Transgender Identity: "No irreversible treatment should be administered to minors."
INTERVIEW. Céline Masson is a university professor specializing in child and adolescent psychopathology, as well as a psychoanalyst. She served as an expert in the working group on the transgender identification of minors, led by Senator Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio.
Le JDD. A report led by the Republican group and Senator Jacqueline Eustache-Brinio questions the transgender identity of minors. What was your role in this report?
Céline Masson. The Republican group in the Senate asked me to serve as an expert, alongside Caroline Eliacheff, to support the working group led by the Senator. We have a network of international experts, some of whom were interviewed during this process. Additionally, our writings over the years have raised awareness among many people, as we advocate for a cautious approach based on international studies.
These experts, particularly from Finland, Sweden, England, Canada, and the United States, have raised alarms and produced scientific studies showing that there is no evidence proving the safety of puberty blockers for very young adolescents identifying as transgender. Currently, the global medical debate is centered around the use of puberty blockers. NHS England (the UK’s National Health Service) recently announced that minors will no longer be allowed to take puberty blockers for this condition (also referred to as gender dysphoria), except within the context of clinical trials.
At the beginning of 2021, we established the "Observatoire de la Petite Sirène" (Little Mermaid Observatory), a collective of researchers and professionals (doctors, psychologists, teachers, etc.) concerned about the medicalization of minors identifying as transgender. Hence, we proposed the term "transidentification" to highlight the influence of social media on these young people and the identification with the label "trans." This often involves young people who are uncomfortable in their bodies (a majority of whom are girls).
"Adolescent distress often exploited by social media"
To answer your question, the Republican group became interested in our work, which is likely why we were consulted. We were able to gather data from eight European countries: the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Spain (Catalonia), and Belgium, as well as from the United States, Canada, and Australia. In France, we have very few statistics, and there are no national studies concerning minors. The graphs indicate a significant increase in requests within specialized services. It is this sharp rise, more than the raw numbers, that raises questions and is interpreted in different ways.
Some attribute it to a "liberation of speech," while others, including us, suggest that it reflects adolescent distress, often exploited by social media, where influencers sometimes provide harmful answers to questions that require more professional attention.
You refer to a "trans-affirmative" ideology?
Yes, that's the term used by gender services in healthcare facilities, where they involve trans-advocate groups (often very active "trans activists") in their so-called multidisciplinary meetings. These advocates support the self-determination of children from a very young age, arguing that their suffering stems from being transgender. They claim that no underlying causes should be investigated, that no questions should be asked, but rather that the gender should be affirmed and children should be supported, regardless of whether they "feel they are in the wrong body."
It’s important to note that these services rely on the recommendations of WPATH — The World Professional Association for Transgender Health.
A recent damning document has revealed medical malpractice involving children and vulnerable young adults. For these services, if a girl says she is a boy, then she is a boy, and no questions are asked. Should we cater to every demand or desire of children? Of adolescents? These adult trans people have suffered and want to spare children from that suffering, but isn’t there a risk of them projecting their pain onto this new population, which is not the same as it was 20 years ago?
What are the dangers?
The danger is neglecting the psychopathological issues that most doctors observe in the majority of these young people. Our Finnish colleague, Professor Kaltiala, a child psychiatrist (who was interviewed by the Senate), states that two-thirds of those who come to specialized services (including hers) have psychiatric histories. She notes a strong overrepresentation of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), depression, anxiety disorders, and suicidal ideation.
"We simply say that these adolescents should wait until adulthood before undergoing any medical treatment."
Since COVID, there has been an increase in adolescent depression, with many seeking solutions to feel better. The parents we meet (and there are many) tell us how, contrary to what one might think, gender affirmation (a girl identifying as a boy or vice versa) has created gender dysphoria in some girls, and even some boys (who knew deep down they were not transgender).
Detransitioners (people who revert to their original gender) tell us: "I thought it was a solution, but I was lying to myself." We simply argue that these adolescents should wait until they reach adulthood before undergoing any medical interventions (cross-sex hormones, testosterone for girls, estrogen for boys, or even mastectomy, the only surgery performed on minors).
We advocate for psychotherapy as the first-line approach, holistic care for these young people, and family support.
Could you describe the journey of a young person who decided to no longer identify with the opposite sex?
I think of a case I was told about. At 13, a girl came out as being attracted to other girls, which her parents accepted. At the same time, she experienced bullying at school and homophobic remarks from boys. She went through a period of depression, particularly during COVID, disliked her body, her developing breasts, and the way her body was feminizing. She then identified as a "trans boy" and wanted to take hormones and have her breasts removed (mastectomy). Her parents were separated, and her father resisted.
The parents looked online for the source of their daughter’s distress and found our writings, including an article that was foundational to our observatory in 2021.
These parents described the influence of social media and a trans support group, which told them not to "misgender" their daughter, warning that she might commit suicide if they continued to use her "dead name" (birth name in trans vocabulary).
A doctor told the father (in 2019), "Do you want a dead daughter or a living son?" I admit that in 2021, it was the first time I heard what we would later call a slogan. I would later discover that these are intimidation tactics used to encourage gender transition. These parents stood firm, showing both love and resolve. At 18, their daughter detransitioned, accepting her female body and her attraction to girls. Now, at 19, she acknowledges that she made bad decisions and was in pain, desperately seeking solutions.
At the observatory, we have received hundreds of such testimonies.
How do parents handle these situations?
Parents are initially shocked and then devastated by the announcement of their child's transgender identity, not because they are "transphobic," as trans activists claim, but because they quickly realize what medical transition entails and the health risks involved.
In most cases, their teenager is struggling, and their parental intuition urges caution given the long-term consequences for the future adult’s life (sterilization, surgeries, lifelong medicalization, etc.).
For many adolescents, the declaration of transgender identity is sudden, with no prior signs of gender dysphoria in childhood. Parents also report extensive screen time and, often, exposure to pornography at too young an age (which can cause some girls to reject all forms of sexuality and fear becoming women).
What are your demands?
I believe everyone should have the right to do what they want with their body once they are adults. But limits must be set for minors. We, along with Caroline Eliacheff, demand that no irreversible treatments be administered to minors who do not accept themselves as boys or girls. No cross-sex hormones or puberty blockers, and certainly no mastectomy.
Our recommendations for minors could also prompt reflection among vulnerable young adults who might regret their decisions later. We are not talking about transgender people in general; we are addressing young people in distress. The principle of caution, which doctors learn, must be applied: primum non nocere — first, do no harm. And I would add: Sapere aude — dare to know, dare to understand the source of your suffering.
Céline Masson is the co-director of the "Observatoire de la Petite Sirène" and co-author, with Caroline Eliacheff, child psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, of La fabrique de l’enfant-transgenre (The Making of the Transgender Child, L'Observatoire, 2022).
Comments