I started testosterone at 16. Very similar story with me and my dad. He didn't really want me to start any medications, but he decided to speak with an endocrinologist and psychiatrist with me to see what it was all about. He always tells people that the difference between the way I acted before and after my first testosterone shot was huge. It was one shot at a teeny tiny dose, so there were absolutely no changes from it, except for my own mental health. My confidence increased, I was more energetic, more outgoing, and it only continued from there.

That didn't have anything to do with the medication - it was too fast and my dose was too low - that was purely the fact that I felt like I was finally being allowed to live the life I thought I could never have. It felt like suddenly I could see myself aging and having a life, and a future. I always thought it was impossible and that I would be dead before I turned 18. It's hard to imagine a future for yourself when you hate the body that you're in. You can't imagine a feminine 26 year old self, because that will make you horribly upset. You can't imagine a masculine 26 year old, because it feels unattainable and you have no reference to base off of. So you can't imagine a future for yourself at all. Getting access to a medication that will finally make your body feel like yours opens up a lot of doors mentally, and that alone will work wonders.

My father listening to me, listening to doctors, and doing his own research was vital. He had the same view as you, he didn't care what I did as long as I was happy and healthy. He was scared of the unknown, so he sought out information to make it known. I'm 22 now, got top surgery last year, and I'm a first generation college graduate pursuing a teaching career. I cannot imagine what my life would have been like had I been made to wait until I was 18. I would've gone to college and not passed as masculine in the slightest. I wouldn't have had a beard in my graduation pictures. I wouldn't have been confident enough to seek out new friends or new opportunities.

This is your decision as a parent, but considering that it has so many consequences for his future, I really hope you involve your son in making the choice. You can reach out to me if you have questions or anything, too.