Gender Dysphoria and Children: An Endocrinologist’s Evaluation of I am Jazz

Public Discourse 5 April 2018
Family First Comment: An important analysis….
“I Am Jazz contains a large number of glaring and very troubling omissions.
Omission #1: The authors fail to mention that Jazz suffers from depression.
Omission #2: The suicide rate of transgender individuals is alarmingly high
Omission #3: Jazz is currently being given hormone blockers to stop him from going through normal pubertal development. These powerful hormones arrest the normal development of boys into fully developed men and of girls into fully developed women. In other words, Jazz is now a teenager who has not been allowed to go through puberty.
Omission #4: Jazz will need to have his child-sized penis surgically destroyed to create a false vagina.
Omission #5: Jazz currently suffers from sexual dysfunction and will likely have permanent damage.
Omission #6: Jazz will very likely be rendered permanently infertile.
Omission #7: There is a high level of substance abuse among people who identify as transgender.
Omission #8: There are a number of serious health risks associated with taking cross-sex hormones.
Omission #9: The mortality rate of those who identify as transgender is three times higher than that of the general population.”

Recently, a group of parents asked me to review the book I Am Jazz to determine whether, from a medical point of view, it is suitable for children to read. They also asked this for the benefit of their school district, given that the topic of childhood gender dysphoria would be discussed at their upcoming school board meeting. I have read the book I Am Jazz and examined the book’s relationship to childhood gender dysphoria and its implications for adolescence and adulthood. I am a board-certified physician in Rocklin, California specializing in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. Broadly, endocrinology is the study of hormones and glands and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving these hormones and glands. The following essay is a detailed presentation of my findings regarding this important topic.

Children with gender dysphoria deserve our compassion and deserve to be treated with dignity and kindness, just like all other children. Their unique condition makes integrating in the school a challenge. Particularly when dealing with bathrooms and locker rooms, it would be advantageous for schools to have a comprehensive policy to address children with gender dysphoria. To some degree, children who share a class with a gender-dysphoric child will need to be educated about what that means and how to address that situation. This should be done by parents and guardians primarily, but ideally in cooperation with teachers and staff.

Unfortunately, I Am Jazz actually works against educating children about gender dysphoria.

Factual Inaccuracies in I Am Jazz
Inaccuracy #1: About a quarter of the way through I Am Jazz, the author states: “I have a girl brain in a boy body.” Jazz later goes to the doctor and relates: “Afterwards, the doctor spoke to my parents and I heard the word ‘transgender’ for the very first time.”

Inaccuracy #2: According to Jazz, “I have a girl brain but a boy body. This is called transgender. I was born this way!”

Inaccuracy #3: Jazz says: “I have a girl brain.”

Troubling Omissions
I Am Jazz contains a large number of glaring and very troubling omissions.

Omission #1: The authors fail to mention that Jazz suffers from depression.

Omission #2: The suicide rate of transgender individuals is alarmingly high

Omission #3: Jazz is currently being given hormone blockers to stop him from going through normal pubertal development. These powerful hormones arrest the normal development of boys into fully developed men and of girls into fully developed women. In other words, Jazz is now a teenager who has not been allowed to go through puberty.

Omission #4: Jazz will need to have his child-sized penis surgically destroyed to create a false vagina.

Omission #5: Jazz currently suffers from sexual dysfunction and will likely have permanent damage.

Omission #6: Jazz will very likely be rendered permanently infertile.

Omission #7: There is a high level of substance abuse among people who identify as transgender.

Omission #8: There are a number of serious health risks associated with taking cross-sex hormones.

Omission #9: The mortality rate of those who identify as transgender is three times higher than that of the general population.
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