The United Nations has put out a statement on how member states can protect the human rights of #LGBTI people during the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights @mbachelet is a paediatric surgeon. She supports trans rights. As should you. #TransHealthcareNow
In the UK we have already seen:
- De-prioritization of trans health services
- Increase in homophobic and transphobic rhetoric
- Increased exposure to violence, & anxiety & depression of LGBT youth in unsupportive homes
- Impacts of higher unemployment ohchr.org/Documents/Issu…
Right now in the UK under Coronavirus all new and changing prescriptions for trans youth healthcare (hormone blockers & HRT) are suspended in the single monopoly service. There is no alternative option.
The Equalities minister has been prioritising anti trans youth rhetoric.
Tory MPs have been singling out visible trans people for public ridicule & attack on social media.
Reports of domestic violence are increasing. LGBT children & young people are disproportionately impacted.
Covid-19 is having an unknown but frightening impact on trans youth.
Lots of people are having a tough time. I have heard from disabled people, autistic people, deaf people, single parents, people of colour all of whom have been failed by a government who have failed to consider anyone who is different from themselves & the impact of isolation.
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I've been reading of the Finland youth gender centre in Tampere which the Cass review lauds. It was recently revealed the head of the centre is on the Cass advisory group. CW In following tweets I relate extremely disturbing accounts from parents & youth of what they endured 1/
This is by 'Spinner' for Kehraaja (Nightjar in Finnish) 19.3.2021 "Describe to me how you masturbate?" - the position of trans youth in the treatment system is bleak" 2/kehraaja.com/kuvaile-minull…
Content Warning in the article is as follows "we recommend using discretion when reading, as the text may shock readers. The text discusses, among other things, medical power and its use, possible violations of a child's sexual integrity, and measures aimed at trans youth." 3/
There is a bad science story in Today's Daily Mail. Where an anti Trans academic has published a new study - the headline claiming Puberty Blockers lowers IQ in Trans youth. It took me 5 mins to find the study.
Here's some quick fact checking on this research: 1/
1) The study 'The Impact of Suppressing Puberty on Neuropsychological Function' Baxindale S. is pre-print & has not been peer reviewed. It is not clear where or when it will be published. A quick review sees some common factors in anti Trans studies such as 'cherry picking' 2/
2) The 'Study' presents no new data, it is a literature review, front ended with common anti Trans talking points. Many of these look familiar to simliar outputs from the author including on anti Trans lobby group Transgender Trend's website. 3/
BREAKING: WPATH release statement on NHS Trans health interim service specification for children & young people "An unconscionable degree of state intusion into personal & family medical decision making" with "serious flaws...likely to cause enormous harm" #TransHealthCrisis
WPATH, ASIAPATH, EPATH, PATHA, and USPATH Response to NHS England Statement regarding the Interim Service Specification for the Specialist Service for Children and Young People with Gender Dysphoria (Phase 1 Providers) by NHS England* listloop.com/wpath/mail.cgi…
This is one of the best crafted, and referenced critiques I have ever read. To be issued by the deeply conservative WPATH & by all major international Trans health organisations, demonstrates just how far the NHS has strayed into moral panic over evidenced based Trans healthcare.
If a post adolescent Trans young person can give consent, has both support at home and from their medical team, then there should be a route to gender surgeries where that young person wants and understands the treatments involved. I'm very glad WPATH SoC8 gives space for this.
For those who criticise this opinion, I'd reply that other people's medical care is none of your business. That these are personal decisions which are carefully considered by the people best placed to make them. Body autonomy is a human right.
There is a lot of evidence that Trans people delay their education, relationships, jobs. Those who are able to receive the appropriate healthcare for them & at the appropriate time, are able to more quickly reach their transition goals & stop delaying important life milestones.
Reminder that Puberty blockers were first used for trans health in 1988. The adolescents who received them, in the Netherlands, are now in their late 40's & doing great according to decades of follow up studies. This treatment is not experimental it is evidenced best practice.
I've made an effort to build a curated list of research in the last 5 years that supports a Trans affirmative approach to healthcare & education. There are over 100 studies referenced here
"We need more research about Transgender children" is the claim (by those who argue against Trans healthcare).
Well, here's just some of the research that's been carried out in the last 5 years supporting the finding that Trans healthcare is healthcare THREAD: 1/
Mental health and self-worth in socially transitioned transgender youth. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Durwood, L., McLaughlin, K. A., & Olson, K. R. (2017) doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac… 2/
Prepubertal social gender transitions: What we know; what we can learn—A view from a gender affirmative lens. International Journal of Transgender Studies Ehrensaft, D., Giammattei, S. V., Storck, K., Tishelman, A. C., & Keo-Meier, C. (2018). doi.org/10.1080/155327… 3/