Cassie, an 18-year-old from Maryland who underwent a double mastectomy at the age of 14 as part of her gender transition, is now speaking out against the therapists and doctors who rushed her into the procedure without considering her mental health issues. Cassie, who also deals with bipolar disorder and trauma from sexual assault on top of being autistic, regrets the decision and called it “medical malpractice.”
The Rushed Decision
Cassie began experiencing gender dysphoria after a traumatic experience of sexual assault and grooming as a young child. Instead of addressing her trauma, her therapist recommended gender-affirming surgery as the sole solution to her problems. At just 14 years old, she made the hasty decision to undergo a double mastectomy.
The Immediate Regret
Almost immediately after the surgery, Cassie realized that it was a mistake. She now believes that healthcare professionals should have spent more time discussing the long-term effects and potential consequences of such a serious procedure. She said: “When they took the bandages off, I started crying. My family and my surgeon all thought it was happy tears but it wasn’t. It was regret. I knew I had hurt myself in the long run.”
Complex Mental Health and Neurodivergence
Cassie’s mental health struggles were not solely related to her gender identity. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and, on top of that, she’s autistic – which contributed to her anxiety and distress. Trauma from sexual abuse further complicated her emotional well-being.
The Role of Therapy
Cassie’s experience with therapy was mixed. Her initial therapist suggested finding religion as a way to address her gender dysphoria. Subsequently, a gender-affirming therapist swiftly approved her transition without thorough evaluation. In Cassie’s eyes, this undermined the intended purpose of therapy in assessing the appropriateness of such significant decisions for minors.
The Detransition Journey
After struggling to identify as a man and facing difficulties in fitting into societal roles, Cassie eventually chose to detransition. Her decision was influenced by her experience with a trauma therapist who helped her come to terms with her past.
Medical Malpractice and Transgender Minors
Cassie made it clear that she isn’t against gender-affirming care for minors. She said: “I think what happened to me was medical malpractice. It wasn’t wrong because I was young or because I wasn’t really trans or that I would regret it later, it was wrong because I wasn’t properly informed of the decision I was making. You’re removing body parts. Obviously, there’s going to be consequences but I wasn’t properly informed of those consequences and I should have been.”
The Importance of Informed Care
Cassie’s story highlights the importance of informed care for transgender children. Rushed decisions and inadequate therapy can lead to irreversible consequences. While banning all life-saving gender-affirming care for minors because of a minority of unfortunate cases would be cruel and unethical, thorough assessment is evidently a necessity.
A Controversial Topic
The topic of transgender minors receiving gender-affirming care is a controversial one. Realistically, surgeries on children are extremely rare and almost non-existent. Cassie’s story, though, shows that they have happened. Regardless, it’s a topic the internet has been debating for several years – and opinions are divided.
Let Them Socially Transition
In a conversation about personal opinions on gender-affirming care for children, one person said: “I’m all for adults doing what they want to do but kids aren’t truly able to make that decision for themselves. Sure, let them socially transition – but hormones and surgeries should be completely off the table until adulthood.”
Socially Transitioning vs. Medically Transitioning
“Socially transitioning” refers to making the transition into wearing clothing associated with one’s affirmed gender, embracing a new name, and using new pronouns. It’s how every trans person begins their journey before moving onto puberty blockers or, in the case of those already past puberty, hormones. “Medically transitioning” refers to taking puberty blockers, taking hormones, and getting surgery.
Trans Kids Aren’t Getting Surgeries
In the same discussion, trans people also shared their thoughts. One person wrote: “I’m trans. At the end of the day, trans kids are not getting surgeries. If they are, that is the fault of their doctors – not the fault of trans advocates and not the fault of the transgender community at large. I feel for detransitioners, I really do. But they are such a small minority and using them as a reason to ban healthcare for kids that could save their lives is just stupid.”
Some People Are Pro-Surgery
Some people are in support of surgeries for trans kids – but only after the proper therapy. In a conversation about surgeries for gender-diverse minors, one such individual wrote: “If they’ve gone through proper therapy [and] consultations, and it’s something that is correcting some bad source of dysphoria, sure. Why be forced to wait when it causes you pain if you’re sure about it and properly warned about the risks and consequences?”
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