Feb 27, 2023 07:48 PM
(This post was last modified: Feb 28, 2023 02:10 AM by C C.)
Gender dysphoria in young people is rising—and so is professional disagreement
https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p382
INTRO: More children and adolescents are identifying as transgender and are being offered medical treatment, especially in the US—but some providers and European authorities are urging caution because of a lack of strong evidence. Jennifer Block reports
Last October the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) gathered inside the Anaheim Convention Center in California for its annual conference. Outside, several dozen people rallied to hear speakers including Abigail Martinez, a mother whose child began hormone treatment at age 16 and died by suicide at age 19. Supporters chanted the teen’s given name, Yaeli; counter protesters chanted, “Protect trans youth!” For viewers on a livestream, the feed was interrupted as the two groups fought for the camera.
The AAP conference is one of many flashpoints in the contentious debate in the United States over if, when, and how children and adolescents with gender dysphoria should be medically or surgically treated. US medical professional groups are aligned in support of “gender affirming care” for gender dysphoria, which may include gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) to suppress puberty; oestrogen or testosterone to promote secondary sex characteristics; and surgical removal or augmentation of breasts, genitals, or other physical features. At the same time, however, several European countries have issued guidance to limit medical intervention in minors, prioritising psychological care.
The discourse is polarised in the US. Conservative politicians, pundits, and social media influencers accuse providers of pushing “gender ideology” and even “child abuse,” lobbying for laws banning medical transition for minors. Progressives argue that denying access to care is a transphobic violation of human rights. There’s little dispute within the medical community that children in distress need care, but concerns about the rapid widespread adoption of interventions and calls for rigorous scientific review are coming from across the ideological spectrum...
[...] For Guyatt, claims of certainty represent both the success and failure of the evidence based medicine movement. “Everybody now has to claim to be evidence based” in order to be taken seriously, he says—that’s the success. But people “don’t particularly adhere to the standard of what is evidence based medicine—that’s the failure.” When there’s been a rigorous systematic review of the evidence and the bottom line is that “we don’t know,’” he says, then “anybody who then claims they do know is not being evidence based.” (MORE - details)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There is probably motivated reasoning occurring on both the "let's do anything to help affirm" and the "let's be cautious" sides. That is the overall story of the "human sciences", which have been compromised by a reciprocal relationship with the [philosophical] humanities and afflicted with various categories of invalid science for decades.
Being dependent on them as a "fact source" for regulating policy might be hyperbolically akin to being dependent upon a cluster of religions and political ideologies as a reliable information wellspring.
In addition, the chemical and surgical transitions taking place are being encouraged by industries profiting from such. Progressive capitalists are just that -- they exploit leftist agendas for advertising angles and new lucrative enterprises, also securing a virtue posturing public image as promoters of social justice. Half the time, southpaw revolutionaries don't even realize their movements have been hijacked and their narratives now manipulated/controlled by the very capitalism they despise. (Albeit the most disingenuous and sly/crafty branch of the latter.)
https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p382
INTRO: More children and adolescents are identifying as transgender and are being offered medical treatment, especially in the US—but some providers and European authorities are urging caution because of a lack of strong evidence. Jennifer Block reports
Last October the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) gathered inside the Anaheim Convention Center in California for its annual conference. Outside, several dozen people rallied to hear speakers including Abigail Martinez, a mother whose child began hormone treatment at age 16 and died by suicide at age 19. Supporters chanted the teen’s given name, Yaeli; counter protesters chanted, “Protect trans youth!” For viewers on a livestream, the feed was interrupted as the two groups fought for the camera.
The AAP conference is one of many flashpoints in the contentious debate in the United States over if, when, and how children and adolescents with gender dysphoria should be medically or surgically treated. US medical professional groups are aligned in support of “gender affirming care” for gender dysphoria, which may include gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues (GnRHa) to suppress puberty; oestrogen or testosterone to promote secondary sex characteristics; and surgical removal or augmentation of breasts, genitals, or other physical features. At the same time, however, several European countries have issued guidance to limit medical intervention in minors, prioritising psychological care.
The discourse is polarised in the US. Conservative politicians, pundits, and social media influencers accuse providers of pushing “gender ideology” and even “child abuse,” lobbying for laws banning medical transition for minors. Progressives argue that denying access to care is a transphobic violation of human rights. There’s little dispute within the medical community that children in distress need care, but concerns about the rapid widespread adoption of interventions and calls for rigorous scientific review are coming from across the ideological spectrum...
[...] For Guyatt, claims of certainty represent both the success and failure of the evidence based medicine movement. “Everybody now has to claim to be evidence based” in order to be taken seriously, he says—that’s the success. But people “don’t particularly adhere to the standard of what is evidence based medicine—that’s the failure.” When there’s been a rigorous systematic review of the evidence and the bottom line is that “we don’t know,’” he says, then “anybody who then claims they do know is not being evidence based.” (MORE - details)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Why there is a global rise in trans youth: "To be clear, there is a discussion worth having about the number of trans youth who are seeking recognition and care, and why that number is higher now than it has been in the past. [...] What’s definitely not OK is when such stories source claims from groups that have built their entire platforms around the concept of ROGD, as if such organisations were equivalent in quality and integrity to the medical consensus. [...] What’s less OK is how news stories fail to contextualise the issues..."
Whereas the paper at the top might be notable due to no apparent mention of controversial rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD).There is probably motivated reasoning occurring on both the "let's do anything to help affirm" and the "let's be cautious" sides. That is the overall story of the "human sciences", which have been compromised by a reciprocal relationship with the [philosophical] humanities and afflicted with various categories of invalid science for decades.
Being dependent on them as a "fact source" for regulating policy might be hyperbolically akin to being dependent upon a cluster of religions and political ideologies as a reliable information wellspring.
In addition, the chemical and surgical transitions taking place are being encouraged by industries profiting from such. Progressive capitalists are just that -- they exploit leftist agendas for advertising angles and new lucrative enterprises, also securing a virtue posturing public image as promoters of social justice. Half the time, southpaw revolutionaries don't even realize their movements have been hijacked and their narratives now manipulated/controlled by the very capitalism they despise. (Albeit the most disingenuous and sly/crafty branch of the latter.)