Puberty Blockers are MEdications that stop the body from producing testosterone and
estrogen. They have been prescribed for various uses since the early 80s. However, they are
commonly prescribed to youth experiencing gender dysphoria, which doesn't necessarily mean
transgender, it just means a great dissatisfaction with traits societally associated with gender.,
Puberty blockers look to improve these anxieties and improve mental well-being.
The Mayo Clinic, one of the top hospitals and research facilities in the United States, found that
puberty blockers only pause the effect of puberty while taking them, and puberty resumes as
expected after use. The general concern among doctors is a potential loss of fertility, though
further research is required. Puberty blockers also reduce the need for gender-affirming surgery,
such as breast reduction, cosmetic facial surgeries, and vocal treatment. Though concerns are
raised for children undergoing these procedures, reports from Harvard find that surgeries were
performed on ages 1-12, with .002% done on ages 15-17, 97% of which were breast reduction on
cis-gender males. However, News organizations like Fox News have called into question what
has been published. In a 2024 article, the tabloid claims researchers delayed the publication of a
study on puberty blockers in fear that it would be weaponized. LGBT organization The Trevor
Project argues in support of researchers, demonstrating trans youth suicide rates as a justification
for further research, using CDC data that states trans youth are 3x more likely to attempt suicide,
with a 73% increase since the bans on gender affirming care in recent years. In another Fox
News article published in 2025, journalist Melissa Rudy claims that transgender surgeries
increase the risk of suicidal ideations, showing that those who underwent surgery had anxiety
rates of 10.5% compared to 7.1% without surgery. Though later she cites the surgeon Dr. Brett
Osborn, who calls into question causation or correlation”