Wednesday, September 28, 2022
"Individuals undergoing gender-affirming surgery (GAS) with a pre-existing mental health condition seemed to face higher rates of postoperative complications, researchers reported."
This day in Herstory: Kate Douglas Wiggin, born September 28, 1856 (died August 24, 1923), was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and composed collections of children's songs. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878 (the Silver Street Free Kindergarten). With her sister during the 1880s, she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labor. (more)
Canada - Clinic featured at child trans summit sends legal demand to Post Millennial to censor our reporting
Children's Minnesota demanded that the article be deleted. They did not want the video of the panel where clinicians discussed the medical and therapeutic gender transition of young children to be exposed to the public.
From The Post Millennial (Canada)
By Libby Emmons
September 27, 2022
The Post Millennial wrote about the World Professional Association for Transgender Health conference in Montreal, Quebec, in September. We wrote about the panels at that conference, and what clinicians and activists were saying on those panels, including one on "Navigating The Changing Landscape With Littles And Their Families: Exploring The Role Of Mental Health Across Different Practice Settings With Transgender And Gender Diverse Pre-Adolescent Children."
As a result, The Post Millennial received a legal demand from Children's Minnesota, which publically available information states is the seventh largest pediatric health system in the United States, and advertises as “The Kid Experts.” …
Children's Minnesota demanded that the article be deleted from The Post Millennial's website. They did not want the video of the panel where clinicians discussed the medical and therapeutic gender transition of young children to receive broader public attention. We have not deleted the article. The Post Millennial believes that the footage meets every criteria of fair use. … read full article
UK - How has Mermaids escaped scrutiny for so long?
Finally, serious questions are being raised about the charity’s ‘affirmation’ approach to gender identity.
From spiked (UK)
By Jo Bartosch
September 28, 2022
It’s tempting to wonder what was going through the mind of Dr Belinda Bell when she told a packed court that Mermaids, the controversial trans children’s charity she chairs, ‘[doesn’t] give medical advice’. Because now, less than two weeks since she made it, this claim looks more than a little questionable.
Bell was giving evidence in a case launched by Mermaids against the government regulator, the Charity Commission, over its decision to grant the LGB Alliance charitable status. (Mermaids argues that the LGB Alliance, which advocates for the rights of same-sex-attracted people, is transphobic.) Yet now, it is Mermaids that finds itself under scrutiny from the Charity Commission, following a damning investigation by the Telegraph this week. … read full article
UK - Why critics say trans charity Mermaids is a scandal unfolding before our eyes: A scheme to send 'harmful' breast binders to children behind parents' backs, and staff pushing puberty-blocking drugs. Is it time to withdraw its status as a charity?
Charity Mermaids offered to send a controversial 'binder' to a trans 13 year old
The device, which flattens and constricts the breasts, can cause health issues
A Mail investigation reveals a stream of questionable material by the charity
Mermaids has received £500,000 in lottery funding and £20,000 in grants
From Daily Mail (UK)
By KATHRYN KNIGHT
September 28, 2022
Like many troubled adolescents, the 13-year-old who logged on to an online forum was looking for guidance and support.
Calling themselves a ‘female to male trans’ person, they spoke of their physical self-loathing.
They were desperate, they said, to wear both a ‘packer’ — used to create the impression of male genitalia — and a ‘binder’, an item of clothing designed to flatten and constrict the breasts, and which can cause serious health issues. … read full article
US - These Detransitioners Have A Message For Distressed Girls: Mangling Your Body Is A Sickness, Not A Cure
From The Federalist (USA)
By JORDAN BOYD
September 28, 2022
“The Detransition Diaries: Saving Our Sisters” is a cautionary tale that exposes not only how influential the spread of trans ideology is on social media and in doctors’ offices, schools, and therapy sessions, but also how that same ideology weaponizes vulnerable young women’s identity struggle against them.
The film from the Center for Bioethics and Culture documents the testimonies of three women — Helena, Cat, and Grace — who went through various forms of so-called “gender-affirming” prescriptions and procedures only to discover that the wrongly named “treatments” marketed to make them feel better about their bodies did more harm than good. … read full article
US - How Young Is Too Young for Sterilization?
An influential transgender advocacy group releases new recommendations based on politics—not science.
From Common Sense (USA)
By Lisa Selin Davis
September 28, 2022
What do you do if you are the parent of a child who believes they were born in the wrong body? What if your kid doesn’t fit the stereotypical behavior of their sex—your daughter is a tomboy, your son is effeminate—and a teacher or school counselor suggests they might be transgender? What if your teenager, uncomfortable with their changing body at puberty, says they will harm themselves—or worse—if they are not allowed to medically transition?
A growing number of parents are facing such questions in 2022. Desperate for answers, they are turning to the experts: the doctors, psychologists, and professional organizations devoted to diagnosing and treating gender dysphoria. … read full article
US - Mental Health Dx Tied to Complications After Gender-Affirming Surgery
— Public insurance, age also linked with higher rate of postoperative health problems
From MedPage Today (USA)
By Kristen Monaco
September 28, 2022
Individuals undergoing gender-affirming surgery (GAS) with a pre-existing mental health condition seemed to face higher rates of postoperative complications, researchers reported.
