Children and adolescents change their minds frequently

There are many decisions that we don’t allow minors to make based on their lack of emotional and cognitive maturity. Making the choice to transition is life-altering and can have irreversible physical consequences. Children and adolescents are too young to make such big decisions, especially since younger people are more prone to changing their desires and identities than adults. Medically transitioning can cause a variety of potentially irreversible physical changes, including changes in vocal pitch, body hair, breast development, and other physical characteristics. Thus, deciding to medically transition is a huge decision for a minor to make. On the topic of allowing minors to medically transition, the American Psychological Association has pointed out that children and adolescents frequently become “intensely focused on their immediate desires.” Adults, on the other hand, generally have the cognitive and emotional maturity to think more about their long-term desires and possible long-term consequences of their decisions, instead of acting on impulse to fulfill immediate desires. Thus, the American Psychological Association warns that children and adolescents may not be cognitively and emotionally developed enough to responsibly make life-altering decisions.^[1]