Warnings of impact on height and bone strength prompt calls for review into prescribing puberty blockers for children

This child is so young.

twitter.com/i/status/1382726649867857935

"I do not like spending my free time asking adults to make good choices."

In what kind of twisted brain does allowing a child to grow up healthy, strong and with full capability of making their own descisions about how to live their adult life messianic, hard and nasty?

It's a familiar narrative, isn't it?

The first part of that was going to be forgiving myself. I started by trying to honor myself for what I was trying to do with transition. It was an attempt - an extreme attempt - to improve my life. Yes, it was ill-advised, and yes, maybe I should have known better.

But I can’t deny that in the distorted frame of mind I was in, I thought I was making a good choice for myself. I even suspected that the operation was a necessary part of a life-affirming, even life-saving transition. Was I wrong? YES. But I had been supported in my belief by several nurses, two doctors, and my therapist.

I had a cadre of credentialed medical professionals telling me that this was the sort of thing that WAS likely to help me.

And, of course, I was frightened by slogans like “better to have a happy son than a dead daughter,” which made me think I might be likely to commit suicide if I didn’t transition.

Where was the gatekeeping here?

hormonehangover.substack.com/p/top-surgery-regret-part-2-healing

Thanks Lion, that's an excellent example of how difficult it is as a Democrat in the US querying this stuff.

It's quite scary how little gatekeeping and so safeguarding there is for these teens who suddenly thing changing sex is the answer.

@RobinMoiraWhite
What benefits would you be talking about? Genuine question as even the head of the Tavistock admitted under oath in court that their is no psychological benefits and we know the physical harm they cause including the consequences to brain development, so I'm really curious about what these benefits are

Perhaps they have an open mind to the benefits rather than a messianic zeal to make life harder and nastier for trans folk.

People are speaking out at least.

Really good piece, lionheart

Mirrors the experience of a kid in my extended circle. Bright, bookish, nerdy, no outward changes but 'a girl'.

Friends are of course completely on board and scorn the elderly dinosaurs; they have no idea how sexist they're being...

counterweightsupport.com/2021/04/03/transin-the-suburbs/

'I never believed I would have a negative word to say about the transgender movement. I was born into a middle-class family of liberal Democrats. My grandparents emigrated from Europe in the 1920s to escape fascism. My father was a small business owner who lobbied for socialized medicine in the 80s due to his health issues. I was a nerdy science girl who loved the outdoors and earned a degree in environmental science in the 90s; my liberal roots run deep. I’ve been a fan of the Squad, have a Black Lives Matter flag flying in my front yard and a garden of native plants to support wildlife in my backyard. I was appalled at the bathroom bill business in North Carolina a few years ago. Of course, my thinking was that transwomen are women, transmen are men; who can that possibly hurt? (As it turns out, the answer is my family and me.)'

They cannot say they didn't know. They know and they don't care, if anything they are pushing children towards this and vilifying anyone who objects.

This

I'm grateful to everyone archiving the proof of people/organisations doubling down.

I'm not a KF visitor but from everything I hear the people who are to the forefront of it should (even commercially) offer a course on how to archive and authenticate all things digital as it's profoundly helpful.

They cannot say they didn't know. They know and they don't care,

I'm grateful to everyone archiving the proof of people/organisations doubling down. They'll no doubt try and blitz the proof of what they promoted from their social media when the shit really hits the fan, but the receipts are out there.

Ah thanks yourhair

Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?

It's very common for courts to have regard to court decisions in other juridictions, for example see the very recent AB vs Tavistock case where the UK court in looking at puberty blockers and consent considered what had been decided in Australia:

The Australian cases
100. The Court's attention was directed to two Australian cases where the issue of the prescription of PBs to children has arisen. In Re Jamie [2013] Fam CAFC 110
101. However, in Re Kelvin [2017] CAFC 258
102. I place some weight on these Australian authorities because they were dealing with precisely the same treatment and the same legal issue

www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2021/741.html

Courts like to look at "home" decisions but when there isn't much "home" guidance they will look elsewhere if they can find other courts that have looked at the matters in question.

archive.ph/KcZ25

Aargh an article dated...

That share token takes me to an arrival dates 23 March 2017, how odd

Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?

I saw commentary at the time that certainly suggested that other countries, including the US, would reconsider their policy in response to the Keira Bell judgement.

Scotland is particularly shocking because after the judgement in the Keira Bell case, it seems extremely likely that someone would bring a similar case in Scotland. And of course there is an overlap between the Scottish and English health systems, with health professionals trained in one country practising in the other, patients moving between countries etc.

Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?

The first motivation, when we're talking about children's health and the best way to treat children ethically, is always to keep the child's best interests at the forefront, surely? Which means it's not about winning or losing a legal case, but about looking for clinical evidence for best practise. Unless one is arguing on the basis of what supports a particular ideology, I suppose.

Scotland and England have different legal systems. Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?

There are differences in English and Scottish legal systems however the specific findings of the Judicial Review in Bell v Tavistock which are based in medical ethics and Child Protection legal frameworks cannot/ should not be ignored in Scotland. The responsibilities to protect children in Scotland are the same as in England and Wales.
NHS services in Scotland would be expected to follow closely a finding that concerned children and informed consent in the English High Court.
Core legislation such as the Children Act is in place across the UK.

Scotland and England have different legal systems.

Yes, I'm aware of that, thank you.

Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?

I think when evidence comes to light in another country, it can be used to inform guidance elsewhere. For example, I believe Canada has changed its stance on the AZ vaccine based mainly on evidence from Germany (my understanding, anyway).

I would certainly expect the findings of the Keira Bell case to be used in evidence in a similar court case in the US. Common law countries will consider cases from other common law countries, even if they are not bound to follow the decisions.

But yes, I think it is entirely irresponsible of the Scottish clinics that are the equivalent of the Tavistock to ignore what came out of the Keira Bell case - i.e. that the evidence showing the safety and efficacy of puberty blockers is extremely weak and that the studies done to date leave a lot to be desired.

I found it appalling that Scotland just ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case.

Scotland and England have different legal systems. Are you also appalled that the US have ignored the findings of the Keira Bell case?