News

Trans Teenagers In Australia Allowed To Transition

by Carrie Murphy

In Australia, a court has decided that two teens may begin the process of undergoing a sex change, scoring what is undoubtedly a big victory for transpeople in the country.

The two teens (named as Sam and Terry) are both 16 years old. Terry was born female but identifies as male, and Sam was born male but identifies as female. Both of them self-harmed and attempted suicide when they reached puberty; Sam also developed an eating disorder. Their cases were heard together because they had the same doctors and the same diagnoses of gender identity disorder.

Both of the teens wanted to begin undergoing hormone therapy in order to change their biological gender (and were supported in this by their parents). This treatment is considered irreversible, stage two of gender transitioning (stage one being the treatment to stop puberty, which the teens' parents had already consented to). Still, it wasn't clear whether they would need the court's permission to do so, because of Sam and Terry's ages.

Family court of Australia judge Peter Murphy determined that permission was needed from the court, because of legal loopholes that might let parents allow genital mutilation or underage organ donation in regards to their children. Judge Murphy also granted permission for Sam and Terry to start phase two of their treatment. Hopefully, this ruling will make it easier for other transgendered teenagers and children in Australia to begin transitioning (if that's what they and their families want).