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Original poster

'Prominant' campaigning role of Tara Hewitt: NHS, TELI, Social work, universities etc

109 replies

R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 13:37

James Kirkup in yesterday's Spectator article wrote:
(extract)
"What explains the disproportionate number of girls (child ‘assigned female at birth’, to use the approved term) who are starting a journey that can lead to hormone treatment, then binding and ultimately removing their breasts? Is it possible that this is simply part of a wider crisis of mental health among girls?

I don’t know, and neither do the doctors and scientists who study this issue. If you talk to the clinicians at the Tavistock Clinic in London, the NHS centre for the treatment of gender-variant children, they’ll tell you that all the factors I mentioned may be at work, but the evidence base is still incomplete, that they need more time and data before offering explanations. (They’ll also tell you that quite a lot of the children referred to them as ‘transgender’ will in time ‘desist’ and decide to live in their original gender.)

The government now intends to commission research into all this. You might think that sounds sensible and mundane. You would be wrong.

According to Tara Hewitt, founder of the Trans Equality Legal Initiative (TELI), prominent campaigner for transgender rights and an adviser to numerous public bodies including the NHS, the proposed research is ‘absurd and offensive’. The project should be ‘dropped in the bin — it’s simply not an inquiry that needs to happen,’ Hewitt reckons.

This is the quintessential trans-rights response to scrutiny: even looking for facts about children’s welfare is transphobic. Just accept that trans girls are girls and trans women are women. End of debate.

If you haven’t heard that mantra ‘trans women are women’, you will soon, for it is the orthodoxy of the moment, a phrase even politicians are expected to repeat as proof of their embrace of trans-equality. And woe betide anyone who suggests that donning a dress and a new name doesn’t magically render a male body female. Biology is transphobic too."

Im aware that Tara Hewitt co-founded TELIUK and the NHS Trust she was working for at the time UHSM is associated with the group.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3374926-What-influence-does-TELI-have-on-government-public-services-and-charities-policies-Co-founders-include-Jess-Bradley-Tara-Hewitt-and-Michelle-Hudson

At UHSM Tara Hewitt ammended the same sex ward policy to include a new transgender policy (gender self-id)

Also that Tara Hewitt has recently been working with Salford University on their Diversity and Inclusion policies etc

Last weekend, Tara Hewitt gave a keynote speech for social workers, foster carers and those involved wih adopting children at the The Adoption and Fostering Alliance (AFA) Scotland Health Group Conference (they wrote) :

"We are pleased to confirm that Tara Hewitt will be joining colleagues from Three Circles Fostering at this conference. They will be addressing issues of gender identity, about which many professionals feel ill-equipped when required to advise and support looked after young people and their carers.

Tara has provided input and support to staff from over 20 different NHS organisations covering Mental Health, CAMHs, Forensic Services, Acute Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups in relation to supporting trans service users and staff.

She has previously been invited as a guest lecturer on LGBT+ issues to social work students at Liverpool John Moore's University and Nursing Students at University of Salford.

Outside of her time spent as a Leadership & Inclusion consultant, Tara has worked for over 8 years as an Equality & Diversity Professional within the NHS. Tara specialises in bringing a creative edge to discussions around the complex topic of gender and health inequalities and helping professionals navigate solutions to challenges within an intersectional context, including young people in care."

Tara Hewitt & ThreeCircles created resources for children and young people in the care system & a toolkit for foster carers and social care professionals supporting them, These were promoted at the conference:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3324578-Vunerabilities-of-Looked-After-Children-Social-Work-CP-restricted-by-affirmation-requirement-Trans-Youth-in-Care-Toolkit

Tara Hewitt training for health care professionals:

Interview 2016
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/what-its-like-transgender-catholic-10810323

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OvaHere · 05/10/2018 15:41

Latest guidance for LAC which emphasised safeguarding, mental health, working with the family and SN.

