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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Please could you invite Hilary Cass?

134 replies

kiterunning · 16/10/2024 08:44

There are so many questions about the follow-up to her report.
It would be great to have a chance to clarify proposed treatment/therapy for children and also to thank her!

OP posts:
Zeagull · 17/10/2024 09:28

ArabellaScott · 17/10/2024 08:53

'MN is seen as a very bias place'

By whom?

I’m guessing tra subreddits?

MessinaBloom · 17/10/2024 09:29

SqueakyDinosaur · 17/10/2024 07:17

@MessinaBloom I am genuinely interested in what sort of question might be asked from the position of opposition to Dr Cass' report. I don't know what your views are, but assuming they don't fall within what I suspect we'd agree on as the prevailing ones on MN, what would you like to ask her? Or alternatively, what do you think people with GI views would want to ask her?

For the record, one question I'd like to ask her would be, "Looking at the whole cycle of your report, from commissioning and scoping through to publication and response, what advice would you give to Professor Emily Simanoff, who's leading the adult equivalent of the process which produced your report?"

I'm not in opposition to Dr Cass' It's interesting that posters think I might. I welcome it.

What I don't enjoy is the idea of occasional different thought being considered 'plopping'. That is obstructive to robust debate and reductive.

SharonEllis · 17/10/2024 09:33

I would be very interested.

kiterunning · 17/10/2024 10:00

@MessinaBloom
It isn't the 'occasional different thought' that I am referring to.
I'm sure you are aware of the handful of posters that appear on cue to derail discussion.

OP posts:
Waitwhat23 · 17/10/2024 10:07

kiterunning · 17/10/2024 10:00

@MessinaBloom
It isn't the 'occasional different thought' that I am referring to.
I'm sure you are aware of the handful of posters that appear on cue to derail discussion.

And in fact, pride themselves on doing so. A couple of the misogynist monitors have been very open about it.

BonfireLady · 17/10/2024 10:10

MessinaBloom · 17/10/2024 05:30

This post alone has me thinking that Hilary Cass is better served by giving the echo chamber that is Mumsnet a miss. "Ploppers", indeed. They are just voices they don't exactly match the prevailing views of FWR.

A "plopper" is someone who asks a deliberately provocative/controversial question but doesn't return to join in the conversation.

One unintended consequence that ploppers will no doubt see (if they bother to really think about the types of responses that they get) is that there is no "echo chamber" at all. Often their OPs will generate vigorous debate, even though most/many people in the discussion share a common lack of belief that we all have a gender identity.

TBF if MNHQ does set up a Q&A thread to invite questions in advance, everyone is a "plopper" because we're not starting a conversation thread with Baroness Cass: we're asking a question and not interacting further with her response to it.

I agree with PPs who have said that dissenting voices should be included in the Q&A. I should imagine as with all questions, there will be themes emerging. Unfortunately one common theme that still emerges from the "dissent" camp is around the methodology of the research - even the BMA is bizarrely effectively doing its own repeat of the Cass Report to validate everything.... led by a geriatrician. I say "unfortunately" because Baroness Cass has already addressed the methodology question in her public facing Q&A on the Cass Report website. It simply seems that there are some people who don't like the answer.

Edited to reflect that Dr Cass is now Baroness Cass.

Also to add that it beggars belief that the BMA think they can somehow do a better job in one year than Baroness Cass did in four. They'll barely scratch the surface of everything she achieved... especially as their position of "neutrality" starts with the premise that they are supporting "trans children". Perhaps they didn't quite understand what David Bell meant when he spoke about the risk of using the phrase "trans child" and how it forecloses on the outcome of any therapeutic exploration. If so, it's rather worrying - I had hoped that doctors would understand this kind of thing better than random members of the public like me.

overdog · 17/10/2024 10:14

Yes please!

Sallosaurus · 17/10/2024 10:44

Yes please and thank you 🙏

BrightGreenLeaves · 17/10/2024 10:55

Yep!

MessinaBloom · 17/10/2024 11:00

@BonfireLady

A "plopper" is someone who asks a deliberately provocative/controversial question but doesn't return to join in the conversation.

One unintended consequence that ploppers will no doubt see (if they bother to really think about the types of responses that they get) is that there is no "echo chamber" at all. Often their OPs will generate vigorous debate, even though most/many people in the discussion share a common lack of belief that we all have a gender identity.

I know what a plopper is; I've been called one, even though I've engaged in the conversation. I've been called all kinds of names. I disagree on the echo chamber - there just isn't a diversity of posters or of thought. Anyone slightly different faces a wall of scorn.

ellenback21 · 17/10/2024 11:18

Yes please.

ItReallyWasAgathaAllAlong · 17/10/2024 11:28

Yes please!

