Schools which rush to affirm transsexualism in children may be doing more harm than good, a pro-trans psychologist has said.
Dr Bernadette Wren, a consultant clinical psychologist at the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) clinic in London, said some schools are affirming trans children as soon as they get “a whisper that a child might be querying their identity”.
She is backing parental authority and discretion over allowing children to change their name, uniform and gender pronouns at the child’s request.
Very grave
The Sunday Times said Dr Wren told it: “If a school gets a whisper of a child who may be querying their gender and within minutes they are doing everything to make sure that child is regarded as a member of the opposite sex right from the word go — that may not be the best for that child.”
She added that no matter how “transgender friendly” you are, there needs to be an open discussion about the “really difficult treatment choices to be made”.
Among the “very, very grave issues” that trans children face is that of future infertility caused by hormone blockers and cross-sex hormones, Dr Wren acknowledged. The youngest child being given medical intervention at Dr Wren’s facility is eleven.
Unwise
She also admitted that transgender activists may find themselves on the wrong side of history.
“Of course you have to think that in another generation we will have done something which is not regarded as having been wise.”
Responding to the article, GIDS said it was an “inaccurate account” of what Dr Wren said.
Former Equalities Minister Justine Greening had proposed changing the law to allow people to legally change sex by self-declaration – without needing medical approval or a waiting period.
However The Sunday Times has reported that a consultation on the issue has been delayed while responses to the Equalities Office’s LGBT survey are assessed.