April 2021 has seen a rapid acceleration in the campaign to end the medicalisation of young people in the name of gender.
In a particularly busy month, highlights include a swathe of academic papers supporting our cause, powerful first-hand testimony from parents of sons, our own awareness raising truck in Los Angeles, and constructive articles in top publications. We started calling our Newsletter ‘Debate and Sunlight’ because that was what was required at the time – well there is more debate and more sunlight happening than ever.
Nice, NICE
Two papers were quietly published by the British National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) in March, and they came to our attention in April. The papers aim to inform Dr Hilary Cass’ independent review into gender identity services for children and young people. It was commissioned by NHS England and
Improvement who commissioned the Cass review.
The first paper aims to “assess the evidence for the clinical effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues for children and adolescents aged 18 years or under with gender dysphoria.” Data from studies reporting impact on critical outcomes of gender dysphoria & mental health (depression, anger, anxiety), and important outcomes of body image & psychosocial impact are of very low certainty and suggest little change with GnRH analogues from baseline to follow-up.
Evidence review: Gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria
The second paper does the same for cross-sex hormones (let’s not call them ‘gender affirming’!).
Evidence review: Gender-affirming hormones for children and adolescents with gender dysphoria
Both evidence reviews highlighted the low quality of studies and the ‘low certainty’ that the results were meaningful. We have always maintained that there is no evidence good enough to justify the medical transition of adolescents. These reviews confirm our view. The story was covered by the BBC.
Lost Boys
Parents of boys have formed a separate peer support network in response to a perceived focus on girls elsewhere. In seeking to raise awareness they have published their stories, a selection of which is presented here:
Los Angeles
Our parents’ group in Los Angeles, famed for their billboards, now have a truck asking the residents of California ‘Who is Keira Bell’?
This story was picked up by The Christian Post in America and by The Australian in their coverage of increased parent activism.
Australia
Of the many articles published on medicalising gender, this one from Australia’s imprint of The Spectator is particularly good. Many of us are aware of the utility of fairy tales in priming our children against the perils of the world, yet this is the first time we have seen Hansel and Gretel used in this manner. The Pied Piper of Hamelin, The Emperor’s New Clothes, and Little Red Riding Hood are the obvious tales which warn us of perils like transgenderism. Hansel and Gretel is a worthy addition to that list.
Canada
We reported on Robert Hoogland receiving a sentence for breaking court orders restricting his freedom of speech as he fought to save his daughter from medical transition. Rob is currently out of prison and on bail pending his appeal. He has a new lawyer.
Canada’s attempt to enforce medical transition and discourage constructive therapy is embodied in a Bill known as Bill C-6 This bill is working its way through Canada’s parliament. There is resistance.
Research Publications
Australian Children
The month concluded with a flurry of papers published, all of which further undermine the case for the medical transitioning of young people, starting on 22nd with ‘Australian children and adolescents with gender dysphoria: Clinical presentations and challenges experienced by a multidisciplinary team and gender service’ https://doi.org/10.1177%2F26344041211010777
The results suggest the need to bring into play a ‘biopsychosocial’ (i.e. holistic), trauma-informed model of mental health care for children presenting with gender dysphoria. “Ongoing therapeutic work needs to address unresolved trauma and loss, the maintenance of subjective well-being, and the development of the self.”
Puberty Blockers and Bone Density
On 26th Michael Biggs’ letter to the Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism was published in response to a previous paper pointing out the complacency of previous researchers around the decline in bone mineral density experienced by those on so-called puberty blockers, and calling for better quality research.
“after 2 years of GnRHa, up to a third of patients had abnormally low bone density, in the lowest 2.3% of the distribution for their sex and age”
Michael Biggs
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~sfos0060/GnRHa&bonedensity.pdf
BMJ Paper on Clinical Practice Guidelines
First systematic review to identify and use a validated quality appraisal instrument to assess all international clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) addressing gender minority/trans health.
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/4/e048943
Detransition-Related Needs and Support: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey
This study offers an overview of the current needs of detransitioners collected from online detransitioner communities. The research primarily seeks to address the following questions: What are the current needs of detransitioners? What support is given to detransitioners in order to fulfil these needs?
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00918369.2021.1919479
Cass Review update
Maya Forstater
In UK the Employment Appeals Tribunal heard Maya Forstater’s appeal against losing her job for holding gender critical views. Judgment has been reserved and should be made with a couple of months. Every parent needs to be confident that the real, binary and immutable nature of human sex is properly understood by all, and particularly those who might influence, educate or treat their children. For that reason, it is important that Maya succeeds in her appeal.
Do us a favour
Please forward this email to anyone you think might be interested and encourage them to sign up.
As always, we welcome donations to assist with our running costs.
And finally…
This is how you do gender non-conformity whilst retaining a healthy connection with your sex:
https://www.interviewmagazine.com/fashion/can-you-walk-a-mile-in-mark-bryans-louboutins