BonfireLady · 17/10/2024 12:01

MessinaBloom · 17/10/2024 11:00

@BonfireLady

A "plopper" is someone who asks a deliberately provocative/controversial question but doesn't return to join in the conversation.

One unintended consequence that ploppers will no doubt see (if they bother to really think about the types of responses that they get) is that there is no "echo chamber" at all. Often their OPs will generate vigorous debate, even though most/many people in the discussion share a common lack of belief that we all have a gender identity.

I know what a plopper is; I've been called one, even though I've engaged in the conversation. I've been called all kinds of names. I disagree on the echo chamber - there just isn't a diversity of posters or of thought. Anyone slightly different faces a wall of scorn.

Well, if it helps to know, I'm currently experiencing a repetition of "scorn" on a different thread. Hopefully it was just a single comment and won't snowball like it did last time I interacted directly with this person.

Anyway, back on topic: if you've got a question for Baroness Cass, please do add it in. Obviously it's worth checking she's not already covered it in her FAQs as it would be somewhat pointless (as it would for anyone else who did that).

WomenInConstruction · 17/10/2024 12:04

She took on a really challenging task, potentially quite a poisoned chalice and incredibly stressful but also important. And pulled it off very well. She must be quite an incredible lady, I would love to see / join in a conversation with her.

VegasVagabond · 17/10/2024 12:04

This would be great.

It's a key area of debate for many on MN and there are varied views on here.
It would be great to see how Hilary Cass would respond to challenging questions about her work.
Bring it on, a range of questions representing varied viewpoints would be great to see.

BonfireLady · 17/10/2024 12:12

@VegasVagabond I hope you don't mind but I'm sharing your comment from a different thread here...

Obviously I don't expect Baroness Cass to be able to offer an opinion on what on earth might be going on here (she'll need to avoid answering it, I'm sure) but..... it's right up there on WTAF-ometer and adds an important context to this thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5187824-new-childrens-gender-identity-clinic-clinical-trials-and-cass?reply=139097845&utm_campaign=reply&utm_medium=share

Page 3 | New children's gender identity clinic, clinical trials and Cass | Mumsnet

I'm a regular here but have named changed. I have come across an advert for a psychologist at the new GI clinic for children in Nottingham. I am conc...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5187824-new-childrens-gender-identity-clinic-clinical-trials-and-cass?reply=139097845

musicalfrog · 17/10/2024 12:12

Yes please 🙏

DameMaud · 17/10/2024 12:15

BonfireLady · 17/10/2024 12:12

@VegasVagabond I hope you don't mind but I'm sharing your comment from a different thread here...

Obviously I don't expect Baroness Cass to be able to offer an opinion on what on earth might be going on here (she'll need to avoid answering it, I'm sure) but..... it's right up there on WTAF-ometer and adds an important context to this thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5187824-new-childrens-gender-identity-clinic-clinical-trials-and-cass?reply=139097845&utm_campaign=reply&utm_medium=share

Yes BonfireLady, I was just reading that and thought it would be a highly pertinent question to raise; ie. In what ways can we have confidence that that the recommendations are being followed in practice, if there seems to be evidence counter to that.

Chrysanthemum5 · 17/10/2024 12:45

I think this would be great and a real opportunity to have a sensible conversation about this topic

Runor · 17/10/2024 13:04

Yes, I would be really interested in this

Theydontknowaboutus · 17/10/2024 13:05

Yes, would be interested

UtopiaPlanitia · 17/10/2024 17:16

Dame Hilary is a woman who’s made an important contribution to public life and to paediatric medicine so I think inviting her to a Mumsnet event is a great idea.

Is it feasible to do a livestream video event with Justine (or other host) posing questions from Mumsnetters? I think that would be a better format than the usual guest threads where fewer questions get answered because reading and typing responses takes longer than speaking.

BoreOfWhabylon · 17/10/2024 17:55

UtopiaPlanitia · 17/10/2024 17:16

Dame Hilary is a woman who’s made an important contribution to public life and to paediatric medicine so I think inviting her to a Mumsnet event is a great idea.

Is it feasible to do a livestream video event with Justine (or other host) posing questions from Mumsnetters? I think that would be a better format than the usual guest threads where fewer questions get answered because reading and typing responses takes longer than speaking.

Great idea!

PronounsBaby · 17/10/2024 18:16

Yes please

SophiaCohle · 17/10/2024 19:06

I would personally be very interested in this but I can't believe she'd agree to it. Mumsnet is widely known as the last bastion of gender critical discussion and I would think there's a risk that appearing here would lay her open to criticisms of bias and tarnish her professional reputation. I know the trans ideologues already love to hate her but I'm thinking of her standing with politicians, the mainstream media and the medical establishment. But hey, she's a grown up and can decline if she thinks so too.