Extraordinary that Guidance for Trans pupils in schools which has been in place from 2015 is being withdrawn or reviewed by local authorities following an anti trans campaign & a request for a judicial review, fronted by Christian Legal Centre affiliated team @commonslibrary
Christian Legal Centre has a long history of threatening to Judicial Reviews to challenge LGBT & Women's Rights. Including attempting actions against the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; Against Government for At Home Abortions during Covid & bans on Church openings
They supported James Caspian, an MA student who sort a Judical Review after his research essay project (on transgender issues) was sent back for revisions by an Ethics Committee. They supported a Social work student who was expelled for stating "same sex marriage is a sin"
In each of these many cases, supported by Christian Concern or their affiliated lawyers, I have yet to find a judicial review which they have been successful in. Nor have I found examples of policies which have been withdrawn or suspended following the granting of those reviews
Evangelical Groups, support judicial reviews, not because they think they will win them, but for Publicity & to generate Funding for their lobbying activities. Why is this different? Several authorities have withdrawn Transgender school policies pending the outcome of this review
Why is the @commonslibrary commenting publicly on Twitter that they are updating their guidance to MPs on the Gender Recognition Act because it does not yet include reference to a Judicial Review on the Oxfordshire policy?
It is because of systemic Transphobia.
It is because these policies support transgender kids, (everyone's favourite topic of moral panic). It is because children, especially trans children, are an easy target, without a voice, without representation & with little support.
The official information MPs have access to, to aid decision making on debates about gender recognition act reform, is being actively manipulated by anti-trans lobbyists. All it took was a judicial review in a single education authority by an evangelical lawyer.
This the latest in a pattern of systemic anti LGBT editing of official info. See also the removal of good practice guidance from the NHS information on gender dysphoria and the Equalities Minister who demanded via Twitter removal of a government logo from anti LGBT bullying guide
Removal of links to LGBT organisations from BBC Action line pages,
These anti Trans actions of censorship follow the same pattern of lack of transparency & apparent political involvement. No one knows who made the changes or who authorised them. Silent, Systemic, #Transphobia
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Since 2017, during a moral panic, too many UK Trans youth have died waiting for Gender Services or CAMHS. For many, state failures were a factor in their deaths. It is vital we learn from, & discuss their deaths responsibly. This thread is my attempt to do so CW: Death Suicide 1/
Before discussing individual cases it is important to know that there is rarely one cause for suicide. All deaths by suicide are avoidable & there is always help available if you need it.
Samaritans - 116 123
Papyrus - 0800 068 41 41 (Text 07786 209697) Childline - 0800 1111 2/
In writing this thread I have referred to Samaritans media guidelines on reporting suicide & for reporting Inquests, & to Papyrus guidelines for journalists. I encourage anyone discussing suicide to familiarise themselves with these valuable guides 3/papyrus-uk.org/guidelines-for…
Today the Government has published a "Review of suicides and gender dysphoria at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust: independent report" by @ProfLAppleby. It is published in the context of a public discussion on suicide in relation to access to puberty blockers. 1/
This review is based upon two data sources: 1) Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust audit. 2) National Child Mortality Database (NCMD). It would be helpful for these sources to be published alongside the report in order that it be "open to independent scrutiny" 2/
The stated aim of the review is to "examine evidence for a large rise in suicides claimed by campaigners", & 5 summary conclusions are given. [In Screenshot with AltText].
In broad summary I do not disagree with the main message of points 1. 2. 3. and 5. 3/
Some important questions from @CatSmithMP here to the Department of Health. I look forward to @wesstreeting's responses. On Q262 (comparative assessment against other European countries) I can imagine he will refer to the Cass/ York's Systematic Review. However... 1/
As demonstrated by Yale Law School "Evidence-Based Critique of “The Cass Review” this failed to adhere to key components of a SR - "standardized and rigorous process that assesses quality of the entire body of evidence". York's paper on Clincal Guidelines is particulalry poor 2/
Yale correctly points out many faults by York's review on Guidelines, including that of 23 documents for analysis "8 were not guidelines at all. These documents were position papers & affirmative statements that explicitly deferred to actual guidelines" 3/adc.bmj.com/content/early/…
1. Puberty blockers have been used in Trans health since the 1980s the same as for precocious puberty. There is 40+ years evidence that this treatment is effective. With no recorded instances of serious harm. 2. Cass Review did not compare use of blockers in PP and Trans health.
The Cass Review provides no strong evidence that puberty blockers impact phychological and brain development. This is hypothesis and conjecture from a cis-supremacist position. Being Trans is not a bad outcome.
The NHS did not take a decision to ban puberty blockers. They were instructed to do so by Hilary Cass, who was in turn ordered to write a report by a government intent on removing Trans adolescent healthcare. There is no clinical Trial now. Lack of Trans healthcare is unsafe now!
In 1981 Stephen, a 14 yr old Trans boy in Pittsburg found a psychiatrist who would listen & asked for a 'sex change'. The psychiatrist spent 5 months analysing Stephen, & decided rather than provide hormone treatment he would prescribe anti depressents.. CW next tweet suicide 1/
Therapy' & antidepressents made things worse. Stephen had a number of suicide attempts immediately before or during menstruation. The psych to his credit, realised his treatment wasn't working & contacted an endocrinologist with experience working with 'Transsexuals' 2/
The Paediatric Endocrinologist, Dr Peter A Lee, prescribed medroxyprogesterone acetate, as a puberty blocker (now not used as less effective than GNrH agonists with a lot of side effects). Stephen had another period & took an overdose of amphetemines requiring intensive care 3/
Trans people have been using hormones for healthcare for around 100 years. There is 100 years of experience of Trans people helping each other source medication & use it as safely as possible working with health providers where possible in a 'least harm' approach. 1/
Under the current UK Government & NHS there is no access to adolescent healthcare. I believe there is a moral duty to help Trans youth who are accessing medication to do so as easily & as safely as possible. To highlight & mitigate the risks, & provide trusted information 2/
Further,, to enable Trans adolescents who may want access to Trans healthcare, to do so in line with International best practice & long established harm reduction guidelines. I will work with anyone with these aims & can provide resources, knowledge, platform & networks 3/