Thread by @FierceMum

Feeling super sick and scared. Has anyone got any details? How the fuck can I keep my daughter safe in this transphobic trash fire of a country. #ProtectTransKids

Seems to suggest that informed consent for blockers (already a thing) also requires the child to convince that they not only understand the blocker, but also understand the impact of HRT & of any surgery they may choose to have at age 18 on fertility & sexual function.

Trans masc kids may start puberty at age 8, especially children of colour. So we want cis psychoanalysts talking to trans 8 year olds about potential impact of surgery they may or may not choose to have a decade in the future, in order to consent to a reversible and safe blocker?

Anything that makes it harder for younger trans kids to access blockers (already hard) will disproportionately discriminate against trans masc kids, black trans kids, trans children of colour, neurodiverse trans kids, disabled trans kids.

Your regular reminder that cis kids can receive the same blocker at age 5 or 6 with no requirement to discuss any issues of adult-age surgery or fertility or sexual function. Sounds like discrimination against trans kids? Yep.

Still waiting to read the actual judgement and see what this means in practice. The barriers to trans children receiving timely blockers are already so high here in the UK - hardly any trans children receive blockers at the right time - ie at the very start of puberty.

Seen this comment, not sure if it is a quote from the judge or not

https://twitter.com/rachaelvenables/status/1333728193795289090

The quote state children under 13 unlikely to consent to PUBERTY blockers. That children age 14 and 15 doubtful.

DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW WHEN PUBERTY HAPPENS??????

What the hell is wrong with this country.

Some people are tweeting this case is positive as they have assumed 16 year old can give informed consent. Ok, yes that is good - but puberty blockers are an essential healthcare option for trans kids AT THE START OF PUBERTY.

PUBERTY DOES NOT NORMALLY START AT AGE 16

Also seen this quote (again not 100% clear if is quoting the judgement):

https://twitter.com/rachaelvenables/status/1333727963720916992

Are you telling me some poor trans kids could end up going to court in order to get safe, reversible, used for over 30 years puberty blockers? Healthcare provided swiftly & supportively in other countries.

Imagining how bloody traumatic it would be for my kid to have to go to court in order to access healthcare. There is no way I would want to put her through that. How shit would that be for a child's mental health? For their self-confidence? Trans kids deserve a happy childhood

And yeah I see the many tweets celebrating that the case has not led to the things the transphobes wanted: It has not led to the banning of puberty blockers, it has not led to 16 year olds being presumed unable to consent, it has not led to a default court based process. Whoopee.

Sorry if I cannot celebrate the fact that it has put extra barriers in the way of my own child accessing puberty blockers in a manner that upholds her wellbeing. It sounds as though it will be harder for under 16s to get blockers.

And yes most of these barriers were already there at GIDS, with the continued overstretch of gatekeeping making it harder & harder to access blockers at the start of puberty. This case will reinforce their conservatism & excessive caution, an approach that harms kids like mine.

Fucking hell - am reading the full judgement now. Judge thinks being trans is a 'pschological condition'. Thinks taking puberty blockers makes kids more likely to continue to be trans. judiciary.uk/wp-content/upl…

Judge thinks cannot consent to just puberty blockers alone, have to have informed consent on HRT and surgery at the same time, just because of correlation of people who opt in to those later treatments.

States that under 16s unlikely to be able to provide informed consent. And under 13s not able to.

And there is no route for parental consent for those too young to provide their own consent, because GIDS did not even ask for that option to be considered.

Mentions that puberty blockers for trans kids are a completely different treatment to puberty blockers for cis kids. Because 'mumble mumble mumble'.

The whole of the UK can officially get in the bin.