Unpacking Pronouns: What the Data Says About Youth Transitioning

Across the globe, a shift is underway in how governments, hospitals, and mental health professionals approach gender ideology, especially when it comes to children and teens. What was once considered progressive and affirming is now being reexamined in light of new research, long-term health concerns, and a growing emphasis on counseling over medical intervention.

In countries like Sweden, Finland, Norway, and the UK, health authorities have begun pulling back from the automatic affirmation model. Sweden now restricts puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to research settings or rare exceptions, citing “insufficient scientific evidence” to support widespread use. Finland and Norway have followed suit, recommending psychotherapy as the first line of treatment. The UK’s NHS has closed its Tavistock gender clinic and replaced it with regional centers focused on psychological support.

Meanwhile, in the United States, the landscape is fractured. As of 2025, 27 states have passed laws restricting or banning gender transition procedures for minors. Some hospitals have responded by shutting down their youth gender clinics altogether. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, once a national leader in pediatric transgender care, closed its program in July 2025, citing legal uncertainty and loss of federal funding. At least 21 hospitals across the country have either paused or permanently ended similar services.

This shift isn’t just political, it’s rooted in data. A 2022 systematic review of gender transition treatments in youth found that the risk benefit ratio ranged from unknown to unfavorable. Studies from Europe show low certainty of benefit from medical transition, especially when not paired with robust mental health care. In Sweden, one case documented a teenager with bone density resembling that of an elderly adult after early hormone therapy.

In the U.S., dependency on federal funding has made gender clinics vulnerable to political shifts. Much of the rapid expansion of gender transition services for minors was driven not just by ideology, but by profit. Hospitals that once aggressively promoted puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries are now quietly backtracking, especially as federal funding dries up. In 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services began the rule making process to prohibit Medicaid and CHIP dollars from covering sex trait modifications for minors. Children’s Hospital LA reported that over 70% of its funding came from federal sources, making continued operation impossible under new regulations. This makes one wonder how much of this push for acceptance of gender ideology was purely profit driven.

Thank You President Trump! for your common sense policies and for pressing pause and forcing the medical establishment to finally evaluate the risks and ethics of gender surgeries on minors.

Because of the President's policies, mental health is now taking center stage. Gender confused children often suffer from anxiety, depression, and trauma. According to the CDC, female adolescents are 2.5 times more likely than males to report symptoms of major depressive episodes, 28.9 percent versus 11.4 percent. These numbers suggest that many teens may be seeking gender transition as a way to cope with deeper emotional distress. Addressing those root causes through counseling and family support may reduce the urgency for irreversible medical procedures.

This doesn’t mean abandoning care for transgender individuals. It means recalibrating the approach to ensure safety, long-term wellbeing, and informed decision making. The emerging consensus is that medical transition should not be the default path for gender questioning youth. Instead, we should be prioritizing mental health, developmental understanding, and family involvement.

As more countries and institutions rethink their stance, the challenge for policymakers and communities is to navigate this evolving landscape with compassion, clarity, and courage. The tide is turning, and with it comes an opportunity to restore balance, protect vulnerable youth, and ensure that care is truly rooted in evidence, not ideology.

Carol Pefley
Candidate for Ca State Assembly District 28