“Reflecting on the awkwardness of early adolescence is uncomfortable for many, but for 16-year-old trans girl Kassie it has been particularly challenging.
For Kassie, the prospect of puberty — and the aspects of male development that would come with it — was incredibly distressing.
“I really didn’t like having broad shoulders or a masculine silhouette … I didn’t want to experience those things. I was really scared of having to go through that, and having to see that and remind myself when I look into a mirror,” she said.
When Kassie was 12 she was formally diagnosed with gender dysphoria, which refers to the feelings of distress when a person’s gender identity is different to their sex assigned at birth.
At times, Kassie’s distress was so great she struggled to even wash herself.
Her mother Marianne recalls covering the mirrors in the bathroom, turning off the lights, putting on music and burning incense and candles to distract Kassie while she bathed.
Read the full article:Â https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-28/puberty-blockers-inside-the-fraught-debate/106914900
Photo: Professor Philip Morris has concerns about children’s ability to consent to puberty blockers and potential side effects.
