Hello, and welcome. I’m your host. Today we’re diving into “The Protocol,” the first set of guidelines for medical care of transgender children. Published in the 1980s by a handful of Dutch and American doctors, it became the blueprint for using puberty blockers and hormone therapies. But as the New York Times reports, “the protocol was written by a small group of doctors with little input from families,” leaving gaps in racial and socioeconomic representation. Parents recall, “We were flying blind, with no roadmap,” when seeking treatment for their kids. Over decades, activists and clinicians have pushed to revise these rules, highlighting the need for more research and inclusive voices. Join us as we trace how a single document reshaped transgender health care worldwide—and what it means for young people today.
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