Journal article

Long-term puberty suppression for a nonbinary teenager

KC Pang, L Notini, R McDougall, L Gillam, J Savulescu, D Wilkinson, BA Clark, J Olson-Kennedy, MM Telfer, JD Lantos

Pediatrics | AMER ACAD PEDIATRICS | Published : 2020

Abstract

Many transgender and gender-diverse people have a gender identity that does not conform to the binary categories of male or female; they have a nonbinary gender. Some nonbinary individuals are most comfortable with an androgynous gender expression. For those who have not yet fully progressed through puberty, puberty suppression with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists can support an androgynous appearance. Although such treatment is shown to ameliorate the gender dysphoria and serious mental health issues commonly seen in transgender and gender-diverse young people, long-term use of puberty-suppressing medications carries physical health risks and raises various ethical dilemmas. In thi..

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