@FierceMum's Threads
As my blood pressure rises on yet another Saturday night reading Times hate targeted at supporters of trans kids, I want to make a plea to trans allies and trans advocates 1/
Anti LGBT haters target trans people as the easiest target. The ones with least power & support. Transphobes target trans kids as the weakest part of trans communities, the ones who often cannot speak up. This is a concerted attack tactic 2/
Attacking trans kids is easy. Few trans advocates or allies can speak up confidently about trans kids. Concerns of 'safeguarding' are thrown at any trans adult who speaks up for trans kids, a tactic aimed at silencing adult trans supporters of trans kids eg @MunroeBergdorf 3/
Been thinking about trans & LGBT & human rights solidarity in UK. When @gmcuk shut down the only affirmative care for trans adolescents, whilst psychologists who don't believe trans kids exist are still in NHS GIDS, why is there no outcry? Silence or business as usual. What?
@gmcuk With no other service now in the UK, our kids are forced to see GIDS staff, some of whom are deeply harmful to our kids. Why do so few trans and LGBT organisations stand up for trans kids?
It gets worse. New GIDS article states no social transition till 10. Wren 'fears' harm with no evidence. She is working on cisnormative instinct. journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…
My daughter is enjoying a happy carefree childhood. I cannot imagine what state she would be in if we had rejected her for her whole childhood til she was 10.
I feel like only ten people on twitter will care, but this really is devastating. Some trans kids have a strong need to assert their identity at a young age, being mis-seen, being rejected for who they are, is a huge deal.
Makes me so bloody cross, this is how Wren, GIDS second in charge, chooses to educate, enlighten, advocate for our trans kids. Shameful #GIDSFailingTransKids
Societal judgement, hostility, ignorance, transphobia, is biggest threat to trans kids and biggest barrier to parents supporting them. GIDS have responsibility to normalise trans kids, to encourage support
Instead we get this shite. On need for psychological assessment, psychologist checking in case there is external pressure to be trans (!), vague references to culture, sexuality. Emphasising kids in turmoil over gender, suggesting they have no idea what is best for these kids
Some ramblings from #TransHealthConf2019 on the trip home. Thank you to @Tara_Hewitt @EnbyLawyer @PeterDunneLaw for organising such an important event, for including a segment on trans kids healthcare
@Tara_Hewitt @EnbyLawyer @PeterDunneLaw It is so important to hear from trans positive experts in other countries, to see just how far behind the UK GIDS is. Dr Jo O-K obviously cares for our trans kids, I would trust her to care for my child
@Tara_Hewitt @EnbyLawyer @PeterDunneLaw It is important to know Dr Jo O-K is not an exception. Another year I'd love us to invite @michelle_telfer , expert of the Australian children/youth service. Canada has good clinicians. Spain is ahead of UK. The Canary Islands are ahead of us.
As a mum of a young trans child, I want to talk about the ‘meaningful discussions with parents’ that is being proposed to gain consensus on whether school educations should include LGBT people. Thread 1/ theguardian.com/education/2019…
If my school holds such a meaningful discussions with parents, what does that mean for my family? For my trans child? For parents who are LGBT?
Would I go to such a ‘discussion’? 2/
Would I go to such a ‘discussion’? 2/
Would I be forced to listen to other parents expounding the ignorant, misinformed & prejudicial views that I know are out there?
Would the school be powerless to protect my child, from being forced to listen to bigoted views, in the interests of ‘meaningful discussions’? 3/
Would the school be powerless to protect my child, from being forced to listen to bigoted views, in the interests of ‘meaningful discussions’? 3/
@TGEUorg @_oatc_ @ILGAEurope @hrw @GATEOrg I am based in the UK where trans kids rights are regularly ignored and trans kids harmed as a result. Rights focused orgs in the UK (esp England) do not stick up for trans kids. TGEU could help highlight the rights violations trans kids suffer.
@TGEUorg @_oatc_ @ILGAEurope @hrw @GATEOrg I am also in a network of parents advocating for trans kids rights from across the world, with members across Europe. Trans kids rights are violated in countries across Europe (every country). We need TGEU speaking up for trans kids. Please get in touch.
