The boy in question, Patrick Mitchell, according to reports, began to dress in female clothing from a very young age and expressed repeatedly that  he didn’t feel comfortable in his own body. Just before he turned 12, Mitchell told his mother the feeling of disaffection with his body wasn’t something that was dissipating and he wanted to see a doctor. He was diagnosed as having acute ‘Gender Dsyphoria’ and sent to an endocrinologist who prescribed oxytocin, the hormone responsible for female puberty. Two years later and some way into puberty, Mitchell has changed his mind and decided that he would much rather stay a boy, albeit one who is gender fluid. However, his body has undergone much of the change associated with female puberty, including breasts and a lack of facial hair. He wishes to transition to male (again) and his mother and doctors are unsure how to proceed.

On the surface, it seems the answer is simple; allow Mitchell to ‘transition’ again. It is after all his body, and his decision to either live as male or female. However, it is obvious that Mitchell is a child and the decision making process as regarding his preferred gender is a decision that might need to be made in tandem with adults, or deferred entirely until he is an adult himself and responsible for his own actions. However Mitchell has already made a life changing decision that has proven to be the wrong one, even though it was made with expert analysis from specialist doctors and with the consent of his mother. Who is to blame? Is there any blame to be shared?