If you know someone who is contemplating—or recommending—the use of puberty blockers, you should ask this question.
The graph below shows test results in one individual.
Puberty involves much more than the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as breasts, facial hair, and a deep voice. It also plays a critical role in the maturation of the brain, including the parts responsible for executive functioning/control and attention, learning, memory, and emotional processing.
If this critical window is missed, there is no evidence that development can catch up later.
Research on the neurocognitive effect of “gender-affirming” care such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones is very sparse. Animal studies show a detrimental effect on learning, the development of social behaviors, and responses to stress.
One small human study showed a decrease of both performance IQ and full-scale IQ after three years. The average 7-point decline was called “not clinically relevant,” but at least one patient experienced a loss of 15 IQ points or more, from 138 to 123. For comparison, an average loss of 3 points from leaded gasoline was considered extremely significant.
“Longitudinal studies are urgently needed to study the educational and vocational trajectories of persons undergoing these treatments.”
Among President Elect Trump’s proposals concerning “gender-affirming care” is a private right of action for victims to sue doctors who have performed these procedures on minors.
Additional Information:
- “Gender Dysphoria in Children and Suppression of Debate”
- “Transgenderism: the New Medical Standard?”
- Extended discussion of right and left-wing views on transgender ideology
