Laura Edwards-Lieper

Laura Edwards-Lieper first visited the Amsterdam clinic back in 2007, shortly after the Dutch published the first outline of their protocol and word of this new treatment had started to spread overseas.

Laura Edwards-Lieper first visited the Amsterdam clinic back in 2007, shortly after the Dutch published the first outline of their protocol and word of this new treatment had started to spread overseas.

She had just been hired as a part-time clinical psychologist for the very first youth gender clinic in the U.S., and she had been sent there to learn their process.

She had just been hired as a part-time clinical psychologist for the very first youth gender clinic in the U.S., and she had been sent there to learn their process.

From The New York Times, I'm Austin Mitchell. This is The Protocol with Azeen Gureshi. Part 3. The American Approach.

From The New York Times, I'm Austin Mitchell. This is The Protocol with Azeen Gureshi. Part 3. The American Approach.

When Laura started at the new gender clinic at Boston Children's Hospital, known as GEMS, she was excited.

When Laura started at the new gender clinic at Boston Children's Hospital, known as GEMS, she was excited.

But she had never really worked with kids who had gender dysphoria before.

But she had never really worked with kids who had gender dysphoria before.

At this point, there weren't really any mental health providers in the U.S. who had experience working with these kids the way the Dutch did. The dominant approach was behavioral. So kids would often end up seeing psychologists who were focused on steering them toward their birth sex.

At this point, there weren't really any mental health providers in the U.S. who had experience working with these kids the way the Dutch did. The dominant approach was behavioral. So kids would often end up seeing psychologists who were focused on steering them toward their birth sex.

But this new clinic in Boston was going to be different, because one of the founders had been following what the Dutch were doing with puberty blockers and wanted to offer that care in the U.S., which is why he'd sent Laura to the Netherlands to learn the Dutch process. And when she got back and started to adapt it, there was one change she knew she would have to make right away.

But this new clinic in Boston was going to be different, because one of the founders had been following what the Dutch were doing with puberty blockers and wanted to offer that care in the U.S., which is why he'd sent Laura to the Netherlands to learn the Dutch process. And when she got back and started to adapt it, there was one change she knew she would have to make right away.

In the Netherlands, most people lived within driving distance of the clinic and could come for regular visits. But in the U.S.,

In the Netherlands, most people lived within driving distance of the clinic and could come for regular visits. But in the U.S.,

Kids would have to travel to Boston from all over the country, so it wasn't going to be possible to have multiple sessions over the course of a year.

Kids would have to travel to Boston from all over the country, so it wasn't going to be possible to have multiple sessions over the course of a year.

So what the Dutch had done across many months, Laura packed into a single session on a single day.

So what the Dutch had done across many months, Laura packed into a single session on a single day.