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Social transition, ie an end to the daily rejection of our daughter, is the most important thing we could have done for her. For GIDS to say to BBC that they do not recommend social transition is outrageous negligence of their duty of care to trans kids. 1/
Health services in US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, advise parents not to reject their trans kids. They cite the evidence of the known harm of rejection. They emphasise the importance of kids feeling accepted, safe, loved 2/
Health service in UK recommends parents to continue rejecting their trans kids indefinitely. For years and years and years. They cite no evidence for this recommendation (occasionally citing an old Dutch study sample size two, neither of whom socially transitioned 3/
They do not share with parents the evidence of the harm of denying and rejecting trans kids. They do not share with parents the examples of trans adults who wish they had not been rejected as kids 4/
They do not share with parents the hundreds of examples I know in the UK where love and acceptance let our kids thrive and soar. Where end of rejection let our kids be happy and able to make friends and able to enjoy school,able to enjoy their childhood 5/
I have met well meaning parents who are continuing to reject their child, often against their own instinct, based purely on this advice from GIDS. They are watching their kid's mental health sink 6/
I have met loving parents who want to support their child, who are less priviliged than me, who do not feel able to support their child without GIDS explicit endorsement. From some clinicians this endorsement never comes 7/
Parents / carers who are in more vulnerable positions, those who are minorities, who have mental health challenges, custody challenges, those with social services involved, working class parents with less social capital, often have greater need for GIDS endorsement 8/
Even for supportive families, GIDS media messaging puts a big target on our backs. It makes us feel extremely vulnerable. Makes it harder for us to persuade our families, or friends, our schools to support our child. 9/
GIDS messaging puts a big question mark over our parenting. NHS is so trusted, that pple cannot believe NHS could possibly provide harmful guidance. So that scrutiny & doubt hangs over us supportive families. It causes a lot of damage, broken relationships, mental illness 10/
Loving & supporting a trans child is not a brave thing to do. But in the UK in 2019 it feels like you need to be brave to do it. I hold GIDS directly responsible. Some parents cannot handle this, and this directly impacts trans kids. 11/
Why is UK GIDS allowed to give advice that directly contradicts the advice given in US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand? With zero evidence for this harmful approach. With zero accountability to trans communities. Zero accountability to trans kids. 12/
My child has blossomed since we stopped rejecting her. She is thriving. I know hundreds of trans kids who are thriving. Why does noone in the NHS listen? Why does no one in the NHS care? Why don't children's rights orgs care? Why don't trans rights orgs care? 13/
Trans kids are awesome. Trans kids can be happy. Trans kids should all have happy childhoods. Happy, supported trans kids can play and learn and grow up with self esteem and self worth. Trans kids deserve so much better. Speak up for trans kids - Trans kids need allies 14/end
Add on: Wren (GIDS second in charge) advised rejection of young trans kids in her academic paper earlier this year. At a healthcare conference this year she met Jo Olson Kennedy, head of the largest US trans children's clinic, who is an actual medical doctor (Wren is not) 15/
Jo Olson Kennedy (US paediatrician) said it was absurd to think a clinician would know a person's gender better than that person themself. That it is the clinician's job to listen to what each child says about their gender, to believe them, to trust tj, to support them 16/
Wren (GIDS psychoanalytical psychologist) disagreed. Said that she often meets trans kids who are settled. Who are confident in their gender. She said that her job, is to "rattle" that certainty. This is so shocking and unacceptable. 17/
This was said in a conference plenary. It was widely shared on twitter. & no one even cares (no one with any power or influence). If you read this & care, if you don't have power or influence directly, please at least share your feelings with those who have some influence 18/
For too the harm caused to trans kids by GIDS has been allowed to continue, without even strong criticism from those advocating for trans rights. There is nopre time for prevarication. GIDS is broken at the core and this needs to be widely raised 19/
Let's get this straight. GIDS is more harm than good for young trans kids. It is more harm than good for kids who are not supported. It is no use for kids who get referred at start of puberty. It is zero use for majority referred at age 15, 16 or 17. It's broken at its core. 20/
