Update: Judge Kim Cooks has ruled that James' parents will have joint conservatorship over him. Read more by clicking here.
TEXAS, October 17, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – A pediatric endocrinologist who specializes in transgenderism and medical “transitions” took the stand yesterday in the case of James Younger, the seven-year-old whose mother wants to “transition” him to a girl. His father, Jeffrey Younger, is trying to stop his ex-wife from doing this.
PETITION: 7-year-old boy should not be forced to live as a girl! Sign the petition here.
James’ mother is Anne Georgulas, a pediatrician.
Dr. Daniel Schumer, the endocrinologist, explained the process of a medical “transition,” which begins with puberty blockers and eventually can lead to cross-sex hormone therapy. He said that a child who has reached puberty should be given puberty blockers if his or her body’s natural development would cause significant distress.
The “point of puberty blockers is to delay the decision making around things that like [gender identity] until the child is older,” he said.
Dr. Schumer clarified that starting puberty blockers does not necessarily lead to cross-sex hormone therapy. Dr. Schumer stated that puberty blockers are meant to “buy time” for children to develop their understanding of gender and develop increased maturity before making the decision to take hormones to make them more like the opposite sex.
When questioned by Mr. Odeneal, Mr. Younger’s attorney, and the amicus attorney about the side effects of these drugs, Dr. Schumer claimed they are no different than the normal side effects of puberty for the sex of the desired gender.
“Risks with estrogen [are] similar to risks of a female going through puberty….The majority of effects of testosterone or estrogen are similar to puberty.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, the side effects of feminizing hormone therapy include:
- A blood clot in a deep vein (deep vein thrombosis) or in a lung (pulmonary embolism)
- High triglycerides, a type of fat (lipid) in your blood
- Gallstones
- Weight gain
- Elevated liver function tests
- Decreased libido
- Erectile dysfunction
- Infertility
- High potassium (hyperkalemia)
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease, when at least two other cardiovascular risk factors are present
- Excessive prolactin in one’s blood (hyperprolactinemia) or a condition in which a noncancerous tumor (adenoma) of the pituitary gland in one’s brain overproduces the hormone prolactin (prolactinoma)
Dr. Schumer denied that cross-sex hormone therapy leads to any significant side effects. There is a host of evidence that suggests otherwise, and a growing community of people who have “de-transitioned” back to their real sex.
Follow all LifeSiteNews coverage of the James Younger case here.