In a study of more than 4,000 patients, those with an established diagnosis of a mental health condition had a higher chance of experiencing postoperative complications within 90 days of GAS versus those without a mental health condition, with absolute rates of 12.8% versus 8%, respectively (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.15-1.79, P=0.002), according to Adán Z. Becerra, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and colleagues.
A few other factors other than mental health also appeared to play into GAS postoperative complications, the authors noted in their JAMA Surgery research letter. For instance, Medicaid patients had 36% higher odds for complications versus those covered by commercial insurance (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.03-1.78). … read full article
US - Not up to standard
The transgender health guild WPATH has issued a messy update to its treatment guideline amid growing pressure and scrutiny
From Gender Clinic News (Australia)
By Bernard Lane
September 28, 2022
It sounds authoritative and reassuring — the World Professional Association for Transgender Health. If parents are anxious about entrusting a child to gender medicine, they may be told that the clinic follows the gold standard of WPATH’s treatment guideline. And now, after “five years of rigorous scientific effort by more than 120 health care clinical and academic professionals across the globe”, WPATH has released its Standards of Care Version 8 (SOC 8), which “clearly define the treatment of transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents, including medical interventions such as puberty delaying medications or gender-affirming hormones, and when appropriate, surgical interventions, as medically necessary”.
At least, those are the claims made in WPATH’s media statements. Publicity, politics and the management of competing expectations all overshadow the content of SOC 8. Since the last SOC in 2012, the gender clinic business model has seen rapid global growth with the uptake of puberty blocker drugs and a new patient profile: teenagers, disproportionately female, of the social media epoch. ROGD and detransition are terms of quite recent currency. Abigail Shrier’s book Irreversible Damage is only two years old, and Dr Lisa Littman’s study hypothesising a new, rapid-onset form of gender dysphoria was published just four years ago. … read full article
UK - One in three students say free speech on campus is under threat and open debate is being affected
From Daily Mail (UK)
By Eleanor Harding
September 28, 2022
One third of students say free speech is ‘threatened’ on campus and many perceive a ‘chilling effect’ that discourages open debate, a study has found.
Researchers at King’s College London found 34 per cent now feel this way – up from 23 per cent in 2019.
In addition, 32 per cent of students feel academic freedom is threatened at their institution, compared with 20 per cent three years ago. … read full article
Suella Braverman berates Sussex police in ‘misgender’ row over sex offender
From The Times (UK)
By David Brown
September 28, 2022
The home secretary condemned a police force last night that had warned social media users not to “misgender” a convicted paedophile who identified as a woman.
Suella Braverman accused Sussex police of playing “identity politics” just days after writing to chief constables telling them to reverse the perception that they care more about “woke” issues than tackling crime.
Sussex police had warned Twitter users who pointed out that Sally Ann Dixon, who was jailed earlier this month for abusing seven children, was formerly a man called John and was not legally recognised as a woman. … read full article
UK - Now police force slammed for saying it was 'hateful' to call a transgender paedophile a man wants to be able to record criminals' details using gender neutral title 'Mx'
EXCLUSIVE: Police were slated for calling it 'hateful' to call trans offender a man
Serial paedophile Sally Anne Dixon, 58, identifies as a woman but is legally male
The force apologised last night after Home Secretary stepped in to criticise
But Sussex has plans to change crime recording system beyond biological sexes
Instead it wants include 'other gender identities' as well as neutral honorific 'Mx'
Plan sparked warning 'When you can obscure obvious facts it's open to abuse'
From Daily Mail (UK)
By DAN SALES
September 28, 2022
A police force who said it was 'hateful' to call a legally-male trans paedophile a man wants a system where criminals can be recorded as no-gender or other identities.
Sussex Police released a humiliating apology last night after it sparked a row defending Sally Anne Dixon, 58, when the sex offender was called a man by women online.
But MailOnline can reveal the under-fire constabulary has loftier plans that would cut out both male and female terminologies. … read full article
UK - The shame of Sussex police
Officers should focus on reporting reality rather than protecting sex offenders from 'hateful comments'
From The Spectator (UK)
By Debbie Hayton
September 28, 2022
Just what is happening at Sussex police? Yesterday, the police force issued a grim press release: 'Woman convicted of historic offences against children in Sussex'. But the woman in question was, in fact, not a woman at all: it was Sally Ann Dixon, born John Stephen Dixon, a paedophile who was jailed for abusing several children between the ages of six and 15.
When outraged women called out the police for this confusing statement, the response was swift:
'Hi, Sussex police do not tolerate any hateful comments towards their gender identity regardless of crimes committed. This is irrelevant to the crime that has been committed and investigated' … read full article
Spain - New trans law will destroy women’s rights in Spain, says deputy PM
From The Times (UK)
By Isambard Wilkinson
September 27, 2022
A controversial law that will grant trans rights in Spain has prompted a row within the Socialist-led government after a deputy prime minister warned that it would “destroy” women’s rights.
