On Friday, April 23, 2021, members of Women Speak Tasmania (WST) gathered outside the Tasmanian Gender Service at 60 Collins Street, Hobart, to protest the medicalisation of children with gender dysphoria. The action was part of an international campaign highlighting the unethical and experimental nature of so-called “gender-affirming” medical interventions on vulnerable young people.
Holding a sign reading “NO CHILD IS BORN IN THE WRONG BODY”, WST joined forces with International Partners for Ethical Care (PEC), echoing protests that have taken place across the United States and are set to continue globally in the months ahead.
WST spokesperson Isla MacGregor called on candidates in the upcoming Tasmanian state election to back the urgent establishment of a Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries on children and adolescents.
“Children are being medically transitioned, who, without the influence of ‘affirmation care’, would otherwise come to terms with their natal sex. Among them are high numbers of gay, lesbian and bisexual children, children with a history of trauma, and those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.”
The protest highlighted grave concerns about the affirmation model of care, under which children diagnosed with gender dysphoria are funnelled into a medical pathway beginning with social transition, followed by puberty blockers, then cross-sex hormones, and finally irreversible surgeries. In Australia, girls as young as 15 have already undergone double mastectomies.
The long-term consequences are becoming clear:
- Bone health issues such as osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis, in otherwise healthy young people.
- Infertility resulting from cross-sex hormones.
- Lifelong regret for those who later realise they were not given time to mature before making irreversible decisions.
“This is a medical scandal and time will show that,” Ms MacGregor said. “We expect many lawsuits in the near future.”
WST’s action in Hobart coincided with other protests around Australia, including the Coalition for Biological Reality rally in Melbourne and a demonstration by International Women’s Day Brisbane Meanjin outside the Queensland Health Department.
WST will continue to campaign for proper safeguarding, transparency, and accountability in Tasmanian health services, and for a Parliamentary Inquiry that ensures the protection of children from irreversible medical harm.