I've not read what Hewitt said regarding LAC but it can be cross referenced with the guidance below for tension.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/683561/The_designated_teacher_for_looked-after_and_previously_looked-after_children.pdf

SturdyEarmuffs · 05/10/2018 15:41

I've been informed elsewhere that the NHS is also subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty and there should indeed be an Equality Impact Assessment done for something like this type of policy amendment. I don't have time right now but I think some digging on this should hopefully turn up some interesting information. If anyone else is able to, please come back and post if any digging uncovers what's gone on here. I'm just an average adult human female with no knowledge or experience of how NHS processes work but this does seem somewhat reminiscent of the situation in Cambridge LA. I'm sure all relevant paperwork is in order but would be worth checking all the same Smile

Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 15:33

I recall Sue Pascoe (Conservative/ Channel 4 adviser) in giving evidence to one of the W&Eq enquiries describing how upsetting it was to have had hospital records which stated male.

Sue Pascoe describes causing a scene and having this corrected.

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Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 15:31

In fact, based on the NHS TRansgender Policies that I've seen. They would be recorded as female.

If UHSM data records gender for both staff and patients, I'd bet most (all?) other NHS Trusts do the same.

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Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 15:30

Spanglylycra
Can you look into how the two policies interact though please?

If a male person who is an occasional cross dresser (see TH definition ) identifies as 'female' during inpatient stay. I don't think this would count as 'same-sex' accomodation breach?

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SturdyEarmuffs · 05/10/2018 15:23

Thanks R0 - I think it would be interesting to know what the process is for the amendment Hewitt was able to enact, and whether it was done so without the EIA which you would expect would be necessary. If there is one, it would be interesting to see it. I wouldn't know where to find it though. I think most LAs publish those online, or at least should do. I'm in a different part of the U.K. so my NHS trust isn't affected by TH's influence (that I know of) but I'll certainly be looking into this further.

Thanks

Spanglylycra · 05/10/2018 15:22

Ps as an NHS trust governor my trust still measures itself on single sex ward occupancy as being a good thing!

2BorNot2Bvocal · 05/10/2018 15:21

Someone else mentioned this fairly new Twitter account @TransNHS which seems to block widely. It RTs a lot of Tara Hewitt and TELI and the account has a location of Manchester. I wonder who sits behind it?

Should any NHS account use mass blockers?

Spanglylycra · 05/10/2018 15:20

I despair how people like this get air time?

The only logical answer (clutching at straws) is people are actually laughing at him/her because what he/she says is so utterly ridiculous.

Is this person actually qualified in anything (psychology/biology/medicine) other than being a prick?

Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 15:13

There was a significant event with NHS and trans-rights groups. I think it was discussed in one of the Jess Bradley threads as connection with TELI and Action for Trans Health etc.

Its very bizarre that the NHS seems to be muddling sex /gender (identity)

Im sure the vast majority of the HCPs, (rather than policy makers) know the difference.

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Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 15:10

I've no idea where to find that out - maybe someone more knowledgeable could find out? It wasn't until Jean Hatchet looked at Cambridge Local Authorities Equality policies that it was discovered that Transwoman Sarah Brown had proposed an amendment to public policies which removed women's sex based rights under the EA2010. I'd want to know how that policy was amended and whether full consideration was given to the impact of such an amendment on women.

You can look at your local NHS Trust same sex accomodation policy (wards/toilets/showers). These assert the importance of same sex spaces in the NHS for dignity, safety and privacy.

Its also a performance marker so breaches have to be reported.

Then look at the NHS trust's Trandgender policy.
I've seen a few and all protect the rights of an individual to self-id gender and access the 'same-sex' accomodation which refelcts their gender identity.

In none of the Transgender policies is there any mention of the possible impact for girls and women should a male have access to the 'same sex' space.

Or that there is a clear potential conflict bewteen the two policies.

In the video in the OP Tara Hewitt makes clear the wide scope of who is 'trans'.

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deepwatersolo · 05/10/2018 14:51

I wonder what Equality Impact Assessments were carried out before that amendment of NHS policy on single sex wars was enacted. I've no idea how the NHS works. Do they also have a public service equality duty like local authorities, as the NHS is a public health body?

I have no Expert knowledge on this. But I would be very surprised if the NHS was exempt from the Equality Act.

RealGhouls · 05/10/2018 14:48

Tara goes to Macmillan cancer meetings to endorse BDSM for cancer patients (no, really). Also at nursing conferences to preach BDSM for nurses.

