Health

UW-Madison To Let Transgender People Get Hormone Therapy Without Doctor Consent

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Grace Carr Reporter
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison will let anyone who wants to undergo gender reassignment treatment to do so without the consent of a therapist or counselor.

At most public universities, and indeed at almost any medical facility, persons wanting to undergo hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery must talk to a therapist, counselor or medical professional to receive consent prior to moving forward with treatment. But UW-Madison is changing that policy to let students bypass those normal requirements, according to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR).

Students wanting to transition will need only to work with their doctor and don’t have to receive written consent from a counselor or go through UW-Madison’s Gender Identity Consultation program.

UHS associate counselor Shannon Juniper Neimeko says the change is meant to eliminate barriers to care for transgender persons. “What we’re trying to pay attention to and work to resolve, is that trans health care has different requirements for access than care for cis(gender) folks,” she said, WPR reports. Neimeko noted the changes should take effect by May.

“We’re just normalizing trans care with this move,” LGBT Campus Center assistant director Katherine Briggs also said, WPR reports.

Medical research shows 80 to 95 percent of children outgrow their gender dysphoria naturally and accept their biological sex post-puberty Top studies show no mental improvement after gender-reassignment surgery and indicate that people who successfully transitioned suffered 20 times the suicide rate of their peers and also suffered lifelong mental health issues. (RELATED: Expert Responds To America’s ‘Transgender Movement)

There hasn’t been a single long-term randomized study on the effects of hormone-blocking treatments on children. No laws currently govern or regulate hormone-blocker usage.

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