Laura Edwards-Lieper

So providers like Joe and parents and kids who had received the care... Would you rather have a happy kid or would you rather have a dead kid? ...talked about the urgency of getting kids what they said they needed.

So providers like Joe and parents and kids who had received the care... Would you rather have a happy kid or would you rather have a dead kid? ...talked about the urgency of getting kids what they said they needed.

In speaking out so publicly about this, Joe became one of the most prominent and influential voices in the field advocating for what came to be known as the gender-affirming model of care for kids. It didn't require kids to meet strict criteria for medication. It rejected watchful waiting and set periods of time for therapy or assessment. And the ages kids could start medications shifted too.

In speaking out so publicly about this, Joe became one of the most prominent and influential voices in the field advocating for what came to be known as the gender-affirming model of care for kids. It didn't require kids to meet strict criteria for medication. It rejected watchful waiting and set periods of time for therapy or assessment. And the ages kids could start medications shifted too.

They no longer had to wait until they turned 12 to start on puberty blockers or 16 for hormones. It was a model that prioritized treating kids on their own timelines because the stakes were high. In 2012, as Joe's profile was rising and as demand for care was growing around the country, Children's Hospital Los Angeles officially opened a youth clinic dedicated to gender services.

They no longer had to wait until they turned 12 to start on puberty blockers or 16 for hormones. It was a model that prioritized treating kids on their own timelines because the stakes were high. In 2012, as Joe's profile was rising and as demand for care was growing around the country, Children's Hospital Los Angeles officially opened a youth clinic dedicated to gender services.

And they made Joe the medical director. A few years later, she got a multi-million dollar federal grant to lead the first big study of youth gender medicine in the U.S. Just a few weeks after that, she appeared at that conference with Laura.

And they made Joe the medical director. A few years later, she got a multi-million dollar federal grant to lead the first big study of youth gender medicine in the U.S. Just a few weeks after that, she appeared at that conference with Laura.

And Laura realized just how dominant Joe's approach was becoming, and just how out of favor her approach now was.

And Laura realized just how dominant Joe's approach was becoming, and just how out of favor her approach now was.

In 2018, The Atlantic published what would turn out to be a highly controversial article about youth gender medicine in the U.S. and the debate over how best to approach the care. The writer Jesse Singel spoke with several people who did feel they had made the wrong decision and had either stopped treatment or reversed the medical transition.

In 2018, The Atlantic published what would turn out to be a highly controversial article about youth gender medicine in the U.S. and the debate over how best to approach the care. The writer Jesse Singel spoke with several people who did feel they had made the wrong decision and had either stopped treatment or reversed the medical transition.

It was one of the first high-profile stories to focus on a group of people who were coming to be known as detransitioners. In some cases, they talked about feeling rushed into a decision they weren't ready for and getting medical interventions that weren't right for them.

It was one of the first high-profile stories to focus on a group of people who were coming to be known as detransitioners. In some cases, they talked about feeling rushed into a decision they weren't ready for and getting medical interventions that weren't right for them.

Laura was interviewed for the article, and she said she believed there would only be more of these stories in the coming years because there were so many kids who weren't getting a comprehensive mental health assessment. Joe was also interviewed, and she said that the small number of kids who later regretted their transition shouldn't influence how care was provided to everyone.

Laura was interviewed for the article, and she said she believed there would only be more of these stories in the coming years because there were so many kids who weren't getting a comprehensive mental health assessment. Joe was also interviewed, and she said that the small number of kids who later regretted their transition shouldn't influence how care was provided to everyone.

She said the approach that tries to prevent regret in advance is a, quote, broken model.

She said the approach that tries to prevent regret in advance is a, quote, broken model.

A few years after the Atlantic article, Laura spoke out again, this time more directly and alongside a high-profile co-author, another clinical psychologist named Erica Anderson. She was the head of the American branch of WPATH, the group that set the standards of care in the field.

A few years after the Atlantic article, Laura spoke out again, this time more directly and alongside a high-profile co-author, another clinical psychologist named Erica Anderson. She was the head of the American branch of WPATH, the group that set the standards of care in the field.