Trans Woman Reflects on the Impact of Puberty Blockers: “It Could Have Saved Me”
10 Apr 2024
A trans woman who spent £35,000 on “correcting” her masculinity shares her perspective on the potential benefits of receiving puberty blockers at an early age. Jocelyn Claire Reed, originally from Liverpool, decided to transition to female at the age of 18.
Ms. Reed, now 24, believes that if she had been given puberty blockers as a child, she could have avoided the physical changes that puberty brought, such as broad shoulders, a deep voice, and facial hair.
Journey of Transformation
Describing her journey, Ms. Reed, who is also a popular social media make-up influencer, now relies on hormone replacement therapy to reverse her male puberty. Laser hair removal, vocal cord shaving, and potentially shaving her broad shoulders form part of her transformative process.
In light of the highly-anticipated Cass Review by respected paediatrician Dr. Hilary Cass, concerns have been raised about the irreversible changes children face when given NHS trans treatments, despite limited medical evidence in support.
Dr. Cass, in the report, emphasizes the importance for GPs to follow NHS guidance and avoid prescribing puberty blockers or hormones on the insistence of private providers. Recent NHS restrictions have prohibited the use of hormones for children.
Support and Challenges
Jocelyn supports the use of puberty blockers, highlighting how they could have spared her from the need to afford costly procedures for reversing male puberty, including laser hair removal and vocal cord and shoulder interventions. She estimates the total cost of these procedures to be around £36,000, accompanied by her existing mortgage.
The lack of mental health support for trans children concerns her, as she strongly believes that holistic mental health resources can significantly alleviate the emotional and psychological burden experienced by these individuals.
Jocelyn shares her memories of being allowed to express herself as a princess from a young age, emphasizing that this support from her family and the acceptance of those around her contributed to her well-being.
However, she admits that adequate support and awareness are still lacking for trans children, especially in terms of mental health resources and professional guidance.
Recommendations from Cass Review
- Research: A comprehensive research program analyzing the characteristics, interventions, and outcomes of young people seeking gender services should be established.
- Holistic Care: Ensuring that the care provided to gender-questioning individuals and those experiencing gender dysphoria incorporates a holistic approach.
- Age-specific Care: Tailoring care plans to different age groups, with a focus on early intervention, follow-through services, and fertility counseling for 17-25-year-olds.
- Referrals and Social Transitioning: Reviewing referral processes and providing guidance on social transitioning in schools.
- Workforce: Building a diverse workforce to address the needs of gender-questioning individuals and provide appropriate training and support.
- Detransition: Considering the need for specialized services for individuals detransitioning and ensuring proper monitoring and support during and after the process.
- Private Healthcare: Urging caution regarding the prescription of hormones by private providers and clarifying the responsibilities of GPs in such scenarios.