Wants to destroy the Tavistock for being insufficiently affirming, and replace it with some sort of TRA-run body

Doesn't think lesbians should be allowed IVF, or approve of abortion, but is 'diversity' lead. What kind of 'diversity' Tara represents is not clear. Tara is on Fetlife.

But we shouldn't kink shame. Cancer patients need BDSM, will make up for when Tara has their mastectomies cancelled in favour of transgender 'top surgery'.

SturdyEarmuffs · 05/10/2018 14:45

At UHSM Tara Hewitt ammended the same sex ward policy to include a new transgender policy (gender self-id)

I wonder what Equality Impact Assessments were carried out before that amendment of NHS policy on single sex wars was enacted. I've no idea how the NHS works. Do they also have a public service equality duty like local authorities, as the NHS is a public health body?

I've no idea where to find that out - maybe someone more knowledgeable could find out? It wasn't until Jean Hatchet looked at Cambridge Local Authorities Equality policies that it was discovered that Transwoman Sarah Brown had proposed an amendment to public policies which removed women's sex based rights under the EA2010. I'd want to know how that policy was amended and whether full consideration was given to the impact of such an amendment on women.

Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 14:42

Greater Manchester uniquely has a unified NHS and Social care structure which is devolved from central government.

In many aspects, Manchester will be a point of reference for best practice etc.

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Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 14:41

Tara Hewitt was nominated for a Diversity award whilst at UHSM (Wythenshawe Manchester). May have won it?

This is the current Diversity and Inclusion report.
Its notable that the target areas based on the protected characeristics of the Equalities Act 2010, do not reference sex but record gender statistics.
mft.nhs.uk/app/uploads/2018/06/MFT-Annual-Report-2018-Final-Version-June.pdf

Greater Manchester uniquely has a unified NHS and Social care structure which is devolved from central government.

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JoanSummers · 05/10/2018 14:38

First link:

"Tara was on the Conservative Party candidate list in the last election and came under fire when a Sun report ‘revealed’ her sexual fetishes.

Hewitt reportedly described herself as an “advocate of the BDSM (bondage, discipline and sadomasochism) community”, and into “swinging” and “pet play”, which is dressing up as an animal for sex."

Another TRA furry.

JoanSummers · 05/10/2018 14:36

"Trans Tory candidate and NHS diversity advisor opposes lesbian fertility rights"

www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/04/29/trans-tory-candidate-opposes-lesbians-using-sperm-banks

JoanSummers · 05/10/2018 14:34

"What it's like to be Transgender and Catholic
Tara Hewitt, NHS equality and diversity advisor, doesn't believe in abortion or IVF but says it doesn't affect her job"

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/what-its-like-transgender-catholic-10810323

JoanSummers · 05/10/2018 14:32

Tara Hewitt is the (ex?) Tory who was making anti-abortion statements on Twitter a few yeas back. Tara has allegedly changed their mind since on both but that could be because both brought criticism not helpful to Tara's career.

deepwatersolo · 05/10/2018 14:24

At UHSM Tara Hewitt ammended the same sex ward policy to include a new transgender policy (gender self-id)

Dismanteling women's sex based protections, one at a time...

Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 14:17

The resouces for Looked After Children are concerning.

These children and young people are incredibly vulnerable.

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placemats · 05/10/2018 14:16

Professor Moore nails it! It's an excellent brief into proper and robust safeguarding procedures.

Tara would like ill and recuperating women in a ward to share that ward with a man who indulges in the sexual fetish of dressing up as a woman and see's no conflict of safeguarding.

Original poster
R0wantrees · 05/10/2018 14:07

Important speech by Professor Michelle Moore from WPUK Sheffield:

www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=35&v=ATNRbJW_JI8

"Professor Michele Moore is an expert in Inclusive Education and Disability Studies. She leads human rights projects across the world to support children, their families and those who work with them. She is the Co-Editor of the ground-breaking book Transgender Children and Young People, Born in Your Own Body from Cambridge Scholars. Michele will be discussing ideas from the book – the implications of self-declaration of gender for children and young people, including disabled children"

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WorkingItOutAsIGo · 05/10/2018 14:05

Ah that’s it!! Thank you. I was bemused how the seven inch one was also doing all this important work.

Funny the names people choose for themselves.