I tweeted these three polls for a reason.

Most people voted they had experienced some form of distressed regarding puberty.

Only 1/3 voted they would not have delayed or stopped it given the chance.

Almost all voted that if magically possible they'd want the option out there. https://twitter.com/AprilSpectrum/status/1320555505652121600

What's interesting to note is that the option does exist.

Puberty blockers are a safe, temporary way to stop the onset of puberty.

And once the child is ready to experience puberty they can simply stop taking them.

"But what do you mean safe"

If the puberty blockers are used just to delay normal puberty, say in a cis child who is uncomfortable with the prospect of growing facial hair as t age 9

They may have lower bone density as an elderly adult (remedied by increase in calcium intake)

They may be taller

Compare that to the benefit - that child not having to go through puberty while his peers are still struggling to read.

Or, imagine a cis girl. I was 14 when I got my period. Many are younger. "Precocious" breast development is a leading indicator of negative education outcomes.

That's right.

Girls who get tits too soon are more likely to drop out of school, more likely to be bullied, and more likely to experience sexual violence.

But with puberty blockers these girls can have a "normal" onset puberty, and better lives.

These are net positives.

And if you consider again, the negatives are

- increased height (the natural side effect of body resources not being diverted to sexual dimorphism as soon)

- potential for more delicate bones (mitigated by vitamin intake)

Now, let's step farther.

Consider the children who are *not* cis.

Trans children - both binary and otherwise - benefit even more from the option to delay puberty.

For these children, a second step, hormone replacements, can be used to reroute puberty, and acquire the correct secondary sex characteristics.

A boy is no longer required to develop breasts and subcutanouse fat deposits. He may take pills that allow the normal hair growth, etc.

Conversely, a trans girl can avoid unwanted facial hair, and vocal shift, and instead gain the same bodily softening of her cis peers.

This is a net good, again, when compared to the side effects of height and weakened bones.

So why is this not made widely available, and widely talked about?

Especially with how rapidly puberty is setting in younger and younger, and how much of a problem this has become?

I think we all know why.

But, I wanted to delineate the good these medications can do instead of beat that dead horse.