@TGEUorg @_oatc_ @ILGAEurope @hrw @GATEOrg There is a long list of things that my daughter needs for a life of dignity, equality and wellbeing. Things that she is currently denied in a transphobic UK. One way TGEU can help is by including trans kids specifically in reports on rights violations and discrimination
Something else on the 20 month wait for appointments. GIDS quotes to new kids/families the time people currently being seen have waited. Which is 20 months. BUT, the wait time over the past 2 years has grown by half a month every month.
For the past 2+ years, the actual wait has never matched the quoted 'current wait time'. Meaning kids & families are continually disappointed when they reach their expected wait time, with no appointment in sight.
Why won't GIDS acknowledge the wait time has for 2+ years grown by half a month every month. They say the current wait time is 20 months. Kids & families referred now (Feb 19) expect to be seen in Dec 20.
For folks who won't watch a whole video of US parents of trans kids talking about their experience, here's one US mom's story: (thread)
"Our daughter, who was identified male at birth, came to me before her 7th birthday, looked me straight in the eye and said ‘mom, I’m a girl"
"Our daughter, who was identified male at birth, came to me before her 7th birthday, looked me straight in the eye and said ‘mom, I’m a girl"
"In a way I think we had known that for a long time & that it was coming, but we were very scared of what that might mean.
When we went to see a therapist, she said 'I knew since I was 4 but I thought you would hate me & I thought people wouldn’t love me anymore'."
When we went to see a therapist, she said 'I knew since I was 4 but I thought you would hate me & I thought people wouldn’t love me anymore'."
"And all we’ve ever wanted to do for our children is love them, and I know that’s the same for every family here.
She didn’t even know the word transgender, she didn’t know that it was a thing that you could be and she was so scared to even tell her family."
She didn’t even know the word transgender, she didn’t know that it was a thing that you could be and she was so scared to even tell her family."
Yesterday the NHS's long-term plan was released. The one reference to trans children is on p 51 - quote to follow longtermplan.nhs.uk/wp-content/upl….
"3.28. Mental health support for children and young people will be embedded in schools and colleges. The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Green Paper set out proposals to improve mental health support in schools and colleges. Over the next five years
the NHS will fund.."
the NHS will fund.."
"new Mental Health Support Teams working in schools and colleges, building
on the support already available, which will be rolled out to between one-fifth and a quarter of the country by the end of 2023. These school and college-based services will be supervised by..."
on the support already available, which will be rolled out to between one-fifth and a quarter of the country by the end of 2023. These school and college-based services will be supervised by..."
For anyone who has shown love, support, care, for trans children in 2018 – Thank you! Here is a Christmas Eve treat. Curl up with a cup of tea and a mince pie, and enjoy a Christmas Eve story, read by UK trans children, aged 6-12. #NightBeforeChristmas
Trans kids who are supported are thriving – enjoying happy childhoods. Our kids are super excited for Christmas, surrounded by families who love them unconditionally. Love. Support. Happiness. #SupportTransKids @Mermaids_Gender
To those spreading hate and fear about trans people, who attack the few who stick up for trans kids – these are the children harmed by your fear mongering. Trans children in the UK were bullied by powerful adults week after week in 2018. Shame on you. In 2019 – be better. Be kind
On the 1st day of Christmas I awoke to see, trans children safe & happy
On the 2nd day of Christmas I awoke to see, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 3rd day of Christmas I awoke to see, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 2nd day of Christmas I awoke to see, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 3rd day of Christmas I awoke to see, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 4th day of Christmas I awoke to see, 4 trans head teachers, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 5th day of Christmas I awoke to see, 5 trans MPs, 4 trans head teachers, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 5th day of Christmas I awoke to see, 5 trans MPs, 4 trans head teachers, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, and trans children safe & happy
