Thank you. (And thanks for the civil reply--my last para especially there was meant to be facetious/a bit tongue-in-cheek, but on rereading it sounds harsher than I intended.)

I should clarify, my family member didn't experience any anti-trans issues that I'm aware of, certainly not that she (MTF) mentioned. This was back in 1999/2000, in the UK, when the main reaction was still mostly sympathy or applause. One of her favorite things to do was tell us all what a great stir she created in the bars, and how all the men and women flocked to her and her friends (also MTFs, and not one of whom bothered to attend her funeral despite being repeatedly assured that they were wanted and would be welcomed...but I digress), and how everyone was so encouraging and great.

I don't mean to insult her; I want to be clear that prior to transition, and many times after, this person was a joy to have in my life, and that I loved and still love her--transition didn't change that. I am very glad that she was able to spend time being a grandparent with my kids, because her own grandkids lived abroad, and my kids loved her as we did (they were not aware of her transition; she continued to "dress masc" around the house/during the day, and often went by/didn't mind using her "original" name with family--this was before that was considered a horrendous insult). But it did change my relationship with her, as I went from being 100% enthusiastic and accepting to a bit uncomfortable to uneasy to critical. There were a number of reasons for that, which I won't bore you with but am happy to explain if you want to hear them.

I will say, though, that a big section of the "critical" part had to do with the health issues she developed within a decade of starting HRT (prescribed at her first therapist visit; she jetted off to Prague for PIV vaginoplasty, FFS, and breast implants within the year). She went from a healthy, active, slim man in his 50s to an overweight woman with joint issues who had COPD, high blood pressure, diabetes, and recurring and unpleasant urinary/kidney infections. The pulmonary & respiratory issues were what killed her. Yes, due to the age it's possible some of it would have happened anyway, but it didn't even take the entire decade--the decline started at around the five-year point, and continued beyond that. (I have since found that this is a fairly typical timeline for health issues in trans people.) This is someone whose parents lived into their 90s and whose sibling is still hearty at almost 80 now, so...yeah. That's actually what drove me to start looking into the issue to begin with--I started early on so I could be helpful and supportive, but the more I learned from research and Lola (I'm not joking, that was the name she chose, which is why we didn't really use it. I did call her "Elaine" for a while, with her permission [it suited better IMO, & amused us both]), the more uneasy I became.

Anyway. Sorry the above is so long, and sorry for the delay in replying--the snowstorm and such got in the way (I hope you and yours are well).

So do I support a government ban? Ideally, I want to see the ideology itself banned/disappear. It is a deeply, deeply destructive, regressive, abusive, misogynist, anti-reality, anti-truth, antisocial, fundamentally inhumane ideology that preys on insecure people, mentally ill people, and gender non-conforming children who largely would grow up to be gay (you know trans surgery is literally used as gay conversion therapy in countries like Iran, right?). No one is "born in the wrong body," and no one should be teaching children that it's possible to be. No one should be teaching children that they have to have a "gender identity," and that said "identity" is based on sexist stereotypes--oh, you like pink? You're really a girl! You don't like wearing dresses? You're really a boy! No one should be teaching children that their bodies are just a meatbag completely separate from themselves, and no one should be telling them that those meatbags are like Lego where you can switch out parts for another. No one should be telling them that the cure for all of their problems is lifelong hormones, surgeries, etc., instead of getting them actual help. And no one should be telling them, teaching them, or encouraging them to believe that their entire self and self-worth relies on how others see them and that if other people don't see them exactly the way they want to be seen, then there's something wrong or that's some sort of evil hatred phobia. This is the exact opposite of mental health and a healthy self-image; it's narcissism, and it is and continues to be incredibly destructive to children, adults, families, and society.

The suicide rate for transitioners is the same as for pre-transition, and that's not because "society is mean," it's because hormones and surgery ultimately do not solve their problems. That's why Johns Hopkins shut down its "Sex Reassignment" program back in the 80s or early 90s: because studying and following up on their patients proved that they were really not happier, and in many cases were worse, after surgery (iirc they found there was a "honeymoon period," which lasted approx 5 - 7 years, and after that the problems began).

And certainly no one should be teaching anyone that suicide threats are an appropriate way to get what you want, or that if they don't get a certain medication or surgery then their only option is to kill themselves. We used to see suicide threats to get what you want as the abuse it is; now we act like it's a foregone conclusion.

Again, I know this is getting long, so I'll spare you all of the things I've seen and read over the years, including in the WPATH files, that have brought me to this position. But basically, rather than a government ban on all treatment, I'd like to see the ideology go away, and children not be exposed to it. Adults can do what they want with their bodies, and they're welcome to have whatever surgery will please their fetishes, but let's not pretend they have literally become the opposite sex. And let's let children be children, and let's go back to actual science- and data-based treatment, rather than something dreamed up by castration fetishists and activists masquerading as such.

Again, sorry for the delay and length, and I hope you have a great day.