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21 Nov, 5 tweets, 2 min read
An American appeals court has ruled that "conversion therapy" bans offend the First Amendment right to free speech in the constitution. Here's a news report with the basic facts -- and significant omissions. This case looks important. THREAD

reuters.com/article/us-usa…
The two therapists who challenged the "conversion therapy" bans say they offer counselling: just talking. The Florida authorities lawmakers argue this does serious psychological harm to minors. Image
But these restrictive "ordinances" give a green light to one form of counselling. This "carveout" is a hallmark of the new-wave "LGBT conversion therapy" bans being pushed by "gender identity" activists around the world. Image
The therapists (the plaintiffs) told the court they didn't seek to "change" anyone's sexual orientation. Image
The court concedes this is a controversial area but focuses on the principle that under the constitution's First Amendment, governments cannot police free speech on the basis of its content. Image

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More from @Bernard_Lane

Bernard Lane Profile picture
17 Nov
Canada's Bill C-6 would criminalise "conversion therapy". This is part of an international project pitched as an urgent rescue of "LGBTQ people" from right-wing religious bigots bent on forcibly changing their identity.
cbc.ca/news/canada/br…
If people in the mainstream hear about this new wave of bans on "gay conversion therapy", their reaction is revulsion, then puzzlement: "Surely all that horrible electric shock stuff is a thing of the past? Nobody's even arguing about gay marriage any more."
What's new -- the heart of the controversy about these laws -- is "gender identity", not sexual orientation. It ties in to the global debate about the exponential surge in teenagers seeking to transition with hormonal drugs & surgery to an "inner gender" at odds with biology. Sex researcher James Cantor on the "gender identity&quo
Read 13 tweets
Bernard Lane Profile picture
5 Nov
Australia has taxpayer-funded sport guidelines promoting transgender inclusion, launched in 2019 after "confidential, targeted and respectful” consultations with unnamed groups. But whose idea was this? Senator Claire Chandler asked some months ago & got this answer --
In October, Chandler & Robert Dalton, acting CEO of @sportaustralia, the top government agency, were back in the Senate. In preamble to a question, Chandler reminded Dalton about his agency having kicked off the guideline project.
Dalton said: "If I can correct you ... the guidelines were in fact initiated by the human rights commission ... we supported the human rights commission."
Read 16 tweets
Bernard Lane Profile picture
1 Oct
With transgender lobby @PrideinSportAU, 8 major sport bodies put out a statement on trans "inclusion" @RugbyAU @AFL @NetballAust @TennisAustralia @unisportAU @WaterpoloAus @touchfootyaus @HockeyAustralia Their policy enables male-bodied transfemales to compete in female sport. 1/
They justify this with the suggestion that if trans players are not included, suicide may result. That's a serious issue -- & there are serious questions about activist use of statistics on suicide risk. Did those 8 sporting bodies do their due diligence?
medianet.com.au/releases/19226…
Their statement says: "Data from the National LGBTI Health Alliance state that trans & gender diverse adults are nearly 11 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population, with 35% of trans & gender diverse adults having attempted suicide in their lifetime".
Read 12 tweets
Bernard Lane Profile picture
17 Sep
No doubt Harvard's @jack_turban has reason to worry about trans people. Many teens in gender clinics present with a host of problems but is there any good data on how much suicide risk is *because* of trans issues versus, say, autism, same-sex attraction or family trauma? 1/
As for this new study, Dr Turban admits it uses a "convenience sample". Suicide risk studies relied on to promote gender clinic medicine typically claim very high risk but are low-quality from a research design point of view. I base this thread on talks with experts & reading.
These trans suicide studies can't be taken to be representative of trans people generally. They recruit participants via sources such as social media & trans activist groups, where the narrative of trans suicide risk circulates and may be reinforced by each successive study.
Read 19 tweets
Bernard Lane Profile picture
29 Aug
Here are parents' voices, rarely heard in mainstream media, warning that "conversion therapy" bans will make it harder to ensure that troubled kids get honest, thoughtful help from those who love them, and expert, cautious care, not just uncritical "gender affirmation". THREAD
A mother of a trans-identifying teenager (with mental health problems and school refusal) points out the brain does not fully develop until the mid-20s, and children need “the support, guidance and education from the mature minds of their parents, therapists and carers."
“(The latest Australian conversion therapy ban) is eroding the role and responsibility of parents as children and teenagers navigate the most vulnerable years of their lives,” this mother tells @australian

theaustralian.com.au/nation/gender-…
Read 21 tweets
Bernard Lane Profile picture
19 May
Does "gender fluidity" teaching in schools lead to any cases of overdiagnosis of gender dysphoria ("born in the wrong body") and life-altering medical interventions in children's hospital gender clinics? theaustralian.com.au/nation/parents… @australian #health #education #auspol | THREAD
In Queensland, Australia, education bureaucrats work to “strengthen relationships” with the Queensland Children's Hospital gender clinic — where under-18 patient numbers have risen 1,172% since 2014 — and liaise with a "Queensland Queering Education Consultative Committee".
In Victoria, the pioneer state for teaching fluidity, education minister James Merlino cites “confidentiality” when asked how many under-18s have been referred to the Royal Children’s Hospital gender clinic by GPs, trained by that clinic, under his Doctors in Schools program.
Read 13 tweets

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