Gender clinics are giving children and teenagers hormones to change their appearance to be more like the opposite sex. They often1 do this with no quality mental health support2 or proof that these hormones help their mental health.3
Taking high doses of the hormones at levels meant for the opposite sex has harmful side effects for both males and females.4,5 Some of these side effects are irreversible.
Both sexes
Sterility
If doctors give children puberty blockers at Tanner Stage 26 and then give them cross-sex hormones, they will sterilize them.7 Taking these hormones long-term may have other effects on the ability to have children.8 This is worrying because many trans-identified adults have children or say they want them.9
Cardiovascular
Hormones for gender distress carry risks of heart and blood circulation problems.10 Estrogen given to males who want to be women can cause blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.11 Testosterone given to girls who want to become boys may raise cholesterol levels, increase the risk of heart attack to twice that of men,12 and thickens their blood (polycythemia).13
Weight Gain
Cross-sex hormones can also cause unhealthy weight gain14,15 which may increase the risk of diabetes.
Females
Testosterone can cause acne and mood swings in teenage girls who want to be boys.16 Some effects of testosterone are irreversible, including a deeper voice, increased hair growth, and more masculine facial features. Girls who take testosterone will be at a higher risk for balding compared to males.17 High doses of testosterone stress the kidneys in girls and women.18
Usually, elderly women are the ones who may experience severe postmenopausal symptoms. Females taking testosterone are very likely to experience them in their twenties.19
Trans men ‘becoming postmenopausal’ in their 20s:
Experts analyzed 68 transgender men who were taking the cross-sex hormone to change their identity from female to male and found that 95 percent had developed pelvic floor dysfunction…
Around 87 per cent of the participants had urinary symptoms such as incontinence, frequent toilet visits and bed-wetting, while 74 per cent had bowel issues including constipation or being unable to hold stools or wind in. Some 53 per cent suffered from sexual dysfunction.
The consequences of this can be profound.
More women who are attracted to men are taking testosterone for trans identities and some re becoming pregnant while on testosterone.21 Testosterone will have significant effects on the fetus, raising ethical questions.
Males
Estrogen can’t erase all male characteristics. Boys who transition in puberty will still have male-average heights.22 Boys who take estrogen will develop breasts and this effect is irreversible without surgery if they change their minds later.23 Males who take high doses of estrogen are more likely to have blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.24 There may be an increase risk of osteoporosis (bone weakening)25 and autoimmune problems like multiple sclerosis.26
Some of the most alarming side effects for boys and men who take high doses of estrogen is the way it harms the brain. It can cause depression, reduced brain matter, and early dementia.27 It has not been shown to improve mental health in males and may harm it.28
“Skip puberty blockers and just put them on cross sex hormones.”
Given the damage puberty blockers do, we are greatly concerned about arguments to put minors directly on cross sex hormones, as if this is a less harmful solution. It is not. Minors who transition at such young ages are going to experience health-damaging effects in greater numbers and have life-long dependency on pharmaceutical drugs just to maintain basic functioning.
Conclusion
Given increasing numbers of young people publicly expressing transition regret,29 irreversible side effects, long-term health damage, the risk of sterility, and lack of evidence this reduces mental health problems and suicide risk, we oppose giving cross-sex hormones to minors. Puberty can be very difficult for a lot of teens. Gender-atypical and gender-distressed young people deserve the same chance for open futures.30 So called “gender-affirming care” locks them into irreversible and health-harming body modifications while their brains and bodies are still developing.
1 Ryan, B. @benryanwriter. (2025, May 2). Well, funny you should ask, because Boston Children’s used to allot 20 hours for the psychologists to assess the child and write a report. This process used to include their conferring with any outside care providers or school counselors. But Boston Children’s eliminated all this and whittled the time down to a single two-hour assessment, plus 30 minutes to write the report. [Post]. https://x.com/benryanwriter/status/1918338470331699487
2 Gender Health Query. (2019). Lack of Gatekeeping: Minors Are Being Medically Transitioned Without Meaningful Psychological Assessments. https://thehomoarchy.com/trans-youth-no-psychological-assessments
3 Cass, H. (2024) The Cass Review: Independent Review of gender identity services for children and young people
4 Gender Health Query. (2019). Consequences & Permanent Side-Effects That Result From The Use Of Hormone Blockers. https://thehomoarchy.com/trans-youth-side-effects-hormone-blockers-surgery
5 Gender Health Query. (2019). Topic 2 Links. https://thehomoarchy.com/trans-youth-medical-side-effects-links
6 Professional, C. C. M. (2025, February 18). Puberty. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/puberty
7 Laidlaw, M. K., Lahl, J., & Thompson, A. (2025). Fertility preservation: is there a model for gender-dysphoric youth? Frontiers in Endocrinology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2025.1386716
8 Cheng, P. J., Pastuszak, A. W., Myers, J. B., Goodwin, I. A., & Hotaling, J. M. (2019). Fertility concerns of the transgender patient. Translational Andrology and Urology, 8(3), 209–218. https://doi.org/10.21037/tau.2019.05.09
9 Gender Health Query. (2019). There are many examples of trans people with biological children or who want them. https://thehomoarchy.com/trans-youth-side-effects-hormone-blockers-surgery/#anchor-page2-section-b-there
10 Nota, N. M., Wiepjes, C. M., De Blok, C. J., Gooren, L. J., Kreukels, B. P., & Heijer, M. D. (2019). Occurrence of acute cardiovascular events in transgender individuals receiving hormone therapy. Circulation, 139(11), 1461–1462. https://doi.org/10.1161/circulationaha.118.038584
11 Getahun, D., Nash, R., Flanders, W. D., Baird, T. C., Becerra-Culqui, T. A., Cromwell, L., Hunkeler, E., Lash, T. L., Millman, A., Quinn, V. P., Robinson, B., Roblin, D., Silverberg, M. J., Safer, J., Slovis, J., Tangpricha, V., & Goodman, M. (2018). Cross-sex hormones and acute cardiovascular events in transgender persons. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(4), 205. https://doi.org/10.7326/m17-2785
12 Alzahrani, T., Nguyen, T., Ryan, A., Dwairy, A., McCaffrey, J., Yunus, R., Forgione, J., Krepp, J., Nagy, C., Mazhari, R., & Reiner, J. (2019). Cardiovascular disease risk factors and myocardial infarction in the transgender population. Circulation Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.1161/circoutcomes.119.005597
13 Tatarian, J., Walcott, Q., & Richardson, K. (2022). Incidence, contributing factors, and implications for clinical management of polycythemia in transmasculine patients on testosterone. LGBT Health, 10(1), 72–79. https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2022.0027
14 Zambon, V. (2021, April 9). How will estrogen hormone therapy affect the body? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mtf-hrt-body-changes