Cass review - out on Wednesday

[ArabellaScott]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/06/children-socially-transition-face-grave-psychological-risks/

Major.

@BackToLurk how to twist a very sensible recommendation!

Yes, I saw Whittome's diatribe. She's so out of her depth here.

Helen Joyce was extremely good on the radio.

Depressingly the TRAs are painting this as some kind of 'ooo they're saying under 25s are children, best not let them join the army then'. A view that's predictably being retweeted by the likes of Bragg & Jones. It's almost like Billy Boy & OJ haven't read the report

Interestingly, the Tavi (not GIDS) have been long term advocates for offering adolescent services into the early 20s. In psychoanalytic terms, adolescence is seen as a vital period that is different to adulthood.

Isn't it the case in Scotland, for eg, that for the purposes of criminal justice under 25s aren't treated in the same way?

They're mainly focusing on the fact that the report discounted 50 out of 52 studies (because the methodology was so poor) which they're claiming is showing bias. Also saying it's a transphobic stitch up.

The peaking that will stem from today's report is going to be a thing of beauty over the next few days, weeks and months.

Obviously the difficult part will be people having to get their heads around the biggest medical scandal of recent times and the idea that thousands of young people have been irrerversibly harmed 😢 Most people will not want to feel that they were a part of it, so will reconcile their own previous silence in different ways.

Even the ripple effect of Helen Joyce (finally!) on the BBC will have its own momentum.

I realised I didn't quite finish off a sentence earlier. I meant to say that the scandal that is impacting children and young people is the most accessible part of the debate after women's sports. The concepts of unfairness (even primary school boys are generally faster than girls, before puberty kicks in) and safety (once you realise there is no evidence base, there's no way back) are the easiest for the public to grasp as a point of reference in the context of both of these issues. After this, the other issues like social transition in schools, conversion therapy, prisons, changing rooms and the erasure of the word woman etc become a lot easier to process. Today's threshold is incredibly significant.

I'm changing the numbers slightly but I've never forgotten a systematic review for which I was a reviewer. The topic was a very widespread intervention that affects a substantial demographic.

The initial literature search returned approx. 60,000 hits. After applying specific criteria and de-duplications, the number reduced substantially. Finally, there were fewer than 30 studies, only two of which were usable (not gold standard in design, not a decent sample size, poor methodology).

Yep. God knows what they make of organisations like Young Minds.

I know Cass was concentrating on the treatment.

The government now need a report on the ideology.

Cass confirmed that children were influenced online. The depth of it really needs to be exposed.

In the coming days, I'll be speaking to experts, relevant organisations, and trans people themselves to better understand the report and its implications.

I will continue to call for trans people's voices and wishes to be centred in changes that affect them

I couldn't be more enthusiastic about drilling down into the experience of adult trans people. Looking at their backgrounds, their upbringing, confirming what they say, the lot. A study, in fact.

God yes, the CAMHS to adult services is a mess where I am. We actually moved over the borough border so that my eldest could use the neighbouring ‘extended service’ instead.

Paediatric cancer care seems to have a much better handover, although we’re not at that stage yet. Will report back in 5 years!

Even the ripple effect of Helen Joyce (finally!) on the BBC will have its own momentum.

Oh my GAWD! I missed that.

They're mainly focusing on the fact that the report discounted 50 out of 52 studies (because the methodology was so poor) which they're claiming is showing bias. Also saying it's a transphobic stitch up

I think there is also a prevailing view amongst TRAs that the only evidence worth anything is lived experience (experts through experience). I think this is because they operate from the position that the goal of intervention is transition (I presume they assume this will also deliver wellbeing). Cass is operating from the position that the goal is wellbeing and does not assume that transition will or won't deliver this.

They are very limited in their thinking and understanding of the wider lens. Once gender is in the frame, nothing else seems to matter.

So many of the young people I work with think that if they transition, the new them won't have any of the troubles they presently have. Perseverating on gender shuts out all their other anxieties, but doesn't make them go away. Clinician's roles are to help the young person understand all of their challenges (the wider lens) and guide them through how to address/tackle each one. It is very unlikely that transition will remain a goal once this happens.

Therapy is really hard. I can understand the lure of 'transitioning' when you current life is totally shit, especially when social media and MSM is full of people selling snake oil

They're mainly focusing on the fact that the report discounted 50 out of 52 studies (because the methodology was so poor) which they're claiming is showing bias. Also saying it's a transphobic stitch up.

Gender identity research is often terrible, it's hardly surprising, also there are disincentives to conduct more robust research because TRAs know what it will say, which is why gender clinics wouldn't play ball.🎱

Just checking in, as still very busy, but following closely. The utter relief I feel reading this is itself both wonderful and disturbing. I never thought I'd live through a period of groupthink of this kind. Thank goodness for this review. Thank goodness for further evidence that a refusal to use wrong-sex pronouns for children isn't necessarily bigotry, but rather something that may well be the most ethical and supportive approach an adult can take. It's been eye-opening to see this ideology take hold, and the evolution of increasingly public, organised challenges to it. A horrifying object lesson in how susceptible society is to authoritarian thinking, populist politics and herd mentality. And how easily cowed into silence people can be.

One thing others may have commented on in any one of the several threads I'm failing to catch up on...

I find it interesting that there are repeated comments on the "toxicity" of the debate & "both sides" etc.... but after several hours' reading now, I've not yet seen a concrete example of this on the GC "side", whether in the report itself (although barely skimmed yet) or the reporting on it. In contrast, there are endless references to a culture of fear and intimidation etc. stifling debate and action, and these all allude to the pro-affirmation "side" (eg. clinicians scared to get involved who refer to GIDs as a result, psychologists fearful of questioning who affirm instead).

Just one thought after a little reading, with which others may or may not agree.

Didn't mean to put an 8 ball in but it kind of fits!

It is decidedly so.

I went to a dinosaur museum (well prehistoric marine reptile museum this morning) it didn't take long to look round it, so we went to a nearby tank museum. I wondered if I might run into R... a certain someone so I could laugh in his face.

Fortunately, probably for both of us, if he was there I didn't see him.

I think there is also a prevailing view amongst TRAs that the only evidence worth anything is lived experience (experts through experience). I think this is because they operate from the position that the goal of intervention is transition (I presume they assume this will also deliver wellbeing). Cass is operating from the position that the goal is wellbeing and does not assume that transition will or won't deliver this.

They are very limited in their thinking and understanding of the wider lens. Once gender is in the frame, nothing else seems to matter.

Yes, perfectly put.

@IcakethereforeIam apparently they have written an article for the Independent - it’s behind a paywall so I can’t access it.

The Independent has a paywall?

I thought it was a time bomb! My eyesight...

Not sure if there is a separate thread but wow. This woman has a way with words... It's almost like she has a gift.

Phenomenal post from JKR on X:
https://twitter.com/jk_rowling/status/1778105223728255439?t=Mrq1-X7A6TTTRSHqN9yjkg&s=19

I rather like the fact the Cass Review has a whole section on what makes a good study and what makes a bad study and the hierarchy of different types of research.

It's like Research for Dummies. And the reaction saying it's transphobic in that context only serve the findings of the Cass Review, highlight who has read it and which idiots should definitely not be listened to. In a formalised way.

Some screenshots....