these kids with the hope that we catch this one. If these centers actually really cared about that one, then they also need to really care about these other 15 because we should not be medicalizing them.

Again, I don't think that the way to judge the provision of medical care is customer satisfaction. It has to be evidence, longitudinal evidence.

Again, I don't think that the way to judge the provision of medical care is customer satisfaction. It has to be evidence, longitudinal evidence.