It is extremely disturbing that so few politicians and medical practitioners in this country acknowledge the investigations into “affirmation” practices overseas.

The Cass review, along with other studies have revealed that puberty blockers are being used off-label and are causing irreversible harm to thousands of young people around the world.

As a result the UK, Norway, Finland, Sweden and states in the US have either paused or banned such dangerous practices, including cross-sex hormones and surgical procedures on minors.

Australian politicians have refused to hold inquiries and continue to push ahead with legislation that prohibits questioning or opposing such practices.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists however have decided it is time to rely on their professional knowledge rather than bow down to a political ideology.  The college has “declined to endorse gender­ affirming care as the key intervention for children who believe they may be transgender, highlighting an increasingly cautious approach in some European countries amid a lack of evidence for the medical pathway”.

The college has admitted that sex is observed and cannot be changed.

“Sex refers to the biological characteristics that define humans as female or male,” the position statement says. “While these sets of biological characteristics are not mutually exclusive, as there are individuals who possess both, they differentiate humans as males and females in the vast ­majority of people.”

“Professional opinions differ about some aspects of the most appropriate care for adolescents requesting treatment,” the position statement says.

“A range of interventions (including psychological, social, and medical) may be considered for adolescents presenting with distress related to their gender.

“There is a range of recommendations regarding the care of children and adolescents with gender incongruence/gender dysphoria. These include caution on the use of hormonal and surgical treatment, screening for potential coexisting conditions (autism spectrum disorder and ADHD), arranging appropriate service provision for these conditions, and offering psychosocial support to explore gender identity during diagnostic assessment.

“Some TGD young people, supported by their family, wish for and commence gender-­affirming puberty suppression/sex hormone treatment, and report they experience it as beneficial. While several major professional organisations support the use of puberty suppressants and cross sex hormones for adolescents, health authorities in some European countries recommend restrictions be placed on their use. Australian and New Zealand paediatric services continue to provide multidisciplin­ary gender-affirming care.”

The rising number of detransitioners pose a real threat with endless lawsuits on the horizon. Too many young people were sold the lie they could change sex and have their underlying issues resolved if they went down the affirmation pathways. The RANZCP acknowledges that the true number of detransitioners is unknown and that the consequences are very serious.

It is not known how many individuals who detransition experience regret, and how many are satisfied with the changes they have made. While regret appears to be infrequent, the true regret rate is unclear. 

Individuals who detransition have been reported to experience mental health concerns including depressive and anxiety disorders and may have difficulty accessing healthcare ser­vices. Some report they have been harmed by gender-affirming care and some have launched legal proceedings.

A Royal Commission into how activists have influenced legislation and medical practices is urgently required for the sake of young people who are falling victim to this harmful ideology.