What are you looking for today?

Hayes, Peter (2016) Early puberty, medicalisation and the ideology of normality. Women's Studies International Forum, 56. pp. 9-18. ISSN 0277 5395

Document

  • [thumbnail of 6123 early puberty.pdf]
    6123 early puberty.pdf - Published Version
    Restricted to Repository staff only

Abstract

Abstract

Healthy girls with early puberty are sometimes given gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHas) to delay their pubertal development until they reach an average age of onset. Feminist research has called this treatment into question, arguing that age at puberty should be seen in terms of diversity rather than normality and abnormality. In support of this feminist position, it is argued that treatment has been justified by an ideology that medicalises healthy girls to make them “normal.” This core objective has been linked to increasing final height, reducing psychosocial difficulties, delaying sexual activity and reducing the risk of abuse. All of these auxiliary treatment objectives have been justified by being fitted to evidence rather than tested against it, and all are problematic. Side effects of GnRHas, including reduced IQ, have not been properly addressed, the alternative of providing girls with support has been little considered, and the rights of the girls are not recognised.

Item Type: Article
Related URLs:
Depositing User: Peter Hayes
URI: https://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/6123

Further Details

More Information

Related URLs
Depositing User

Identifiers

Item ID
6123
Identification Number
ISSN
0277 5395

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Peter Hayes

Catalogue record

Date Deposited
31 Mar 2016 13:58
Last Modified
03 Jun 2025 14:08

Actions (login required)

View Item (Repository Staff Only)

Downloads per month over past year