Australia is the only nation in the world that requires transgender teenagers to go through the Family Court before they can access cross-sex hormone treatment.



This treatment, which usually begins around age 15 or 16, entails transgender children receiving oestrogen or testosterone so they can develop the secondary sex characteristics of their identified gender.

The court process has been criticised by legal and medical experts, who say the costly process delays essential medical treatment and causes great anxiety for the kids and families involved.

Greens senator Janet Rice told BuzzFeed News she feels there is real momentum behind change in this area.



"I feel very frustrated by most things I am working on in terms of getting action in the parliament," she said. "But this one, I think 'Yes, we might be able to actually achieve something'."