Finland points the way

[Imnobody4]

I really hope The Cass Review is looking closely at this
segm.org/Finland_deviates_from_WPATH_prioritizing_psychotherapy_no_surgery_for_minors

A year ago, the Finnish Health Authority (PALKO/COHERE)deviated from WPATH's "Standards of Care 7," by issuing new guidelines that state that psychotherapy, rather than puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones,should bethe first-line treatment for gender-dysphoric youth. This change occurred following a systematic evidence review,which found the body ofevidence for pediatric transition inconclusive.

The Finnish guidelines warn of the uncertaintyof providing any irreversible "gender-affirming" interventions for those 25 and under, due to the lack of neurological maturity. The guidelines also raise the concern that puberty blockers may negatively impact brain maturity and impair the young person'sability to provide informed consent to the subsequent and more irreversible parts of the Dutch protocol: cross-sex hormones and surgeries.

The Finnish Health Authority states that the guidelines willnot be further revised until researchis able to: explain the recent sharp rise in adolescents presenting with gender dysphoria;determine whether transgenderidentities in this population are stable or will evolve;assess whether gender-affirming treatments are able to improvehealth outcomes of those who present with co-occurring mental health problems, including improvements in depression and suicide; and quantify the rate of regret.

[crumpet]

At last. Really do hope that this starts to get noticed.

[highame]

The Finnish guidelines warn of the uncertainty of providing any irreversible "gender-affirming" interventions for those 25 and under, due to the lack of neurological maturity. The guidelines also raise the concern that puberty blockers may negatively impact brain maturity and impair the young person's ability to provide informed consent to the subsequent and more irreversible parts of the Dutch protocol: cross-sex hormones and surgeries.

Bell vs Tavistock too perhaps

[ScreamingMeMe]

Excellent.

[JellySlice]

The Finnish guidelines warn of the uncertaintyof providing any irreversible "gender-affirming" interventions for those 25 and under, due to the lack of neurological maturity.

Excellent. 18=adult=free choice is a dangerous red herring. Administratively adult, not biologically adult. And biology, as we all know, is crucially important.

[BreatheAndFocus]

That sounds great - and eminently sensible. I hope others follow that path too.

[TundraDweller]

Wow. Good on Finland. The Finns have always struck me as sensible, and I am aghast that their Health Authority’s insistence on an evidence-based and do-no-harm approach could be considered in any way controversial to anyone at all. It will be interesting to see how this is covered in the media / SM.

Really hope the FHA don’t get bullied into changing their protocols.

[InspiralCoalescenceRingdown]

The Finnish Health Authority states that the guidelines will not be further revised until research is able to:
- explain the recent sharp rise in adolescents presenting with gender dysphoria;
- determine whether transgender identities in this population are stable or will evolve;
- assess whether gender-affirming treatments are able to improve health outcomes of those who present with co-occurring mental health problems, including improvements in depression and suicide;
- and quantify the rate of regret.

That's a very firm description of the damning list of shortfalls in the existing research.

We've seen the NICE report on puberty blockers for the Cass review. I hope that review also takes the same strong evidence-based line as the Finns.

[transdimensional]

I believe the Cass review is well under way - should someone draw their attention to this or can it reasonably be assumed they are already aware?
Hopefully, this sort of thing will at the very least be influencing the debate in other Nordic countries, which tend to take an interest in each other's affairs. I know Sweden has already begun to take steps back from the brink.

American postmodernists are trying to impose their particular worldview on the rest of the world, but with the US gradually losing cultural influence, perhaps they won't succeed.

It's interesting that whilst English-language Wikipedia (dominated by Americans and their parochial worldview) defines "trans woman" as "a woman who was assigned male at birth", other Wikipedias are a bit more balanced. French Wikipedia: "a person whose gender identity is female, although the gender assigned to them at birth on the basis of the appearance of their genitalia is male" - pretty debatable, but not quite as bad as the American definition. Spanish: "persons who, although assigned to the male gender, identify as women". Swedish: "a male-to-female transperson who was registered as a boy at birth, but who has a female gender identity".

[Shedbuilder]

This is fantastic news and, thank goodness, shows that it's possible to use science to turn around the gender pantechnicon.

Can someone, anyone, get the Welsh government to take notice? Is there anything that can break the hypnotic trance Stonewall Cymru's put them in? Or does Stonewall have incriminating photos of Mark Drakeford and Jane Hutt doing terrible things? (That's a joke, by the way)

[LizzieSiddal]

What great news for the protection of children. I hope our government will take note.

[Igmum]

Congratulations Finland excellent news

[PhiRhoSigma]

Respect to Finland.

When you work closely with late teens and young adults, and see the maturity difference between 18 and 25, this can only be the right way to go. Just thinking back about myself too, I don't think my personality settled until mid 20s really.

[Mermoose]

Great news. Is anyone else following the drama about Science Based Medicine's review of Abigail Shrier? Overview here: whyevolutionistrue.com/2021/07/03/more-on-abigail-shrier-harriet-hall-science-based-medicine-jesse-singal-and-transitioning/

It's interesting because many of the points on which Shrier is being criicised on the Science Based Medicine blog are ones on which the FHA seems to be vindicating her.

Gorski in particular tends to respond to gender critical comments or questions by attacking the person's motivations or character. I wonder what he'd make of the Finnish Health Authority? Then again he already seems to be studiously ignoring NICE UK.

[KittiesInsane]

Good. My 18 year old was a child, not legally, but certainly in maturity (has ASD, which I understand is over represented among children who want to transition).

[StrawberryLipstickStateOfMind]

It's a really interesting point too isn't it, about age. Why in the UK are young children being given puberty blockers, but the NHS is very hesitant to sterilise any woman to wants this before the age of 30?

Good on Finland.

[ahagwearsapointybonnet]

Great news. What a lovely cool draught of logic, reason and evidence-based care in the last part, especially! I hope it will be influential.

[EmbarrassingAdmissions]

I believe the Cass review is well under way - should someone draw their attention to this or can it reasonably be assumed they are already aware?

There is an ongoing blog about the Cass Review and it's possible to contact them there.

cass.independent-review.uk/latest/

[Grellbunt]

Someone told me Finland teaches critical thinking in schools. It shows.