Terrific article, and so important! Yet another that SHOULD have been an op-ed in The NY Times or WaPo. It boggles the mind how anyone can paint Hilary Cass as a demon. She is what my British spouse would call “dead ordinary” (her highest possible compliment for anyone); that is, someone who climbs Lake District peaks in pleated plaid skirts and “sensible shoes.” Not to mention she is the most caring, compassionate, and scientifically dispassionate person one can imagine (indeed, her refusal to go beyond where the evidence took her and her team is a frustration to many of us—but oh, the doors she has opened . . . except of course here in the US). My litmus test to determine who the fanatics really are (lookin’ at you, Blair Peters) is anyone who attempts to demonize Hilary Cass. I mean really, she had thought on her retirement she’d learn to play the saxophone. How dead ordinary can you get?
Cass shouldn’t have covered up autogynephilia, [1] and should have broached the subject of major harm being caused by the “mismatched” “gender identity” narrative.
At least then, this would have shifted the Overton window, allowing more people into the “gender identity” debate.
As it stands, it was ultimately all about appeasement for the “gender identity” ideologues, and as we can see, they can never be appeased.
Cass also continued to freeze anybody talking about autogynephilia out of the debate, which suits “gender identity” ideologues fine as well.
This has stuck in my craw the whole time, too. If she had had the guts to say that the whole concept of not being the sex you are (a material impossibility, and a psychological delusion) is the foundational problem. Literally no one is born in the wrong body, especially no child.
"Born in the wrong body" isn't only stupid—it's also incredibly insulting to anyone who was born with a major deformation or developmental disability that greatly limits their prospects in life, i.e., the only people out there who conceivably have a claim on being in the "wrong body".
After everything is said and done, IMHO, these surgeons, doctors, etc. who are censoring the Cass Review are more concerned with making more money than the health and welfare of these gender-confused kids.
When the Cass review first came out I thought, finally people are beginning to see sense and I was surprised and pleased to see how quickly the UK took some of the recommendations on board. However, I always figured that the US would be a harder nut to crack, if for no other reason than the size of the gender affirming industry and the amount of money involved in it. Obviously this is still the case, they are circling the wagons and putting their metaphorical fingers in their ears and blindly continuing down the same path. But this nut has to crack eventually though, depending on the result of the upcoming election, it still may take a while. Perhaps the snowball of litigation by detransitioners can evolve into an avalanche, this will hit them where it hurts, in their wallet, that is the only way it will change in the US.
Oh, the ironies! I'm reminded of the sworn affidavit from "affirming" psychologist Dr. Christine Wheeler submitted in my divorce proceedings decades ago. On page 1, she claimed the "from birth" and "medical condition" certainties of cross-sex ideation (my term) but on page 5, she claimed my stated intention to divorce because our marriage had no future (after my husband was treated by her and diagnosed by her in the first appointment) was what "forced" him to "decide to live full time as female." So it's an internally felt medical condition. However, if the shrink doesn't want to be the home-wrecker, she can work on the wife's indoctrination and handle some kind of negotiations regarding his schedule of crossdressing to "keep the family together." Soorry, lady I'm going public with your name now.
Here's the link to the Swedish death study demonstrating the rate of suicide of male "transitioners" is 19 TIMES higher than age-matched controls when the study covers long term, 10+ years follow up. The rate of natal females committing suicide in the post op decades is 40 TIMES higher than the Swedish female controls. This study matched age and income status with same sex and opposite sex controls, as all of these studies do in Europe now. This is because a man who ideates he's a woman has to be compared not only to a woman of the same age, but a man of the same age. The controls are out of control. Dhejne, meanwhile, is all over the place saying we're misinterpreting her (shocking) results. How, Cecilia, how?
To quote Dr.Cass,"Firstly, you must have the same standards of care as everyone else in the NHS, and that means basing treatments on good evidence."
Only the ASPS seems to be trying to follow best medical practice for these people. They deserve better than someone's hope that it will help them, and lies.
It seems that the health profession has broadly moved not just to enable and facilitate a psychological disorder (as if that weren’t dangerous and unethical all on its own) but also to demand that the whole of society participate in the resulting delusions. Psychology and medicine have never looked so ugly.
I remain astonished and ashamed of my medical and surgical colleagues. I am a retired pediatric specialist. It is common sense that adolescents -- ages 11 through 18 and some longer -- are immature, labile, and easily influenced. I have learned so much reading Lisa's posts and others on substack. Only lawsuits will ultimately cause my erstwhile colleagues to cease and desist. This is the greatest clinical and ethical disaster during my career.
Their slogan? “Bridging the Gap Between Best Evidence and Clinical Practice.”
More like "Burning the Bridge Between Best Evidence and Clinical Practice.”
