Gender scandal – and a voice of common sense
With your news last week that 17 children at a single school are changing gender, I applaud psychotherapist Bob Withers for putting such a strong case for urging caution over gender reassignment, while still being hugely sympathetic to those for whom the treatment is right.
In a world where almost everyone is afraid to speak the truth or give a valid opinion for fear of being labelled ‘phobic’, we need more people like Bob – people who speak common sense and show deep concern for those being herded down a road of no return.
It can’t be right that so many youngsters are transitioning before medical professionals gain a deeper understanding of their mental health and explore where the feelings of gender dysphoria come from.
And it is criminal that drugs with significant risks are being given out so freely. Ann Johnson, Paddock Moor, Cheshire At the school where 17 children are changing gender, I accept that some might have been induced into it. But I also think that some may genuinely feel they have been born into the wrong sex – and there might be a scientific reason why this is happening so much these days.
It is well documented that plastic pollution affects hormones. Could this be a factor in the rising number of transgender people? And young people might be particularly prone to being affected, as their bodies and brains are still developing. Marc Hurstfield, Northfleet, Kent Your article last week leads me to believe this whole issue is now getting well and truly out of hand. I would even suggest that this is tantamount to child abuse. We should be insisting that gender dysphoria is treated as a mental illness and patients given counselling, not offered gender-changing drugs and surgery on the NHS. Under no circumstances should children under 16 even be considered for treatment. Kevin Coley, Leicester Isn’t ‘child protection’ the refrain repeated by social workers and family courts these days? If so, how does medicating confused, emotional children fit in with that? Chaka Artwell, Oxford Don’t these so-called YouTube stars who have been influencing confused children have a lot to answer for. I’m sure there are lots of people who genuinely suffer from gender dysphoria, but nowhere near as many as we are led to believe. A. Sexton, Surrey
The school where SEVENTEEN children are changing gender