A year ago, a devastating new law took effect in New Mexico that could criminalize individuals who try to interfere with a minor’s attempt to medically “transition.” I know supporters of the law intend to be kind to people who identify as the opposite sex. But this isn’t kind. It’s cruel.
I was a minor who identified as transgender and irreversibly changed my body through drugs and surgery under the misconception that it was possible to change sex and that this would cure my real mental struggles. Back then, I was confident that I knew what I was doing and wanted this “treatment.” I thought I would never want children or change my mind about wanting to appear like a man.
But then I grew up a little and realized I had made a terrible mistake and wanted my healthy feminine body back. I detransitioned as an adult and today have to live with the serious, permanent physical consequences of decisions I made as a confused teenager, under the guidance of a medical community that “affirmed” me.
The effects of my medical transition are more apparent than ever now that my womanly body collides with the ill-informed advice and prescriptions I received from health care professionals as a child. Despite not knowing the status of my fertility due to years of male hormones, I became pregnant. While a blessing, medical transition has laced my motherhood journey with tremendous pain and suffering.
There is a reason why we don’t allow teenagers to make life-altering decisions. Society outlaws drinking before the age of 21. We set age limits on driving, smoking, sexual intercourse, marriage, and getting tattoos and piercings, all because we recognize that teenagers aren’t mature enough to recognize the long-term consequences of these decisions.
Why has the decision to permanently change your body, including cutting off healthy breasts and compromising future fertility and sexual health, become the exception to that rule?
New Mexico’s Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Act prohibits “public bodies” – this includes schools and any local municipalities – from “directly or indirectly” taking action to ”interfere” with someone’s pursuit of “gender-affirming health care.” Breaking this law risks penalties of $5,000 and more in damages.
What does it mean to “interfere” with a teenager’s ability to access medical care?
Is making them aware of the devastating physical consequences of taking opposite-sex hormones interfering?
Is a teacher or counselor cautioning a confused teenage girl to wait before permanently altering her body “interfering?”
Schools and teachers can’t be sure, so they aren’t going to take the serious financial risks of stopping children from going down the path that I did. That means that there is effectively a gag order on sharing stories like mine or on alerting teenagers to the possibility of regret.
“Gender ideology” robbed me of my childhood and future health. The silver lining is that my child will never have to endure the pain and suffering I have because I now know there is nothing compassionate about medical transition. In speaking out and sharing my story, I hope your children never do, either.
It’s terrible that laws like those in place in New Mexico seek to silence stories like mine and tie the hands of teachers, counselors and others in positions of power from giving loving counsel to vulnerable and confused teenagers about the very real risks of making medical decisions to try to change your sex. Sadly, it’s vulnerable teenagers who will ultimately pay the price.
Prisha Mosley is a 26-year-old woman and detransitioner who lives in Big Rapids, Michigan. She serves as an ambassador for Independent Women’s Forum and was featured in Independent Women’s Forum’s “Identity Crisis” series.