On Wednesday 11th December the Labour government brought in an indefinite ban on puberty blockers for trans youth under the age of 18, a ban quickly followed by the SNP government in Holyrood.
This represents a terrible setback for transgender rights and healthcare across Britain, and means that trans youth will be denied the gender affirming care they need to live full and happy lives.
Puberty blockers are safe, reversible medications that mean children – whether cis or trans – are allowed space and time to make decisions about themselves and their gender, without having to go through puberty.
The prescription of puberty blockers is supported by medical associations across the world, including the Australian and American medical associations. Over here in the UK, the banning of puberty blockers is not supported by the British Medical Association, who called for the lifting of the Tories’ temporary ban in July of this year.
This is an ideological decision by a Labour government that is simply carrying on the Conservative party’s policy of pandering to the anti-trans lobby with culture war nonsense. The fear-mongering over trans people and especially trans children, as with fear-mongering over refugees, is nothing but a manufactured moral panic, with no relevance to the real problems faced by the people.
Don’t listen to culture war bullshit- Trans rights and healthcare are no threat to anyone!
The SSY wishes to declare its solidarity with the brave youth of Trans Kids Deserve Better, who on Wednesday camped out in protest outside the health secretary Wes Streeting’s office in Ilford, and with those who took part in the email and phone blockade of Streeting’s office on Thursday.
If you want to keep up to date and get in touch with Trans Kids Deserve Better, their Instagram is: https://www.instagram.com/transkidsdeservebetter?igsh=MXR3bGM1NGM4aWtmNw==
End the ban! Defend and extend gender affirming care!
