Cole wrong about trans kids

Gazette columnist Althea Cole has my sympathy for the health challenges she's faced and continues to face. It is true that trans children also face a challenge at a young age. But their challenges — as Cole acknowledges — are not the same.

When she had her health crisis, she was treated by sympathetic doctors who did their best to help her survive and live despite her disease. Trans kids need the same thing. Cole extrapolates from the anecdotal evidence of "detransitioned" individual as evidence that no children should receive gender confirming care. De-transitioning is in fact quite rare, as is gender-affirming surgery on children under 18. None of it is undertaken lightly, in response to a child's experimenting with gender. The experience of the vast majority of trans people is their gender-affirming care saves their lives.

She can profess her compassion toward trans kids all she wants, but even if she's sincere, she's wrong. Trans health care is health care. Those decisions should be made between a child, their parents, and their doctors. Quite simply, it is none of Althea Cole's business.

Kent Williams

Iowa City