A school teacher has voiced serious concerns over the sharp rise in children changing their gender identity.
Speaking under the pseudonym ‘Carol’, she said that many children undergoing transition are autistic, or struggling with mental health problems.
She also raised concerns that older trans pupils at her school, where 17 children are changing gender, were ‘grooming’ younger children to follow them.
Tragic
The teacher of 20 years felt compelled to speak out to protect pupils who are being pressured into taking hormonal drugs and may go on to have life-changing surgery.
“They are just young people with mental health problems who have found an identity and want to be part of a group of like-minded people”, she said.
Speaking of one 16-year-old student, preparing to have a double mastectomy, Carol said: “She had other complicated mental health problems. It is a tragedy her claim was accepted so readily. Now she is going to mutilate her body.”
Influence
A report revealed that more than one third of patients referred to the NHS service for gender-confused young people have autistic traits.
Over 2,000 children were referred for gender dysphoria treatment in 2017/2018, compared to just 97 in 2009/2010.
The Government recently closed its consultation on transsexualism, which asked whether current safeguards on changing legal sex were necessary. Over 50,000 people responded.
Under the current law, a person must receive a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from two doctors and live as the opposite sex for at least two years before they can obtain a Gender Recognition Certificate changing their legal sex.
Grooming
Conservative MP, David Davies said: “It is horrendous that children are being encouraged by other pupils to identify as transgender, particularly if they have autism”.
“Parents are not told about this and there is no way of challenging these pupils who are convinced by others that they have a problem”.
He added: “Tragically the end result could be irreversible surgical procedures. This is scandalous.”