In recent years, there has been an alarming and rapid rise in the number of children and teenagers identifying as transgender. Nearly one in five people (18 percent) who identify as transgender are ages 13-17, compared to less than one in ten (8 percent) who are ages 13-17 in the general U.S. population. Yet, on average, about 80 percent of children change their minds and do not continue into adulthood as transgender. Despite the reality that many will grow out of gender dysphoria, an increasingly vocal and influential segment of American society is encouraging children to undergo life-altering medical transitions during puberty.

Other countries, though, are starting to recognize the harm being done to children. Recently, a report commissioned by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) known as the “Cass Report” found the justification for giving minors puberty-blocking drugs and surgeries to treat gender-dysphoria is weak.

Keller Center fellow Rebecca McLaughlin uses evidence from the report to expertly dissect four widely believed claims about transgender youth. Rather than pushing medical interventions with lifelong consequences, McLaughlin compellingly argues that these vulnerable young people need compassionate care that addresses underlying issues. For anyone concerned about the well-being of trans-identifying youth, this nuanced and empathetic article, grounded in facts rather than ideology, is an essential read.