Okay most of these are in fact just conservative talking points. A couple hypotheticals for you then.
A 16 year old male has felt like a female since they were 8. They have worn dresses, they went by another name, they do not want to be male. They have asked their parents for oh, 4 years to be put on blockers to help them lower their voice and cut down on facial hair, they legitimately want this. Let’s just assume the drugs are 100% safe, as safe as drugs ever can be. Would you be okay with this?
Follow up then, who decides when the drugs are safe? Is it when your family doctor says they are? When the FDA says they are (or whoever your equivalent is)?
Reason I switch this to hypotheticals is because the argument isn’t about if they are safe or not, it’s about consent. If drugs/procedures are safe is already well defined in all of our governments. You’re right, a 10 year old can’t get a tattoo because there is no need for a 10 year old to get a tattoo. But should it be allowed for a 17 year old who has fully swapped to female after 9 years of acting as one? I’m legit asking you if they should. and if you’re answer is no, why is it no, truly?
I’m asking this way because really I’m trying to get you to see our side, that it’s not as “crazy” as conservative media is making it out to be. You actually already agree with us for the most part, that people should be allowed to dress and act the way they want, and honestly that’s 90% of what they’re fighting for, literally just to exist, to not be demonized. This one bit here is honestly just a small concern to most liberals, but it’s been blown waaaaay out of proportion by the media. To me it’s a detail, a footnote in the argument on the trans rights movement.
I actually think you and I are closer on this than the news articles would have us believe. My personal belief is that if the drugs are safe and approved by doctors, and they are reversible, I would let my kids go on them. I, as a parent, would not let them have anything irreversible done until they were 18. Personally I would sit them down and say something like “I completely understand, and I understand that you are in high school and feel like this is forever, but I want you to go into this with a full clear head knowing you made the right decision, not because of what factors in school make you want, but because you yourself want it”, and personally would have them hold off until 18. Anything reversible is fine, but again I think we agree, kids are fickle, I know I was, I thought long greasy hair was totally in. It was not.