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And here we are. "tRaNsPhObE!"

I've explained my point of view succinctly, we disagree, but it has nothing to do with transphobia.

Honestly, people like you are your own worst enemy. Shame on you.

It's not a warning, I'm just old enough to know pigeon chess when I see it.

Who knows, maybe we'll get twenty years down the line, the evidence will be there and I'll be amazed at how wrong I was!

Good luck to you, I wish you all the best.

I've said everything I have to say and I can see trying to explain myself further will be fruitless.

If you honestly think that a child could block puberty up to the age of 18 or further and then change their mind and go through a normal puberty like nothing ever happened, then good for you, personally, I'm doubtful.

The main difference with vaccines is the overwhelming medical proof of the benefits, that's something that currently isn't there with the use of puberty blockers during the years you would typically go through it.

I do somewhat agree with your less harm premise. If a child literally threatens to kill themselves, then as a parent you'd feel like you had little choice in the matter, however if there are permanent side effects and the child, now as a young adult starts regretting their decision, it's going to be shit for everyone.

Which is what would happen if they decided not to go thru with transitioning as an adult...

That is quite obviously an assumption. You are extrapolating data and although I see the logic of your argument, it's bad science. The rest of your comment is based on this premise.

The forty years worth of proof you are referring to is in almost all cases where the use was to block early puberty and then allow it to take its course at a normal age. There are very few case studies regarding the extended use of puberty blockers during the years where it would typically take place. I did mention these things.

How much proof I would need is a tough question because it obviously requires testing on children and it's an ethical issue. If a consensus of respected doctors were to agree, I wouldn't argue though.

At the end of the day, I'm not pretending to be an expert in puberty blockers, I'm saying that sometimes children need to be protected from themselves.

I don't know why people are so worried about it

As far as I understand it, there are two main concerns that people have.

1. There is very limited data regarding clinical proof that the long term use of puberty blockers is 100% reversible in cases that block puberty during the typical years that you would go through it. Traditionally, puberty blockers would be used in cases where children start puberty at extremely young ages, in these cases the puberty blockers would be withdrawn at an age typical for a child to start puberty.

2. Leading on from point 1. Many people don't trust children to make decisions that could impact them for the rest of their lives. Some parents are concerned they will be met with their child who is now a young adult to be asked "why the hell did you let me make that decision, don't you know the brain is still developing at that age?". I would not want to be held accountable for the countless stupid things I said or beliefs I held at a young age, so I can see why it is a concern.

Personally, I'm broadly in support of trans rights and what people want to do when they're adults is their own business (as long as they're not hurting anyone), but I think allowing a child to make a decision that may impact them for the rest of their lives is a grey area to say the least. Until conclusive evidence is available I'd draw the line for a child at anything that's not 100% fully reversible.

In my union, reps have to be put up for vote every three years, and if even after that you still don't like them, you have the option to go straight to your FTO.

I've lived in the UK since birth and have always had soup spoons.

I thought, "maybe it's a middle class thing", but it's not like they're expensive and they last forever.

https://www.thebigkitchen.co.uk/product/budget-cutlery-soup-spoon/

My girlfriend (32) asked me if I was a boomer. I'm 37 😭

A lot of the time it comes down to how engaging the teller of the story is.

The same story could be told by two different people. One who's animated, emotionally engaged and who appears them self to be very interested, the other, who is the complete opposite of those things.

There are stories that I've found hilarious and/or engaging that upon reflection that were really just a load of pointless nonsense and vice versa stories that feel like they're boring and worthless at the time, but that upon reflection had real gold nuggets of information or wisdom.

This is why I'll always listen to others, I may end up no richer, but there's a chance that I will.

Part of me feels optimistic, the other part feels like silly accusations of anti-Semitism, misogyny, communism and chairman Moa bicycles etc etc, are already being prepared.