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Girl, 12, wins sex change
From Herald Sun
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23752811-661,00.htmlA JUDGE has allowed a 12-year-old Victorian girl to start a taxpayer-funded sex swap, despite objections from the child’s father.
The girl has begun court-approved hormone treatment in the first step toward a complete gender switch.
The Family Court orders also permit the girl, who cannot be named, to apply for a new birth certificate, passport and Medicare card in a boy’s name.
The application to allow the hormone treatment was lodged by the girl’s mother.
A state government observer, an endocrinologist, a psychiatrist, a family counsellor and a lawyer acting on the child’s behalf all supported the plan.
Only her father, who lives interstate, opposed the proposed sex change, though he did not attend the final court hearing and could not afford to send a lawyer on his behalf.
The court was told he could not accept that his daughter had always seen herself as a boy and considered her too young to make such a decision.
The mother expressed sadness and deep concern for her daughter, but said she would stand by the girl.
The child’s lawyer told the court she considered the girl capable of making an informed decision.
The girl is one of the youngest patients in Australia granted permission to begin a sex swap.
The court was told early intervention was needed because the child was stressed and anxious at the prospect of starting her period and had threatened self-harm.
Hormones implanted under her skin every three months will stop her menstruating and prevent her hips and breasts growing.
The court heard the hormone therapy was reversible and would give the family “breathing time”.
A further court application must be lodged in coming years for testosterone treatment to deepen her voice and promote growth of facial hair and muscles.
Surgery to remove her womb or ovaries, or build an artificial penis must wait until she is at least 18.
Details of the case came to light in a Family Court judgment issued this month. The hearing was held in December, behind closed doors.
The case was heard over two days. The next day the judge issued orders approving the treatment.
“The expert evidence made it clear that if I determined to make an order for the treatment, I should do so with expedition,” the newly released judgment said.
News of the judge’s decision yesterday ignited debate among medical ethicists and child-health experts.
Medical ethicist Dr Nicholas Tonti-Filippini said the decision was astounding.
“I fail to see how it can be in the interests of a young girl to undergo treatment that will change her for the rest of her life,” he said.
“Twelve is a time of great uncertainty for a young person . . . I would question whether the medical evidence supports treating (her) in this way.”
Australian Childhood Foundation chief executive Dr Joe Tucci, a psychologist, said the issue was complex.
“But I would have thought that waiting until the child is older is a more prudent course of action,” he said. “Kids can change their minds. Things that seem set in stone when they are 12 will seem very different when they are 18 or 19.”
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