Terrific article, and so important! Yet another that SHOULD have been an op-ed in The NY Times or WaPo. It boggles the mind how anyone can paint Hilary Cass as a demon. She is what my British spouse would call “dead ordinary” (her highest possible compliment for anyone); that is, someone who climbs Lake District peaks in pleated plaid skirts and “sensible shoes.” Not to mention she is the most caring, compassionate, and scientifically dispassionate person one can imagine (indeed, her refusal to go beyond where the evidence took her and her team is a frustration to many of us—but oh, the doors she has opened . . . except of course here in the US). My litmus test to determine who the fanatics really are (lookin’ at you, Blair Peters) is anyone who attempts to demonize Hilary Cass. I mean really, she had thought on her retirement she’d learn to play the saxophone. How dead ordinary can you get?
She's heroic however which seems far from ordinary in the AAP, HHS, APA, Endocrine Society leadership.
Absolutely!
Absolutely mind boggling.
Cass shouldn’t have covered up autogynephilia, [1] and should have broached the subject of major harm being caused by the “mismatched” “gender identity” narrative.
At least then, this would have shifted the Overton window, allowing more people into the “gender identity” debate.
As it stands, it was ultimately all about appeasement for the “gender identity” ideologues, and as we can see, they can never be appeased.
Cass also continued to freeze anybody talking about autogynephilia out of the debate, which suits “gender identity” ideologues fine as well.
[1] https://since2010.substack.com/p/why-did-the-cass-review-not-cover
This has stuck in my craw the whole time, too. If she had had the guts to say that the whole concept of not being the sex you are (a material impossibility, and a psychological delusion) is the foundational problem. Literally no one is born in the wrong body, especially no child.
"Born in the wrong body" isn't only stupid—it's also incredibly insulting to anyone who was born with a major deformation or developmental disability that greatly limits their prospects in life, i.e., the only people out there who conceivably have a claim on being in the "wrong body".
The AAP as well has shown itself to be committed to advocacy over patient safety https://thehill.com/opinion/4923929-aap-convention-rachel-levine/
Such an important piece.
These organizations are corrupt and politicians defer to them!
Just infuriating.
Well, it’s what we should continue to expect if “harm” is defined as any discussions about these procedures that are not endorsements.
After everything is said and done, IMHO, these surgeons, doctors, etc. who are censoring the Cass Review are more concerned with making more money than the health and welfare of these gender-confused kids.
When the Cass review first came out I thought, finally people are beginning to see sense and I was surprised and pleased to see how quickly the UK took some of the recommendations on board. However, I always figured that the US would be a harder nut to crack, if for no other reason than the size of the gender affirming industry and the amount of money involved in it. Obviously this is still the case, they are circling the wagons and putting their metaphorical fingers in their ears and blindly continuing down the same path. But this nut has to crack eventually though, depending on the result of the upcoming election, it still may take a while. Perhaps the snowball of litigation by detransitioners can evolve into an avalanche, this will hit them where it hurts, in their wallet, that is the only way it will change in the US.
Oh, the ironies! I'm reminded of the sworn affidavit from "affirming" psychologist Dr. Christine Wheeler submitted in my divorce proceedings decades ago. On page 1, she claimed the "from birth" and "medical condition" certainties of cross-sex ideation (my term) but on page 5, she claimed my stated intention to divorce because our marriage had no future (after my husband was treated by her and diagnosed by her in the first appointment) was what "forced" him to "decide to live full time as female." So it's an internally felt medical condition. However, if the shrink doesn't want to be the home-wrecker, she can work on the wife's indoctrination and handle some kind of negotiations regarding his schedule of crossdressing to "keep the family together." Soorry, lady I'm going public with your name now.
Here's the link to the Swedish death study demonstrating the rate of suicide of male "transitioners" is 19 TIMES higher than age-matched controls when the study covers long term, 10+ years follow up. The rate of natal females committing suicide in the post op decades is 40 TIMES higher than the Swedish female controls. This study matched age and income status with same sex and opposite sex controls, as all of these studies do in Europe now. This is because a man who ideates he's a woman has to be compared not only to a woman of the same age, but a man of the same age. The controls are out of control. Dhejne, meanwhile, is all over the place saying we're misinterpreting her (shocking) results. How, Cecilia, how?
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016885
It is a human rights issue.
To quote Dr.Cass,"Firstly, you must have the same standards of care as everyone else in the NHS, and that means basing treatments on good evidence."
Only the ASPS seems to be trying to follow best medical practice for these people. They deserve better than someone's hope that it will help them, and lies.
It seems that the health profession has broadly moved not just to enable and facilitate a psychological disorder (as if that weren’t dangerous and unethical all on its own) but also to demand that the whole of society participate in the resulting delusions. Psychology and medicine have never looked so ugly.
I remain astonished and ashamed of my medical and surgical colleagues. I am a retired pediatric specialist. It is common sense that adolescents -- ages 11 through 18 and some longer -- are immature, labile, and easily influenced. I have learned so much reading Lisa's posts and others on substack. Only lawsuits will ultimately cause my erstwhile colleagues to cease and desist. This is the greatest clinical and ethical disaster during my career.
If you repeat the lie often enough....
Love the photo.