Gender dysphoria: how to do justice to children?
Introduction & gut feelings
Growing up I knew someone experiencing gender dysphoria. This teenager explored dressing and
presenting as the opposite gender, seeking guidance and consulting specialists. Despite expressing
doubts about transitioning and fearing regret, he chose not to pursue medical treatment. Today, he
continues with the same gender identity while maintaining his childhood interests. When sharing his
story with others, he expresses happiness about not pursuing treatment.
In today’s context, the University medical center of Amsterdam is the biggest healthcare provider of
transgender care in the Netherlands. It’s the only hospital in the country that provides treatment for
people with gender dysphoria of all ages. In 2017 around 800 people applied for treatment, showing a
300% increase over the years. An explanation could be that in the last couple of years the range of
treatment changed and that these options reached a wider audience (VMUMC, 2018). Others may
speculate that different factors such as social media and societal misogyny play an important role in
why we are seeing more people applying for gender dysphoria treatment (Osserman, J., & Wallerstein,
H. 2022).
A 2020 court case published by The Guardian involving Kiera Bell, born a female, started taking
puberty blockers at the age of 16. Who now regrets transitioning. She argued that the Travistock
Centre in London, the only gender identity service for children in London, did not challenge her more
in her decision. After hearing her statement, the court ruled that children under 16 cannot give
informed consent for treatment. Bells story also points the doubts she was having, and the role the
internet had in gaining her confidence (Doward, J. 2020). Prior to this, the Tavistock Centre, faced
accusations for not examining psychological and social factors adequately. The reports question
whether the clinic should consider more research about personal history, the presents of mental
disorders, trauma, or other influences (Doward, J. 2018).
Exploring this case and sources evokes serious thinking. Bell's case raises questions about the balance
between support and the irreversible consequences of medical treatment, especially for minors. Her
reliance on social platforms for confidence emphasizes the role of external influences. The wide
availability of treatment in gender dysphoria also brings ethical dilemmas, it prompts concerns about
ensuring informed choices and the potential for future regrets. But how can ethical considerations be
addressed in providing gender dysphoria treatment to minors? And how can healthcare providers
ensure informed decision-making in such cases?
Reflection about Rawlsian justice in the case
From a Rawlsian justice perspective, thinking about fairness as how John Rawls explained. Is
thriving for a society where fairness is achieved through principles that assure equal right,
opportunities, and fair distribution of resources. For creating a society for all individuals regardless
their background or characteristics. The justice theory has two principles. The first one is ‘equal basic
liberties’, it includes civil liberties (freedom of speech) and political liberties (the right to vote). And
the second one is the fair equality of opportunity, it involves around the importance of ensuring that
social and economic opportunities are distributed in a way that benefits everybody and having equal
chances (Rawls, J. 2001).
People with gender dysphoria in the 1970 often faced misunderstanding and being stigmatized as
having a mental disorder. Wearing clothes of the opposite gender could lead to a risk of being
prosecuted by the police. But after 1975 opinions changed (VMUMC, 2018). Now, let us implicate the
concept of fairness. Fairness means that everybody should have the right to be who they want to be,
the progress gender dysphoria in recognizing and treating is an example of evolving societal norms. In
the 1970’s people with gender dysphoria didn’t have this freedom. In this day and time, people can be
who de desire to be, no matter their gender identity and everyone can get the care they need. And now
make the connection to the theory of justice. There are several types of justice, one of them is most
relevant to the subject, distributive justice to gender dysphoria considering the financial distribution