Besides Cass - UK Trends in Gender Medicine

[UtopiaPlanitia]

Came across this tweet thread on Twix and a linked article, thought I’d post it here for others to read:

Article - https://genderstats.substack.com/p/besides-cass-uk-trends-in-gender

Tweets -
https://x.com/chester_fence/status/1870103940181660114

1/n) In my article (link in bio, of course free), I summarized and analyzed official NHS data to get a grasp about the state and trends of 'gender medicine' in the UK. Here is a short summary of the main insights. The biggest concern: A sharp rise in 'female-to-male' genital surgeries combined with a fairly low average age of patients.

(2/n) It is important to remind that there is no systematic evidence that medical transition improves mental health outcomes for distressed individuals including adults.

The studies cited rely on a combination of self-reported outcomes, simple after/before comparisons and very small sample sizes. That tells us nothing about the counterfactual or hypothetical scenario, i.e. what would have happened to a patient had they not undergone medical transition.

Without such evidence and given the inevitable sterility and huge complications, the "adults-can-do-what-they-like" argument still ignores that this is a highly unethical treatment option. Also, paediatric gender transition mostly came from poor "passing" and hence adult transition, so it is not clear to me how we can make such a clean cut distinction between the two.

3/n) Within (English) NHS gender clinics, the rate at which gender dysphoria (for everyone) is being diagnosed seems to largely go on unabated. In 2023/2024, almost 6000 patients received a diagnosis and if treatment hasn't changed, a sizeable fraction of these individuals will medically transition to some degree. Link to graph

4/n) What about kids? This is somewhat a follow-up graph on the famous GIDS referral graph. It shows the annual number of minors receiving the diagnosis "gender dysphoria of childhood". Whether or not the dip in 2023 is a result of increased scrutiny due to the Cass Interim Report or patients moving to private providers is an open question. Link to graph

5/n) Now to (genital) surgeries: In total: 498 genital surgeries in the last NHS financial year. This is a 5-fold increase since 2000. While more men undergo genital surgeries, 'FtM' surgeries have seen a sharp increase in the last year. These surgeries are not effective and often have terrible side effects. Link to graph

6/n) What is also very concerning is that patients seeking phalloplasty tend to be much younger than males seeking "MtF" surgeries. For England, in 2015 for 'FtM' the average age was 23, for 'MtF' well above 40. Unfortunately, the NHS England statistics do not publish age specific data anymore after 2015 on anything gender medicine related because "privacy concerns". Link to graph

Creating lifelong patients, removing healthy body parts on the basis of 'gender identity', costing the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds - and that's before the lawsuits even get started.

It's a huge medical scandal.

When everything is finally laid bare, it will go down as a horrific period in history IMO.

The FtM surgeries age 23 may be a form of self-harm imo.

I also came across that yesterday and rt and saved it as it's such a good thread.

I agree it's a form of self harm. Some have said it's the new anorexia. The data is starting to look like it.

Without such evidence and given the inevitable sterility and huge complications, the "adults-can-do-what-they-like" argument still ignores that this is a highly unethical treatment option. Also, paediatric gender transition mostly came from poor "passing" and hence adult transition, so it is not clear to me how we can make such a clean cut distinction between the two.

Well exactly. Either it's a medical condition and there should be good evidence this is a suitable and effective treatment, especially to get public funding, or it's cosmetic and adults can do what they like and pay for it themselves.

We need to start asking re trans children: do you think they're transvestites, transsexuals or agp?

The terminology has muddied the water and sprayed rainbows and glitter on the surface.

I’m inclined to agree because the genital surgery in particular has a very poor outcome for female patients and it is misguided of surgeons to carry out surgery that will have life-limiting effects in order to assuage a mental health issue.

I see young women suffering because of aspects of modern culture and the surgeons carrying out operations on healthy bodies - whether it’s Kardashian-style ‘tweakments’ or ‘sex change’ procedures - are irresponsible and contributing to huge amounts of body dysmorphia and the belief that surgery is low risk and can fix everything one hates about one’s body and therefore one’s life.

Thought this would be a good thread to add this excellent talk by Sarah Phillimore: