Category: Comment and Analysis

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My Message to Clinicians on the Overlap Between Autism & Gender Dysphoria

Maia Poet, a 26-year-old independent writer, examines the relationship between autism and gender dysphoria, arguing it often reflects untreated neurodevelopmental distress. During her speech at the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Maia explores the metaphor of being “born in the wrong body” and the feelings of disembodiment many neurodiverse young people experience. She argues that the diagnosis of gender dysphoria may overlook the true needs of neurodiverse youth, and advocates a psycho-social approach instead of medical intervention.

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Children and young people's gender services Comment and Analysis Evidence Based Healthcare Homepage slider

Wes Streeting’s Review of Cross-Sex Hormones: a step forward but still a long way to go

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Photo by Elijah O'Donnell on Pexels.com

It’s good to hear that there will be a review of private prescribing of cross sex hormones for under 18s, but what is long overdue is a review of prescribing to under 18s within the NHS. It is scandalous that the current NHS policy to prescribe these has not been updated since the Cass Review finding of no good quality evidence of benefit, as well as increasing concerns about irreversible and harmful long term effects.

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Children and young people's gender services Comment and Analysis Puberty blockers

The Cass Review and the BMA: the story of a u-turn

In July, the British Medical Association (BMA) Council voted to oppose the Cass Review recommendations on transgender healthcare for children and young people, prompting an open letter signed by over 1000 members criticising this decision. The BMA reversed its decision in September, adopting a position of “neutrality”.

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Comment and Analysis youth gender transition

UKs leading expert denounces false claims on suicide in gender questioning young people

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Prevention of harm especially to children and young people is one of the most important aims of all health professionals. The death by suicide of a young person is a tragedy and the ripples of effect of such a profoundly shocking event have been estimated to affect many dozens of people in each case. Health […]

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Comment and Analysis Evidence Based Healthcare International perspectives Research

Scandalous suppression of research on transgender health

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) has suppressed evidence that contradicts its policies, influenced by activist clinicians. Unsealed documents reveal WPATH’s efforts to control Johns Hopkins University’s research findings and remove age thresholds for treatments. WPATH’s guidelines lack rigour and evidence transparency, and its influence in the World Health Organization transgender guideline development group poses reputational risk to WHO. The revelations suggest a need for health providers to disassociate from WPATH’s influence to avoid potential harm and legal issues.

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Comment and Analysis Evidence Based Healthcare International perspectives

Letter to WHO expressing new concerns about influence of WPATH on transgender guideline development

The World Professional Organisation for Transgender Health (WPATH) faces allegations of research malfeasance, prompting concerns about its influence on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) transgender health guideline development group. CAN-SG wrote to WHO urging it to suspend the guideline development process, citing a serious reputational risk.

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Comment and Analysis review

Questions for candidates

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Candidates in the general election can be asked important questions related to sex and gender in healthcare, such as their views on the Cass Review and proposed Conversion Practices legislation. Other relevant topics include self-ID legislation, gender identity teaching in schools, changes to the NHS Constitution, and the need for accurate language and data collection in healthcare. Contact your local candidates at: whocanivotefor.co.uk.

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Children and young people's gender services Comment and Analysis Ethics Evidence Based Healthcare International perspectives

WPATH files

Recently released documentation of internal discussions between members of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, including authors of WPATH’s Standards of Care, reveal profound ignorance and lack of concern for the harms and lack of evidence for gender medical and surgical interventions, and a shocking disregard for medial ethics. The WPATH Files Leaked internal […]

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Children and young people's gender services Comment and Analysis International perspectives

The 2023 Dutch Debate Over Youth Transitions

Medical, legal, and cultural debate over the practice of youth gender transitions has come to the birthplace of the Dutch Protocol The following is an extract from an article on the Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine’s website about the beginnings of discussion and debate in the Netherlands about the practice of gender transition in […]

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Comment and Analysis Conversion therapy

British mental healthcare responses to adult homosexuality and gender non-conforming children at the turn of the twenty-first century

This paper by Professor David Pilgrim, Department of Psychology at University of Southampton, is a timely examination of the history of two distinct current clinical positions, that could help us understand and contextualise concerns about legislation to include gender identity in a ban on “conversion therapy”. The first is from those advocating an ‘affirmative approach’ […]

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Comment and Analysis International perspectives

Denmark Joins the List of Countries That Have Sharply Restricted Youth Gender Transitions

This article appeared on the website of the Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine and is reproduced here with their permission. segm.org 17 Aug 2023 The journal of the Danish Medical Association “Ugeskrift for Læger” confirms the change has occurred quietly but resolutely A major medical journal Ugeskrift for Læger,  the Journal of the Danish Medical Association, […]

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Children and young people's gender services Comment and Analysis

A response to Dr Helen Webberley’s open letter to Dr Hilary Cass

A response from the Clinical Advisory Network on Sex and Gender to Dr Helen Webberley’s open letter to Dr Hilary Cass, Chair of the Independent Review of Gender Identity Services for Children and Young PeopleC Dr Helen Webberley’s challenge to Dr Hilary Cass recycles the inaccuracies and misconceptions that have resulted in far too many […]

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Comment and Analysis Sex and gender in language, medicine, science and healthcare

When we are at our most vulnerable

The Women’s Rights Network (WRN) reviewed police data revealing 6,539 reported cases of sexual assault in UK hospitals from 2019 to 2022. The WRN’s report suggests that NHS Trusts are failing in their duty to protect patients and staff due to inadequate data on sexual offences. The report recommends more comprehensive data collection and improved safety measures, including single-sex exemptions for hospital wards. The goal is to better understand and address the causes of hospital-based violence leading to a safer environment.