An American judge has awarded custody of a teenager to her grandparents after her parents objected to her “transitioning” to a male. The teenager’s parents were opposed to their daughter receiving hormone treatment, and refused to call her by her preferred, male name, according to court testimony. In a ruling on February 16, Judge Sylvia Sieve Hendon ruled that in addition to receiving custody of the 17-year-old, the grandparents could petition to legally change the child’s name. The child, who cannot be named, has been receiving treatment in Cincinatti, Ohio since 2016. The hospital advised the court that she should start treatment as soon as possible to decrease the risk of suicide. Before any hormone treatment is allowed, the court has ordered the teenager, who has suffered from depression and anxiety, to be evaluated by a psychologist who is not affiliated with the medical centre on “the issue of consistency in the child’s gender presentation, and feelings of non-conformity”. A county prosecuting attorney argued that the parents wanted to stop the treatment because it violated their religious beliefs. The parents’ attorney had contended that the child was not “even close to being able to make such a life-altering decision at this time”. Judge Hendon allowed the parents the right to see their child, and urged them “to work towards a reintegration of the child into the extended family”. The child was under temporary custody of county family services. Judge Hendon instructed that the family’s names should not be released.