Thread by @jan_skelton

I had a discussion with Andrew Carter. I claimed children are being sterilised (by puberty blockers and cross sex hormones).
He didn’t agree.

But he’s totally committed to stopping toxicity, misinformation and abuse online!

I made an effort to engage politely and to provide evidence regarding my concerns about the affirmative approach and medicalised treatment of children with gender dysphoria.
But he accused me of bigotry.

And when I replied to his points (politely) he blocked me.

The ‘single author letter’ to the BMJ that he referenced was this one — by Susan Bewley, Margaret McCartney, Lucy Griffin & Richard Byng.

Me and my bigoted terven counting! 🧙🏼‍♀️🧙🏼‍♀️🧙🏼‍♀️🧙🏼‍♀️

bmj.com/content/364/bm…

He claimed to know what was going on in my head to the point that, even while he was tweeting, he told me what I was thinking in response. I find it extraordinary when people engage in this level of mind-reading. I have no idea what’s going on in his head.

Does he really care about the welfare of trans-identified children? He dismissed the concerns of GIDS clinicians by saying they aren’t experts in this subject.

I quoted Marcus Evans, Carl Heneghan, and the Royal Society of General Practitioners who all point to the lack of evidence to support these drastic and irreversible treatments. Surely *they* have some expertise and their concerns should at least be taken seriously.

How can children give informed consent to treatments that will leave them sterile and without sexual function? How can they even understand the implications, let alone make an informed decision?

Should we not take seriously the harrowing accounts of the growing number of detransitioners? Supporters of the medical pathway claim regret is vanishingly rare. But how do they know without long term follow up studies?
standpointmag.co.uk/issues/februar…

Andrew dismissed @Transgendertrd as a ‘hate group’. But when I look at their website I find it packed with factual information—a valuable resource for those who value facts and evidence over ideology. Don’t people who claim to care about trans-identified children value evidence?

Aren’t people curious about the 400% rise in referrals to the Tavistock over the last 5 years and the fact that the sex ratio has completely reversed, with girls now outnumbering boys?
What about the co-morbidities? The eating disorders? The high numbers of autistic girls?

Andrew said that GC pushback against gender identity ideology was driven by homophobia. But this is absurd. Children are labelled ‘trans’ if they are gender nonconforming. But it’s the gnc kids who are the ones most likely to grow up to be gay. (If they are allowed to grow up.)

Research into childhood onset gender dysphoria suggests that around 84% of children desist if allowed to go through puberty. Many grow up to be gay. So ‘transitioning’ children who would otherwise grow up LGB can be seen as a new form of conversion therapy.

Homophobia in families attending GIDS was mentioned by *all* the clinicians whose concerns featured in the Newsnight report.
“Staff say some parents appeared to prefer their children to be transgender and straight, rather than gay.”
bbc.co.uk/news/health-51…

My view is that there is an inadequate evidence base to support treatment of gender dysphoria in children by puberty blockers and cross sex hormones and that there are demonstrable harms including infertility, loss of sexual function, medical dependency and other health problems.

Andrew said the burden of proof was on me to prove that this evidence base doesn’t exist. But how can I prove the non-existence of something? Surely the burden of proof is on those (like him) who say it *does* exist. He says he has the evidence. But he didn’t share it.

All I can do is echo the concerns of professionals who have analysed the limited research and found that it does not support these treatments. These whistle blowers are the reason I’m concerned. I didn’t start off opposed to this - I changed my mind because of what I learned.

Children should be free to follow their interests, not be told that if they like certain clothes/toys/activities they are ‘really’ the opposite sex.
Playing with dolls doesn’t make you a girl.
Playing with mud doesn’t make you a boy.
There’s no ‘right way’ to be a girl or boy.

I have no idea what is going on in the mind of someone who refuses to discuss legitimate concerns and just hurls abuse.

But as @jk_rowling said, when this scandal does erupt nobody currently cheering this movement on will be able to credibly claim ‘we couldn’t have known’.