The draft law, which would allow children as young as 14 to change their legal gender with no medical diagnosis, has angered conservatives who say that it puts minors at risk. The bill removes the requirement for two years of hormone therapy and a psychological assessment to switch gender in official records. … read full article
UK - JENNI MURRAY: Sir Keir is betraying the women Labour once fought for as we find ourselves harassed, insulted and called 'transphobes'
From Daily Mail (UK)
By JENNI MURRAY
September 28, 2022
Fine words were spoken by the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, at this week's conference in Liverpool. 'We must build a new Britain, together,' he said, no doubt hoping to appeal to swing voters uneasy with the Conservatives' handling of the economy.
But to me that 'together' mantra sounds rather hollow. A large number of British people — those of us who with unquestionable accuracy call ourselves women — worry deeply about the protection of our sex-based rights.
We find ourselves harassed, insulted and called 'transphobes' by the trans lobby and simply cannot trust politicians to hear our concerns and protect us from being silenced and forgotten. … read full article
US - Disc Golf’s Lia Thomas Moment
As a biologically male player continues a meteoric rise on the female circuit, women are starting to speak out.
From Quillette (Australia)
By Jonathan Kay
September 28, 2022
For female professional disc golfers, the July 29–31 Discraft Great Lakes Open (DGLO) in Milford, Michigan represented a watershed—marking the first time in the young sport’s history that an Elite-series tournament offered women the same first-place prize money as men. “It should have been a great moment,” one of the female competitors told me once the crowds had gone home. “But then the thing ended, and the winners weren’t a male and a female. It was basically two males.”
By this, the woman was referring to male star Calvin Heimburg, who won what is formally called the “Open” division (but which, in practice, is 100 percent male); and the female-division winner, Natalie Ryan, a trans woman who’s been playing disc-golf tournaments for only three years. Despite this lack of experience, Ryan already is starting to make victory something of a habit, winning not only DGLO, but also a second Elite event in Leicester, Massachusetts this past weekend. As a result, Ryan is now ranked as one of the world’s top five female-classified disc golfers. … read full article
UK - Men of the far-right and the women’s movement
Why are they sniffing around?
From The Critic (UK)
By Jean Hatchet
September 28, 2022
Who are they, why are they here and do any women want them?
The answers to these questions are not easy, and it would certainly be easier not to ask them. Trans activists and their media outlets have long been keen to smear women with far-right affiliations. Just discussing the issue makes them frenzied with accusations. For the overwhelming majority of women in the UK, this smear has no truth.
On Sunday, 18 September the group “Standing for Women” organised an open rally in Brighton to discuss women’s rights. The group is led by Kellie-Jay Keen. Her “Let Women Speak” events are touring the UK and aim to give a platform to predominantly women, and some men, on the issue of women’s rights and the threat to those rights from trans activism. … read full article
US - Detransitioner Perspective: Unscathed
From Parents with Inconvenient Truths about Trans (PITT) (USA)
September 28, 2022
I consider myself to have escaped unscathed from my trans identification. I am one of the lucky ones.
I conducted my transsexual experiment almost in a vacuum—I didn’t have the peer pressure or influence from social contagion that is so prevalent today. This was helpful for me to later evolve away from it. Now, I rarely think of that period in my life and when I do it is not upsetting. I’m able to consider it a valuable lesson, in which I earned that, despite my preconceived notions, men don’t have it any better than women and are, in some ways, even more constrained by societal expectations.
It was only during the lockdown a few years ago that I read Abigail Shrier’s “Irreversible Damage” and rekindled some of those memories from my time as a transsexual. And, at the same time, a friend let me know that her niece, was now her nephew. I felt that I was in a position to help, and so that is why I am here. … read full article
UK - 'I've gone from children's author to truck driver - all because I stood up for JK Rowling': A powerful account of what it feels like to be cancelled - and lose your livelihood - just for being true to your beliefs
Gillian Philip was once a successful children's author, and is now an HGV driver
However she was two years ago dumped by her literary agent and company
Gillian, 58, had earlier expressed her support for JK Rowling on social media
From Daily Mail (UK)
By HELEN CARROLL
September 28, 2022
Having manoeuvred her 32-tonne lorry into a lay-by and joined her fellow HGV drivers for a bacon roll in the nearby greasy spoon, Gillian Philip couldn't help smiling at the stark contrast with her previous career.
As a successful children's author, the last work lunch she had enjoyed had been in a swanky London restaurant. That was another life entirely — one in which Gillian wore stilettos rather than steel-capped boots. But, two years ago, she had been unceremoniously dumped by both her literary agent and the company that had commissioned her to write books for more than a decade.
Her crime? Certainly not lack of talent or diligence — her books sold well. Yet that counted for nothing when she fell foul of the Twitter mob for expressing support online for fellow author J. K. Rowling. … read full article