Puberty Blockers Are Necessary, but They Don’t Prevent Homelessness: Caring for Transgender Youth by Supporting Unsupportive Parents

Abstract

In her article “Transgender Children and the Right to Transition,” Maura Priest argues in favor of legislation that would enshrine trans youth’s right to access puberty blockers without parental approval (Priest 2019). Taking note of the political context and reluctance which legislators may show in curtailing parental authority, she also acknowledges that such laws may only be politically feasible if they come with the requirement that parents be notified of their child’s attempt to receive a prescription for puberty blockers, medication that temporarily suspends puberty, granting youth more time to decide on whether they want to undergo hormone replacement therapy. Hers is an important and timely proposal. However, I believe that her recommendations should be bolstered by publicly funding support and counseling for parents of trans youth. Accessing puberty blockers without parental approval can precipitate familial conflict and pose significant risks for trans youth. Measures of support geared toward promoting parent acceptance of their child’s gender identity are a reasonable addition to her proposal and would help curtail the damages of parental rejection.