Hi Camilla,
My source for my information on detransitioners isn't primarily research studies, although they are out there if you Google:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8213007/
https://segm.org/first_large_study_of_detransitioners
I guess it's an occupational hazard that I'm always more drawn to real world stories of people's experiences. For this there's the very active de-trans community on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/detrans/
And I follow a few women who have detransitioned on YouTube and Twitter (I follow more than these two obviously, both trans people who are happy with their transition, and detransitioners, these are just the first two who sprang to mind).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0pVuZ0CT7Q&t=0s
https://twitter.com/ImWatson91
There are also a few fairly high profile cases of malpractice or overreach when it comes to gender affirming care including, as you say, the fact that minors can, in some cases, undergo surgery without parental consent (I didn't know the age was as low as 13!):
But again, most of what I hear on this topic is from the personal accounts of people who detransitioned and wished the growing "affirmation at all costs" model of trans care hadn't been applied to them.
https://twitter.com/ImWatson91/status/1400875618087149568
Lastly, puberty blockers aren't completely reversible. This claim is largely based on their short-term use as a treatment for early puberty, where children are eventually taken off them at a still young age so that they can go through puberty normally This is different to taking them at the onset of puberty potentially until the age of 18. The NYT has a pretty good round-up of the pros and cons of puberty blockers:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/11/well/family/what-are-puberty-blockers.html.
To be clear, I'm not saying any of this to delegitimise trans people. As far as I know, most trans people who medically transition are happy with the results and live happier lives because of them. I'm not trying to cast doubt on the legitimacy of gender dysphoria or gender affirming care.
My issue is simply that the conversation around trans issues is so filled with taboo and hyperbole that it's almost impossible to talk honestly about the best way to help kids who question their identity. Any questioning of gender ideology is immediately conflated with hatred. And most people are too afraid of losing their jobs or being demonised to push back.
