The Moderate Case Against Trans Youth Healthcare Bans

The disinformation on transgender youth healthcare is extreme, and many people hold weakly held opinions on that care. I talk about how to move the needle with those who are uncertain.

Ted Eytan

Transgender youth healthcare—and the media ecosystem surrounding it—is a minefield of disinformation, moral panic, and bad-faith actors exploiting public confusion to push bans on lifesaving care. It’s no surprise, then, that many Americans hold complicated and often ambivalent views. But one striking trend stands out: their opinions tend to be soft. Many openly admit they don’t know enough to make it a core part of their political worldview. I speak with these Americans regularly, and many have come away from those conversations with a deeper understanding of how these bans inflict real harm. If that sounds like you—or someone in your life—this piece is for you.

People unfamiliar with transgender healthcare often find the idea of youth access unsettling. They worry that transgender teens might be harmed by the care itself—citing fears of safety and regret. That last concern is especially common, and it’s not surprising given a media ecosystem that disproportionately amplifies rare stories of regret over the far more common reality: most transgender people are satisfied with their care. Rather than interrogate those feelings or reckon with the science, many default to what feels like a compromise—“just wait until 18.” It sounds reasonable on its face, but it fundamentally misunderstands the purpose of transgender youth care.

For transgender teenagers, puberty is not something that can simply be reversed. Once it begins, many will face lifelong consequences—transgender adults often spend tens of thousands of dollars on surgeries just to undo the effects. More immediately, the onset of unwanted puberty is tied to a sharp increase in anxiety, depression, and even suicide attempts for transgender teens. One major study found that access to gender-affirming care reduced suicidality among transgender youth by 73 percent. Clinicians consistently report profound mental health improvements among the teens they treat. The evidence is clear: giving transgender youth access to transition-related care offers them the best shot at living in peace with their gender identity.

That said, transgender healthcare exists in a minefield of disinformation. Some scientists claim the care is ineffective, but often rely on flawed reviews that demand a higher standard of evidence than is applied to most pediatric treatments. Others operate through groups designed explicitly to cast just enough doubt to justify legislative bans. Most recently, we've seen this tactic deployed at the Department of Health and Human Services, where RFK Jr. has used similar strategies to target vaccines, mifepristone—and now, transgender care. The result is an environment of purposeful uncertainty and manufactured controversy.

One principle resonates across the political spectrum: parents should have a central role in their children’s medical decisions. When Republican Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a gender-affirming care ban in Ohio, he put it plainly: “It is parents who know their child best.” Even for those uncertain about the evidence behind transgender healthcare, in cases where there is ambiguity but a clear potential for benefit, decisions should be left to parents, patients, and doctors—not politicians. This is a majority opinion found in many polls. For example, a Data for Progress survey found that 77% of respondents believe these decisions should rest with families and medical professionals. Just 12% said they should be made by elected officials.

Data For Progress

Something often lost in the broader debate over transgender healthcare—amid statistical generalizations and cherry-picked studies—is the critical role of individualized care and the doctor-patient relationship. Most Americans understand what it means to work with a doctor to find treatment that fits their body’s needs. Sometimes one medication works, another doesn’t. It’s a process of collaboration and adjustment. That’s exactly how transgender healthcare operates. Most trans youth have comprehensive care teams—psychologists, endocrinologists, general practitioners—and families often come armed with binders of research, evidence, and documentation. It’s not a one-time decision, but a recursive process that’s monitored, discussed, and—if needed—paused or stopped entirely. It remains important to protect and provide individualized care to every patient.

The obvious fear many people have is regret. The idea of altering one’s body and later wishing they hadn’t is deeply relatable—and the far right has seized on that fear to justify sweeping bans on care. But the evidence doesn’t back them up. Regret rates for transgender healthcare are remarkably low. Some of the most comprehensive studies show regret rates below 1% at major clinics, a figure consistent across the broader medical literature. For comparison, common procedures like knee surgery have regret rates as high as 22%. Unlike knee surgery, however, gender-affirming care is gradual and can be stopped at any point. It’s a step-by-step process monitored by doctors and therapists who work with patients to ensure it’s right for them. That’s likely why regret is so rare among transgender youth and their families.

There is no shortage of disinformation about transgender healthcare, especially as far-right, anti-science actors increasingly shape U.S. health policy. It’s okay to have complicated feelings about transgender youth care—many do—but it’s critical to recognize that those feelings don’t entitle anyone to override the people most affected. No one who isn’t transgender can fully understand what it means to grow up in a body that feels at odds with one’s self. That’s why these decisions must remain in the hands of the patient, their parents, and their doctors—people who know the individual, understand the medical context, and are equipped to create tailored care plans. Bans erase that possibility. They don’t protect children; they prevent care, impose harm, and silence the very voices that matter most. My hope is that for those still uncertain, this piece helps you move toward a better position—one that trusts families to make the right decisions for themselves.