Key Takeaways
- A sociologist has warned that bans on puberty blockers in Australia and New Zealand will lead to youth suicides, based on research following a similar ban in the UK.
- The UK ban, implemented in March 2024, has caused significant harm to young people with gender dysphoria, including extreme levels of stress, anxiety, fear, trauma, and increased suicidal ideation.
- The ban was based on the Cass review, which has faced criticism for methodological problems and insufficient engagement with trans people and clinical experts.
- Experts argue that most pediatric medicine operates on a low to moderate-quality evidence base, and that the quality of evidence in this field is similar to that of most other areas of child health.
- The politicization of healthcare for gender-questioning youth has led to misinformation and made it more difficult for youth to access care when they need it.
Introduction to the Issue
The UK’s ban on puberty blockers, implemented in March 2024, has had a devastating impact on young people with gender dysphoria. Dr. Natacha Kennedy, a sociologist from Goldsmiths, University of London, has warned that similar bans in Australia and New Zealand will lead to youth suicides. Kennedy’s research, published in the Journal of Gender Studies, found that the harm caused by the UK ban is "truly appalling," with young people experiencing extreme levels of stress, anxiety, fear, trauma, and increased suicidal ideation.
The Cass Review and its Criticisms
The UK ban was based on the Cass review, a non-peer-reviewed, independent assessment of gender identity services for children and young people. The review proposed restrictions to youth accessing gender-affirming care, but has since faced extensive peer-reviewed criticism for methodological problems and insufficient engagement with those with lived experience – including trans people and clinical experts working in gender-affirming care. The review’s findings have been widely disputed, with many experts arguing that the review disregarded the level of harm caused by denying youth with gender dysphoria access to puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
The Impact of the Ban in Queensland and New Zealand
In Queensland, the Liberal National government issued a directive blocking doctors in the public system from prescribing puberty blockers or hormones for gender dysphoria in new young patients. Rachel Hinds, the chief executive of the Open Doors Youth Service, which offers mental health support and help accessing healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community, said that the ban has taken an "incredible toll" on the families they support. In New Zealand, the government announced a similar ban, only to delay its introduction pending a judicial review. Kennedy said that her "initial response was of absolute horror" when she heard about the bans, and warned that "some [young people] will take their own lives" as a result of the ban.
The Role of Evidence in Pediatric Medicine
Associate professor Ken Pang, a pediatrician and biomedical researcher, argued that most pediatric medicine operates on a low to moderate-quality evidence base. This is because conducting large studies in children is often impossible, unethical, or unfeasible. Pang said that the quality of evidence in this field is similar to that of most other areas of child health, and that the continual focus on the evidence completely disregards the other two pillars of evidence-based medicine, which are patient values and clinical expertise.
The Politicization of Healthcare for Gender-Questioning Youth
The healthcare for gender-questioning youth has become increasingly politicized, with misinformation rampant and making it more difficult for youth to access care when they need it. Dr. Ronita Nath, the vice-president of research at the Trevor Project, said that research has found fast access to gender-affirming care is crucial for those who need it. However, stripping young people of this life-saving care only results in causing them harm. Nath said that it is "deeply disappointing to see lawmakers, in any country or community, take action to prevent transgender and non-binary young people from receiving access to best-practice medical care."
The Importance of Uplifting Voices of Young People, Parents, and Clinicians
Pang argued that if politicians and policymakers are interested in families’ best interests and in promoting best practice healthcare, then they need to uplift the voices of the young people, parents, and clinicians with knowledge and direct experience in this field. Many of the people who criticize gender-affirming care have never actually worked with transgender young people, but that doesn’t stop them from claiming to be experts in the area. Pang said that he knows that if he was diagnosed with cancer, then he’d be seeking advice from an oncologist, not listening to some other random doctor.
Conclusion
The bans on puberty blockers in Australia and New Zealand are a devastating blow to young people with gender dysphoria. The UK’s ban has already caused significant harm, and it is imperative that policymakers and politicians listen to the voices of young people, parents, and clinicians with knowledge and direct experience in this field. The politicization of healthcare for gender-questioning youth must end, and access to best-practice medical care must be prioritized. The lives of young people depend on it.
