Thread by @Transgendertrd

In September 2018 we wrote to the Government Equalities Office to ask how we could assist in any way in this inquiry.

We received the following reply:

"Thanks for your email. I’m afraid the reporting of this has been rather misunderstood."
1/
#AnyButPenny

https://twitter.com/PennyMordaunt/status/1545908477163458561

"The commitment in the LGBT Action Plan is not for an inquiry into the number of natal girls being referred to the Tavistock – a Government Inquiry in a formalised process with witnesses etc."
2/

"Rather, the commitment is to undertake research into the issues faced by natal girls who transition in their teenage years. The wording in the action plan is:"
3/

"‘We will improve our understanding of the impacts on children and adolescents of changing their gender. The Government Equalities Office will gather evidence on the issues faced by people assigned female at birth who transition in adolescence’."
4/

"This will be research conducted likely by GEO analysts – we are currently looking at setting out the parameters of this research, and considering the timing of this work."
5/

So not an independent inquiry, but part of the existing LGBT Action Plan to gather evidence, in research conducted by analysts within the GEO. We did not feel confident at the time that this evidence-gathering would be unbiased, or that the real issues would be addressed.

Given the position of the GEO at the time, we feared a survey, a la Stonewall, designed to capture the desired concerns: long waiting times, lack of trans awareness in schools, a hostile press, discrimination & 'minority stress' - ie the script all young people learn.

Not until July 2019 did we hear that research had begun. Although 'research' is perhaps too grand a word; reviewing evidence from other countries, referral rates were found to be similar in Finland, Canada & the Netherlands. Very easy evidence to find.
gov.uk/government/new…

This announcement informed us that "A tender for the next stage of research will be released in the coming weeks. This will include a comprehensive international evidence review and analysis of referral data.
Alongside this clinicians and young service users will be interviewed."

In fact the tender never went out. The proposed research was not even mentioned in the minutes of the LGBT Advisory Panel meeting on July 19th.
gov.uk/government/pub…

So Penny Mordaunt's claim that she set up an inquiry into the number of girls referred to gender identity services is, at best, disingenuous and misleading. Or, to put it bluntly, false.
#AnyButPenny