Great Ormond Street delays conference over trans protests

GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL (Gosh) has been forced to postpone a trainee doctors’ video conference after trans activists protested that speakers would make attendees feel “unsafe”.

All training child psychiatrist finalists in London had been expected to attend the day-long event on March 16 to learn how to support young people who question their gender. But the event, organised by the trainees, descended into chaos when trans activists refused to appear alongside gender-critical speakers; trainee doctors sent dossiers of allegations about some speakers; and two feminist writers were disinvited.

NHS officials postponed the event on March 15 after health service whistleblowing procedures were used to protest against it, in what has been branded an “outrageous” silencing campaign.

Helen Joyce, an editor at The Economist, who maintains biological sex is binary and immutable, was due to attend. But, earlier this month, she was asked to respond to a list of allegations a trainee child psychiatrist had sent to organisers, warning them: “There is no possible way in which this event can be a ‘safe environment’ for LGBTQ+ and especially trans participants.” Her invitation was withdrawn.

Also disinvited was Stephanie DaviesArai, the director of Transgender Trend, a gender-critical website for parents, after dossiers of allegations were submitted by a trainee doctor and Mermaids, the child trans charity.

Following a flood of complaints, it was agreed the conference would be delayed while a review was undertaken.

A Health Education England spokesman said: “Concerns were raised to us … We will oversee a review to ensure the rescheduled training meets the needs of all those concerned.”