Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about hormone treatments for transgender people, especially after CNN reported that these treatments could help improve mental health for adults who identify as transgender. However, some experts are questioning whether this is really true. Pauline Arrighi, a journalist and author, has analyzed this topic in detail.
In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, two doctors and a lawyer claimed that research has shown that access to gender-affirming care is always beneficial. They highlighted the need to oppose laws in the United States that limit such care. They also mentioned that major medical organizations support these treatments. But what does this support really mean?
One concern is the financial interests behind these treatments. The New England Journal of Medicine has sponsors that include big pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Bayer, which produce hormones used in gender transitions. It’s noteworthy that one of the doctors, Jack L. Turban, receives funding from companies like Arbor and Pfizer as well.
Not all transgender individuals take hormone treatments, but many advocates claim that these treatments can help with feelings of gender dysphoria, which is the distress caused by a mismatch between one’s gender identity and assigned sex at birth. For example, some girls may take synthetic testosterone to look more like boys, while transgender boys might take testosterone blockers or a mix of hormones that are usually prescribed for women experiencing menopause.
This push for hormone treatments represents a new market for hormones that are already available. For pharmaceutical companies, supporting gender transition treatments can be a profitable business.
Additionally, there are concerns about the influence of certain organizations. An article in Le Monde referenced a study from doctors who run a clinic for transgender minors in Paris. This clinic partners with several transgender support groups that are linked to WPATH, a global organization focused on transgender health. WPATH provides guidelines for medical professionals on how to support transgender and gender-diverse individuals, but their recommendations lack strong scientific backing and have faced criticism.
One major issue is that the first guidelines for puberty suppression in transgender youth were based on a study involving just one person. Later recommendations were also flawed, leading to doubts about their reliability. Leaked communications from WPATH members revealed that even some experts within the organization are uncertain about the safety and effectiveness of their treatment methods. They acknowledged that some young patients may not fully understand the implications of hormone treatments, such as infertility.
Despite these concerns, there continues to be strong promotion for gender transitions, particularly among minors, driven by both ideological and financial interests. This situation raises important questions about the true motivations behind the push for hormone treatments and the implications for young people considering these options.
This article has been translated and simplified by artificial intelligence from a French article “« Transition de genre » : des « études » sous influence”
It may therefore contain errors. The French version is the reference version..