The medicalization of gender non-conforming children refers to the practice of treating normal childhood gender non-conformity—such as tomboyish girls or feminine boys—with medical interventions like puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries. Detransitioners argue this is unethical and harmful, as it pathologizes behaviors that historically were accepted as part of natural development, often leading to gay or lesbian identities. They describe how the 2013 DSM-5 terminology change from "Gender Identity Disorder" to "Gender Dysphoria" removed barriers to medical transition, correlating with a sharp rise in adolescents identifying as transgender.

Detransitioners report long-term physical harms including sexual dysfunction, irreversible bodily changes, and lifelong medical dependence. Psychologically, they describe increased sadness, alienation, and the burden of being permanent medical patients. They view medical transition as a new form of conversion therapy for gay youth, arguing that tomboys and feminine boys should be allowed to express gender non-conformity without medical intervention, as these traits often naturally resolve without treatment.