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Children are a distinct category from adolescents (and shouldn't be lumped together), and both categories should have more autonomy over their own lives, bodies, and education. That includes being able to not consent to child genital mutilation (whether biologically male or intersex, female is already illegal), being able to consent to immunisations against the wishes of their parents/guardians - and likewise for puberty blockers/HRT later on, if they're trans - and having autonomy over their schoolday, which school they go to, and what their schedule looks like.
Are you as wise and knowledgeable today as when you were a child?
I'm wise enough to know that my life would be a lot better if my opinions over my own body and education were respected at the time.
Did you have such useless, immature, childish parents that your decision making and understanding of the world were on par with theirs when you were little? If so, fair enough, but know that's a rare, shameful case (for your parents, not you, ofc). Usually, you can rely on your parents' wisdom and love, especially when you're young and dumb.
I had religious parents. And religion is a worldview that can distort good intentions and intelligence into doing harm, because it's not true.
Then it sounds like your original take is merely a bandaid for a much larger problem.
Not really. Youth rights is just as important in itself as getting rid of religion - and while religion and other harmful worldviews still exists, children shouldn't be affected by them just as adults shouldn't be - parenting has the ability to be a theocracy, which is against freedom of religion, bodily autonomy, and women's rights, if you view children and adolescents as people.
So if a 4 year old wants to get a face tattoo of a zebra we should let them?
There's a difference between allowing a child to choose which permanent change they want to happen to them out of two options, or delaying the choice, rather than making a permanent choice that can be made mater at no detriment.
I'm not trying to argue against transgender stuff, I'm just responding to your claim that kids should do whatever they want with their bodies with no intervention. Even if you're fine with kids transitioning then, surely, allowing kids to do whatever they want is a bit too extreme
I don't think children should be allowed to make life altering decisions at all.
I also don't think we should be cutting off anyone's genitalia. Fucking barbaric practice.
Is taking puberty blockers one of those "life altering decisions" you think children shouldn't be allowed to take (spoiler, not taking them is also a life altering decision, and a more harmful one)? Also, do you discriminate between children and adolescents?
Taking puberty blockers is life altering.
Not taking them is not because you didn't alter anything.
Kind of like turning left (taking blockers) alters your course, but not touching the wheel (not taking them) doesn't alter the course.
Also you distinguishing between children and adolescents shows you hold some form of internal biases between them, otherwise you wouldn't feel the need to even ask.
As for my opinion on the discrimination between children and adolescents; yes I do think they should be what I assume you actually mean treated differently.
If you disagree then why are we not arguing about adolescents and adults too? Then all things being equal newborns to 50 year olds. Obviously that's kind of Straw man but I feel for someone like you, the absurdity of it might help you understand. Though I seriously doubt it
Adolescents are the only ones taking puberty blockers anyway - when the kids are trans. When they're cis, children take them to prevent precocious puberty. Do you think they shouldn't be allowed to?
Thought this post was going in VERY different direction from the first few sentences!