Guideline dissent in Germany; US whistleblowing doctor on charges; not-so-immutable gender ID; calling the bluff of gender research; an ethics review in the Netherlands; and more Cass Down Under
Thanks for the great round up particularly whats happening in Germany for us English-only readers! Looks like Australia and New Zealand are trotting out a similar line re Cass Review: that's it's not applicable here because our way of giving adolescents puberty blockers and cross sex hormones is "profoundly different". NZ is also awaiting a delayed position statement on puberty blockers from our Ministry of Health and PATHA has been contracted to review the NZ gender affirmation guidelines (same organisation that produced last NZ guidelines that Cass Review rated 2nd to last globally and whose president immediately criticised the final Cass Review when released) -the scope of which includes “guidance for commencing hormone therapy in primary care.”
On the one hand, proponents of gender affirming care claim proper treatment of (dysphoria?) begins with mental health therapy followed by blockers and hormones. Simultaneously, these same proponents, advocate for the gender affirming approach, which effectively skips the therapy step.
Thanks for an excellent round up. The irrelevant section was very illuminating.
"The only updates to the RCH guidelines appear to have been to correct inaccurate legal advice and to give contentious advice that primary care doctors may take the lead in starting 16-17-year-olds on irreversible, lifelong cross-sex hormones without specialist backup."
Interesting as this is how Maple Leaf House operates according to the official websites (see for example NSW Health at https://www.hnekidshealth.nsw.gov.au/specialist_services/gender) . Write down your gender goals, go to your GP and get referral to Maple House. Magic. Cross sex hormones here we come. It is a fantastic way to avoid responsibility and liability.
Gender clinic: "Well, your worship, I got a referral letter from the child's GP with the kid's gender goals and a request I facilitate them."
GP: "Well, your worship, the kid's mum came in with their gender goals asking for help so I referred them to the gender clinic."
Parent/child: "Well, your worship, this is what the government website told us to do."
Public servant: "Well, your worship, we just provide resources, not medical advice."
PERHAPS SOMEWHAT OFF TOPIC BUT FELT A RESPONSE WAS APPROPRIATE
Following my belated realisation that ‘gender identity is the core of our sense of self, I struggled through the rest of a 2021 online article by Drs Ada Cheung and Sav Zwickl, the University of Melbourne, titled:
‘Why have nearly half of transgender Australians attempted suicide?’
Referenced therein was a study indicating that 63% of the transgender cohort reported previous self-harm and 43% had attempted suicide.
Such a finding is not at all surprising:
It is well documented that the gender dysphoria (GD) cohort harbours a disproportionately high prevalence of mental health comorbidities including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, psychosis,
trauma, eating disorders and autism spectrum conditions (ASD).
If we leave the other stuff aside and focus on ASD:
Multiple studies confirm that the prevalence of ASD in the GD cohort is of the order of 8-10%, near ten times that in the general population.
Suicidality is a prominent feature of ASD with studies indicating that they are rates of at least 10 times that of the general population.
The math is not complex: 10% of a cohort with a X10 trend of a variable = an awful LOT
or more simply Mental Health 101:
The more individuals in a room with mental health issues the more mental health issues will manifest.
That aside, encouragingly, I can find no evidence of a single suicide in this cohort in Australia, has there been one?
While sympathising with the distress faced by the transgender folk who self-harm and attempt suicide, in order to address the issue of suicide in young people it is important to focus on those most affected:
In 2022 Australian Indigenous folk aged 0–24 and 25–44 suicide rates were greater than 3 times (3.2 each) that of their non-Indigenous counterparts.
Ref: Aust Govt Institute of Health & Welfare website.
A suicide epidemic that has remained unabated for many years.
Thanks for the great round up particularly whats happening in Germany for us English-only readers! Looks like Australia and New Zealand are trotting out a similar line re Cass Review: that's it's not applicable here because our way of giving adolescents puberty blockers and cross sex hormones is "profoundly different". NZ is also awaiting a delayed position statement on puberty blockers from our Ministry of Health and PATHA has been contracted to review the NZ gender affirmation guidelines (same organisation that produced last NZ guidelines that Cass Review rated 2nd to last globally and whose president immediately criticised the final Cass Review when released) -the scope of which includes “guidance for commencing hormone therapy in primary care.”
Yes. I wonder what the NZ Health Ministry will do. B
Thanks for diligent work on telling the truth..
On the one hand, proponents of gender affirming care claim proper treatment of (dysphoria?) begins with mental health therapy followed by blockers and hormones. Simultaneously, these same proponents, advocate for the gender affirming approach, which effectively skips the therapy step.
Thanks for an excellent round up. The irrelevant section was very illuminating.
"The only updates to the RCH guidelines appear to have been to correct inaccurate legal advice and to give contentious advice that primary care doctors may take the lead in starting 16-17-year-olds on irreversible, lifelong cross-sex hormones without specialist backup."
Interesting as this is how Maple Leaf House operates according to the official websites (see for example NSW Health at https://www.hnekidshealth.nsw.gov.au/specialist_services/gender) . Write down your gender goals, go to your GP and get referral to Maple House. Magic. Cross sex hormones here we come. It is a fantastic way to avoid responsibility and liability.
Gender clinic: "Well, your worship, I got a referral letter from the child's GP with the kid's gender goals and a request I facilitate them."
GP: "Well, your worship, the kid's mum came in with their gender goals asking for help so I referred them to the gender clinic."
Parent/child: "Well, your worship, this is what the government website told us to do."
Public servant: "Well, your worship, we just provide resources, not medical advice."
Politician: "Nothing to see here. Move along."
PERHAPS SOMEWHAT OFF TOPIC BUT FELT A RESPONSE WAS APPROPRIATE
Following my belated realisation that ‘gender identity is the core of our sense of self, I struggled through the rest of a 2021 online article by Drs Ada Cheung and Sav Zwickl, the University of Melbourne, titled:
‘Why have nearly half of transgender Australians attempted suicide?’
Referenced therein was a study indicating that 63% of the transgender cohort reported previous self-harm and 43% had attempted suicide.
Such a finding is not at all surprising:
It is well documented that the gender dysphoria (GD) cohort harbours a disproportionately high prevalence of mental health comorbidities including mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD, psychosis,
trauma, eating disorders and autism spectrum conditions (ASD).
If we leave the other stuff aside and focus on ASD:
Multiple studies confirm that the prevalence of ASD in the GD cohort is of the order of 8-10%, near ten times that in the general population.
Suicidality is a prominent feature of ASD with studies indicating that they are rates of at least 10 times that of the general population.
The math is not complex: 10% of a cohort with a X10 trend of a variable = an awful LOT
or more simply Mental Health 101:
The more individuals in a room with mental health issues the more mental health issues will manifest.
That aside, encouragingly, I can find no evidence of a single suicide in this cohort in Australia, has there been one?
While sympathising with the distress faced by the transgender folk who self-harm and attempt suicide, in order to address the issue of suicide in young people it is important to focus on those most affected:
In 2022 Australian Indigenous folk aged 0–24 and 25–44 suicide rates were greater than 3 times (3.2 each) that of their non-Indigenous counterparts.
Ref: Aust Govt Institute of Health & Welfare website.
A suicide epidemic that has remained unabated for many years.