Hilary Cass sent a document to every single MP and Peer, justifying and defending the puberty blockers trial

[SingleSexSpacesInSchools]

https://x.com/JamesEsses/status/2075512549248745744?s=20

There are ten images on X, sorry can't add them all here, or upload a file with it all in.

There is a big assumption that all the parents of the children selected for the trial will be fully on board, will be the ones happy to get PBs for their child from the black market because they are the ones pushing this.

But what about those who are quietly horrified? The ones going along with it because they are terrified of losing their relationship with their child? The ones hoping against hope that the government will come it's senses and say 'no'?

In a sane world, we should be protecting kids from the first group and supporting those in the second. A PB trial is an utter betrayal of second group.

Assuming that they are somehow unable to say no to their child, they could always lie and tell their child they didn’t meet the entry criteria. Or lie to the doctors so they don’t meet the entry criteria.

Why should they have to? Why should parents of children with gender distress not be given the information about desistence rates with watchful waiting (60-90%) and support for their child’s comorbidities? Why must they lie to their child or the authorities to avoid medicalisation?

It’s very isolating trying to protect your child from medical malpractice when at a societal level medicalisation is seen to be the correct option.

Having to lie to or avoid institutions means no access to any treatment or support.

The suggestion was that parents should lie and consent to a trial that they don’t actually consent to. I mean, that’s a fairly bizarre scenario in the first place so why not add in to this extremely hypothetical scenario that they pretend to consent to keep their child happy but fudge the paperwork so the child isn’t accepted onto the trial and it’s all good?

Because some people have children experiencing gender distress and they are in the wilderness. The ban on PBs was helpful. This trial is unhelpful. It sends us back to square one. Suddenly PBs are not unsafe and parents who don’t want their children medicalised will be demonised again. Particularly by teachers participating in the school to clinic pipeline. I believe you are a teacher. Perhaps bear in mind that flippantly hand waving concerns could lead to devastating real life impacts to real children. This is not a joke

The idea that parents will be forced into signing a consent form for a trial that they don’t consent to by pressure from teachers(?) when the parent could simply say ‘they didn’t qualify’ when it’s suggested is stretching credulity somewhat.

And the kid doesn’t qualify. To qualify the parent has to want them to have puberty blockers.

So, just to clarify, the children who will be put forward for this "trial" will be those who have been brainwashed affirmatively into thinking they are the opposite sex, convinced that the magic sweeties are life-saving wish-granting potions without which they will literally die in desperation, unwilling to consider watchful waiting and genuine exploratory mental health support and therapy... and their parents are just as deluded and possibly even more so, having probably initiated the children's gender distress in the first place?

Remind me again, what objective outcomes are being measured in this trial, and are we seriously expecting anything but the most positive self-reporting of the most imaginative benefits?

You don't seem to understand the pressure parents are under from all sides when their child identifies as trans and demands puberty blockers. Not just from their child, but from people like activist teachers, doctors and social workers.

You also seem to think parents are extremely well-informed, when most of them will be getting their information from newspapers like the Guardian and believing MPs who declare that the drugs are harmless. They're also likely to believe that if Dr Cass has endorsed the trial then it must be safe for children.

No, they won't be forced with a gun to their heads, but they'll be under a lot of pressure, direct and perceived, to do so. And although they'll give "informed consent" in many cases their understanding will be far from complete.

I think you are looking at this very narrowly and underplaying the influence of The Establishment, in this case the medical profession and schools (amongst others institutions).

Of course an unconsenting parent cannot be forced to consent to their child being signed up to a medical trial. However, they can be influenced by people in positions of trust to give consent because they believe a trial will be safe.

Some parents have greater agency than others. Even with agency it is difficult to hold the line.

IMO this trial puts more pressure on parents to consent to medicalise their children. [Some] Adults with influence will continue to treat those who refuse as bigots. Of course not all teachers but in my experience there will be plenty that enjoy exerting moral superiority in this way.

Parents deserve empathy- they are in a very difficult position.

ETA and I don’t believe parents are being given the information they need to consent

You can’t positive think your way into a particular x-ray, blood test, urinalysis, MRI scan outcome.

Usually the idea is that parents should just tell their kids that they can’t change sex.

Now it is impossible to expect them not to actively sign their child up for, and lie about their consent to a clinical trial, even if the thought ‘horrifies’ them?

No, but given previous research, one would not expect devastating changes to the above in the 2 year span of the trial.

You can, however, positive think your way around the cursory mental health measures that have been proposed.

You have no idea how hard it is as a parent to tell your child they can’t change sex - or not hard to tell them but have them accept this - when their teachers say they can. When their school supports this and demonises the parents for saying no. When their child adopted the idea due to it being rampant in their school friendship group and when the school refuses to take any safeguarding action to protect their child from what is going on at school.

it’s very bloody hard. I think you blaming parents is downright cruel at this point.

You don’t actually have any idea about my personal experience.

The lack of understanding of what it is to be a parent, the different challenges you face with different ages along with the potential interactions that parents must make with schools, the NHS and other institutions is very stark isn't it?

If this "trial" really intended to dive into the harmful effects of these drugs, they'd be following up for way more than 2 years.

Let alone the fact that they cannot even define the medical condition that is being "treated" so how can they determine whether the benefit outweighs the harms? The condition basically boils down to "child says feels sad because reasons" so the "benefit" can only be "child says feels less sad on magic beans for less than 2 years". [Edit: and all under the constant influence of aforementioned equally invested parents]

In which case we're down to arguing over what level of "less sad" overrides what level of worrying x-ray, blood test, urinalysis, MRI scans.

It is my considered opinion that anyone who knew that they would be subjected to MRI scans they otherwise would not have to have, would not volunteer for any trial involving them.

They are planning to follow up for more than 2 years.

At this rate the parents that try and put the kids off will be in jail for 5 years under the 'conversation practices' legislation long after the kids have been through the trial and are then on the cross sex hormones.

I have been vaguely wondering how you convert someone from something they are not.

It is my considered opinion that anyone who knew that they would be subjected to MRI scans they otherwise would not have to have, would not volunteer for any trial involving them.

Really? That must be just you as I have had several MRI scans & would happily have more. It's a bit boring is all.

IMO this trial puts more pressure on parents to consent to medicalise their children. [Some] Adults with influence will continue to treat those who refuse as bigots. Of course not all teachers but in my experience there will be plenty that enjoy exerting moral superiority in this way.
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Parents deserve empathy- they are in a very difficult position.
ETA and I don’t believe parents are being given the information they need to consent

The very existence of this trial will be used by advocates to argue "PBs cannot be that unsafe or the NHS would not permit the trial to proceed", whilst the outright ban at least took that option off the table.

So so many bloody sanctimonious and borderline aggressive educational, therapeutic, and healthcare professionals are fully onboard with the idea of the ‘trans child’. Every parent navigating these dark choppy waters has my full sympathy. It is hard. Not necessarily on the trans issue, but I have decades of experience leading me to approach child related services with great caution.

And I agree that parents will not be given the kind of research that is shared on these threads. Young autistic males I know accessing gender services are told about loss of fertility (do you mind not being able to father children? No, fine then, I’ll prescribe CSHs) but nothing else.

Yes and the constant slippery sliding away from the essential questions of "what exactly is being treated?" and "how would we measure success?"

I'm pretty sure the funding is only for the two years. Follow up will be only on NHS records.

No, they have funding for further follow-up and just need approval.