Dear Lucy Powell,
I write as Manchester’s first openly transgender councillor, on behalf of the below trans people, allies and organisations which represent the trans community in Manchester Central.
The news today that Labour health secretary, Wes Streeting, is to introduce a permanent ban on the prescription of GnRH agonists (so-called “puberty blockers”) on under-18s is profoundly distressing to the trans community. For those affected, it appears to be an ideologically driven act of cruelty from the Labour government towards a victimised minority.
Puberty blockers have been used as part of treating gender incongruence in children and adults since the late 1980s and their safety profile is well established. In transgender youth, the principle of using them to avoid irreversible changes by going through the wrong gender puberty is well established. The regret rate for those who receive this treatment is also astonishingly low. Puberty blockers, before the temporary bans were introduced and then extended, were also prescribed in very low numbers compared to the amount of children being treated for, and awaiting treatment for, gender dysphoria.
The Cass Review, commissioned under the Conservative government, raised concerns around the efficacy of puberty blockers in giving children suffering from gender incongruence “time to think” before committing to a medical transition, and recommended a study to determine this. You may be under the impression that the Cass Review raised safety concerns around the use of puberty blockers, but this is down to misreporting and a narrative driven around transphobia. The Cass Review acknowledged well-known risks, but instead focussed on questioning if the benefits of the treatment outweighed those risks. International studies, including those commissioned following the Cass Review, have come to opposing opinions than that of Hilary Cass.
Concerningly, the ban introduced by Labour goes considerably further than the recommendations of the Cass Review. Instead of just focussing on the use of puberty blockers in giving “time to think” for questioning children, the blanket ban will also prohibit any child who has had “time to think” and wishes to start a medical transition from accessing blockers as part of a standard HRT prescription. It also affects non-NHS treatment, a route used by many as a result of insurmountable waiting lists in the NHS, without an option even for a trial.
A huge concern also comes with the blanket age ban of under-18. This fundamentally undermines the important principle of Gillick competence, previously only up to age 16, for a competent child to be able to make their own healthcare decisions.
It is our strong belief that the UK government should instead be tackling NHS waiting lists, including in transgender care, rather than using their positions of authority to remove well-established and cost-effective treatment paths.
The decision of what the best medical intervention is for gender incongruence should be based on the individual needs of that patient, and one made between the patient, their doctor, and where appropriate, their parents. It is not one to be made in Whitehall by politicians.
I urge you to address the cruel actions of your cabinet colleague, and show allyship to the trans community by speaking out against this ban, and lobbying to bring back science-based and patient-centred decision making to transgender healthcare decisions on the NHS.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Chris Northwood
Trustees of Sparkle – The National Transgender Charity
Directors of Trans Pride Manchester
Abby Spenceley
Adam R Cook
Aidan Fletcher
Ajax
Alan Robinson
Alex Kearney
Alex Learoyd
Alex Williams
Alexandria L Richards
Alice
Alice Evans
Amelia H
Andrew Taylor
Anisia-Maria Boldosan
Antoni Modlinski
April
April Watkins
Arlo West (Trans Pride Manchester)
Ash Walker
Ashley
Aurora Andersen
Avery Chan
Avery Duncan
Azaria Ryan
Beren Maddison
Blair Harrison
Caleb Mcgregor
Cambria McGovern
Cameron Wilson
Carmel Hart
Charlie Lee
Charlotte Wadrop
Chris Stocker
Christina Froggatt
Claire Johnson
Clementine Brooks
Cllr Simon Lepori
Connie Hughes
Councillor Alan Good, Manchester Liberal Democrats
Damien B
Danielle Hardwick
David Williams
Devon Short
Dlaniger Pienaar
Dominic Jarvis-Smith
Dr Kim Foale
Dr Kylie Belchamber
Dr Matthew Milford
Dr Robyn Thomas
Dylan Sinnott
Eamon O’Farrell
Easter James-Staples
Edward Spencer
El Britton
Elizabeth Jobling
Ellis
Emily Glover
Emily Jones
Emma Miller
Fanny Chmelar
Freya
Gemma Ball
Gina Fraser
Gwendolyn
Hazel Richardson
Helen Dale
Helena K.
Holly Padfield
Ian Shuttleworth
Jack Bristow
Jack Fifield
Jacob Church
James McLaughlan
James Thorneycroft
Jay Crawford – Chair of Trustees Sparkle the National Trangender Charity
Jay Russell-Kent
Jayne Lupton
Jen Yockney MBE, Convenor, BiPhoria
Jessica Cronin
Jessica Elizabeth Summerfield
Jessica Hellyer
John Laker
Jon Martin
Jon Paddick
Jonathan Williams
Jordan Turner
Julie Bee
Kay Davidson
Keiran Jack Malcolm
Kieran Dunn
Kieron Moore
Kobe Bibbon
Kyler Tuffin
Laura Layden
Lauren McKie
Lexi Zweber
Lianne Viney
Liara
Lilith Leban
Lilith Rees
Lucy Reid
Lucy Stevens
Luke Allan (Co-Chair Elect, LGBT+ Liberal Democrats)
Luke Crichton
Mateo Zegers
Maxine Franklin
Meg Challinor
Michael Beville
Miles Callaghan
Morgan Jones
Ms Niamh Christian-Clare
Ms Robbie-Jane Ellis
Mx Robin Carruthers
Natasha Erwen
Nora Burford-Reade
Olive Fernando
Osie O’Connor
Pandora Bell
Paula Dickson
Phil White
Philippa East
Rebecca Hart
Robin Swift
Rose Treadway
Rosie Symes (Trans Pride Manchester)
Ryan Brain
Ryan Goddard
Sacha Fox
Sam Coupland
Shaughna Williams
Simon Crisp
Sky Brons
Sol F
Stanley Luker
Taylor Jones
Tegan Carney
Tom Macpherson
Tyler Allwright
Tyler S
William Francis
William Talbot
Winter
Woody Roberts
Wyatt Gordon
Zara Siddiquee
Zoe Whitmore
Zoë Davies
This has now been sent to Lucy Powell so I can add no more names. Please also feel free to adapt this letter to send to your own MP.