" There could be other cases beyond just that one."
Well, you really don't need to go beyond smoking and birth weight. There's no debate that the environment of the mother affects fetal development.
What we DON'T know, but what we suspect is true, if the effect of a specific environmental issue at a specific TIME of fetal development. It's entirely possible, for example, that being in a frightening car accident (along with it's associated rush of chemicals and hormones into the body) might have a fetal developmental effect. And if there is an effect, does that vary at different stages of fetal development? Does having that experience at during the third month affect fetal development in some way, while having it at seven months does not?
"I think at least part of problem there was the lack of study being focused on at the time into potential causes that where the result could be things that lead to the person to consider transitioning."
To be honest, I kind of chuckle whenever a person, speaking on this subject (from either perspective, pro or con) refers to scientific research as if it were settled. :-) When it comes to transgenderism, all research is in its infancy, relatively speaking.
"Today, a lot of interesting research is now being done with some very interesting results and staying up on it could almost be a fulltime job. (Last 10 years or so has been utterly amazing.)"
There is indeed a lot of work being done. But I will guarantee you that some of the things that today we beleive we "know" will turn out to be false, 20 or 30 years into the future. Such is the way research works.
"There are many things we do know now, and many reasons why other forms of genetic and biologic conditions can occur that help prove why sex is truly a spectrum."
Actually, I believe the opposite is true. Because what was thought to be obvious is now being questioned, we will sharpen our pencils and strictly define "sex" according to birth potential for gamete production, to which the variance is almost nil.
As a part of this, "gender", which has long been viewed as almost synonymous with "sex", will be broadened in definition and public usage to be less scientific and more identitarian.
"However, I still struggle with some underlying issues related to it. E.g., why focus on the root causes and just focus on what to do to fix it and move on."
"Over time, I feel that I have had to give myself a form of low level medical/genetic degree just to be able to advocate for myself due to issues that were ongoing and not being addressed by various medical teams managing my conditions. (And I will agree that this area definitely requires more research done by people well above my pay grade.)"
Everyone's different. Many people, if not most, are uninterested in the cause of a condition, and simply want it fixed. Looking for root cause is admirable but difficult, and probably gets into areas where one would need to know things which can't really be known.
"In my case it would fall into an unknown form of something they would consider in the family of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia conditions (issues in the Adrenal glands) that are ongoing starting from development through to maturity."
Who knows? Interesting to noodle over, I agree.