On the 6th day of Christmas I awoke to see, 6 trans athletes winning, 5 trans MPs, 4 trans head teachers, 3 trans editors, 2 trans judges, & trans children safe & happy
The UK's Gender Service for Children is a national disgrace that causes immense harm. Which LGBT organisations are speaking up for trans children in their submissions to the Gov LGBT Health Inquiry....parliament.uk/business/commi…
@stonewalluk response is a huge let down. One point out of 69 is on children's GIDS. It focuses on need for training at CAHMS, not even questioning why trans children have to go anywhere near CAHMS (CAHMS doesn't even want to see trans children) @ruth_hunt
@stonewalluk make a brief reference to waiting times (without stating it's 18 months), an unexplained reference to Gillick competency & a concern about transfer to adult services. @Stonewall recommendations have nothing on trans kids or on shameful UK GIDS @PaulTwocock #Fail
59% of 15,697 respondents to Scottish GRA consultation want a route to gender recognition for under 16s. Scotland now needs to show leadership. #SupportTransKids
Those opposed say under 16 is too young to make a decision on how to live. Clearly they know no trans kids. Our trans kids are already living their lives, the GRA has no bearing on this. The GRA is about their life & identity being recognised & respected. #ProtectTransKids
Those opposed seem to think GR is a 'profound decision'. It is not for trans kids who have already updated all their other ID, who have been living their lives with their identity respected for years
Trans children were overjoyed this week to see @EmmaWatson come out for trans equality. Trans kids around the world are having a rough time & visible allies matter. Trans kids & siblings from around the world say thank you (thread). #IKnowWhoIAm #ProtectTransKids #Butterfly
By 9 year old trans girl, Australia 
By 11 year old big sister of trans girl, Australia
Blog to follow with the implications for UK Children's Gender Services, but for now, here's a wonderful overview from @MavenOfMayhem of new American Academy of Pediatrics Guidance advocating (surprise surprise) Gender Affirmative Care for trans children
"Accordingly, research substantiates that children who are prepubertal and assert an identity of TGD know their gender as clearly and as consistently as their developmentally equivalent peers who identify as cisgender and benefit from the same level of social acceptance."
"This developmental approach to gender affirmation is in contrast to the outdated approach in which a child’s gender-diverse assertions are held as “possibly true” until an arbitrary age (often after pubertal onset) when they can be considered valid ie “watchful waiting.”
UK Children’s Gender Services’ (GIDS) new journal article is so BAD it's absurd. Here’s a guide of how to make an EPIC FAIL:
• Use the term transman as a noun!
• Just for laughs use the phrase ‘both’ genders in the definition of non-binary. 1/10
• Use the term transman as a noun!
• Just for laughs use the phrase ‘both’ genders in the definition of non-binary. 1/10
• Conflate gender identity & expression
• Ignore modern scientific research – focus on Zucker!
• What evidence shall we include? Studies from America? No. Australia? Nope. Canada? No way. Only look to the Netherlands. 2/10
• Ignore modern scientific research – focus on Zucker!
• What evidence shall we include? Studies from America? No. Australia? Nope. Canada? No way. Only look to the Netherlands. 2/10
• Use term female 3 times in definition of trans boys: “a…female…..female….female….who identifies as a male”. You have to work hard to fail EPIC.
• Pre-puberty peak in your graph of % referrals? Adjust to a bar chart of numbers referred - tadah! A peak in late teens! 3/10
• Pre-puberty peak in your graph of % referrals? Adjust to a bar chart of numbers referred - tadah! A peak in late teens! 3/10
JK Rowling liked an anti-trans tweet (not for the 1st time) & LGBT folks are feeling let down. I understand the disappointment. The Harry Potter series are my trans daughter’s favourite books. She loves them. And I will continue reading them with her @jk_rowling 1/10
Because the Harry Potter books, beloved by millions of children, including my daughter, teach a different story. They speak of a world where the powerful want to erase a fragile minority. @jk_rowling 2/10
They speak of a world where a bigoted elite turn upon the vulnerable. Where weak politicians stand silent, while haters take more power, and a prejudiced media spread lies, misinformation & hate @jk_rowling 3/10
