Looking back and looking forward.
It is that time of year, again (number seven since we parents started getting organised in 2018), when we look at what progress we have made and what challenges lie ahead.
For individual families, our stories are palpably different now we know so much more about how to handle transgender ideation in our children. Although we must never take desistance for granted – in too many cases the inevitable is dodged and delayed. We continue to learn. We hold the line, avoid confrontation, provide space, replace negative influences with positive ones, and rejoice with each acknowledgement in broader society that we, the ‘transphobic bigots’ of 2018 were right all along.
2024 contained some significant milestones in the global pushback against genderwoo. Highlight of the first quarter was publication of the WPATH files. This was a collation of evidence of wrongdoing by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. This ideologically driven group of activists were about to have a torrid year. About time.
Following consultation, the UK government banned the use of puberty blockers for gender medicine sending a useful signal around the world.
Soon after, we saw publication of the widely anticipated Cass Review. This was a four-year project to systematically review the provision of gender medicine to minors in the UK.Cass fell short in addressing the ethical questions surrounding physical interventions for problems of the adolescent mind, and failed to draw logical conclusions from observing that it is impossible to identify which candidates would ‘benefit’ from such interventions. These so-called ‘benefits’ only appear on the record because of the testimonies of those with vested interests. Most disappointing was that the words ‘indoctrination’ and ’rumination’ did not appear at all – demonstrating a lack of understanding as to the nature of adolescent transgenderism. Nevertheless, the main effect of the review’s publication was to provide an official ‘stamp’ on much of what we have known for years – the evidence base is weak, and blocking the puberty of healthy kids is unjustified.
An interesting study of data from German medical insurance claims highlighted that over 50% of those who reach the point of entering the medical system subsequently cease their treatment. We know from our own experience that the majority of youngsters with transgender ideation do not enter the medical system in the first place. Knowing the desistance rate is, therefore, well above 75% must come as great reassurance to parents caught up in this.
In the fall, Alberta, Canada passed 3 bills into law that significantly restrict the use of the gender affirming care model for minors, mandate transparency with parents in terms of social transition in schools, and prohibit males from competing in female sports. Highlighted in these new policies is the banning of GnRH Analogues (puberty blockers) for minors. The heavily government funded activist group, Egale Canada, issued a lawsuit against the policies immediately upon their passing and Our Duty Canada is taking part in these legal proceedings by providing affidavits from parents and desisters.
In the USA the number of states legislating to protect children from the harms of gender medicine reached 26, over 50%. And as campaigning for November’s elections ramped up, we could see that our issue had finally reached the mainstream. The metaphorical hurricane had arrived, and we must take a moment to acknowledge the butterflies whose wings first stirred the air: Those journalists and activists who were talking about this way back when doing so was career-limiting in the extreme.
2024 was election year in UK as well as in USA. Our membership consists of parents from every political persuasion, yet from the perspective of protecting children from the harms of gender medicine, the results of these two elections seemed worlds apart. If president-elect Trump is as good as his word, then we shall see the USA leading the world in child protection. Across the pond, the new Labour government contains a majority blinded by gender identity ideology, although new health secretary Wes Streeting has committed to delivering the recommendations of the Cass Review, and has extended the ban on puberty blockers.
Our work ‘behind the scenes’ continued with amicus briefs prepared for court cases in USA and Canada as well as supporting court cases, and their plaintiffs, elsewhere.
We await the justices’ decision in the USA Supreme Court re: Skrmetti. We thought we would have to wait until the New Year for the UK Appeal Court result in Re:Q but were surprised, and the Mum we support was delighted, to be handed a win just in time for Christmas.
We provided responses to government consultations, and published informative articles advancing the knowledge base.
Our Duty South Africa is making its presence felt.
Australians received a Christmas present with the ousting of John Pesutto and the readmission of Moira Deeming, a friend to Our Duty, to the Liberal party room.
American’s celebrated Biden’s abandonment of plans to amend Title IX to force schools to accommodate students identifying as the opposite sex in sports reserved for that sex.
These are indeed interesting times.
Looking forward to 2025, there is a growing sense that we might see a profound shift in attitudes around transgenderism. If it does arrive, it has been a long time coming. We must guard against compromise. Only the complete removal from civil society of the ideology of gender identity will be sufficient to safeguard children. Like an invasive weed, if it is not eradicated completely it shall return.
It is election year for Canada and Australia, and we shall do our best to ensure the protection of children from gender medicine is a major topic for both.
We shall continue to promote our Model of Transgender Ideation as the current best way to understand the phenomenon. We hope to work this up into a professional published paper to achieve wider acceptance of it. This will need qualified authors to volunteer their help.
In most jurisdictions, it still feels as though we are a few steps away from having the political influence that our position and constituency demands, and we shall strive to improve that aspect of our work.Informing and educating policymakers is as much a part of what we do as is supporting (or facilitating support for) affected families.
Prevention is better than cure, and we shall only succeed in preventing children acquiring the idea that they are transgender if we put a stop to the indoctrination that they are exposed to. This occurs in all forms of media and is most potently harmful when it happens in schools. We encourage everyone to write an email or letter whenever you see any indoctrination. Every act of resistance helps, no matter how small. Some minds can take years to change, but when faced with the truth, most do change, eventually.
Thank you for your support, we have achieved great things (and on a shoestring), we have so much more to achieve. From each child who needs to reconnect with reality through to entire governments that need to safeguard the vulnerable, we can all do our bit. Some say 2025 is when we finally win, maybe, but only if we make it happen.
Happy New Year
