Victorian MP calls out gender affirmation practices

Victorian Liberal MP Bev McArthur has called out the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne for pushing ahead with controversial ‘affirmation only’ pathways, despite other countries moving away from the practices.

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne have just reaffirmed their commitment to the radical gender-affirming model without considering new research, or even acknowledging the concern this approach is now attracting across the world.

Children distressed by gender dysphoria deserve the best treatment guided by principles of care and the latest medical science, not irreversible interventions supported by legislation and inspired by a non-medical, fanatical, dogmatic ideology.

Watch her powerful speech:

McArthur stated, “it is outrageous that the Royal Children’s Hospital did not consider any recent studies and emerging evidence in the past three years when drafting new guidelines.”

The UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland and states in the US have all investigated the use of off-label drugs such as puberty blockers and found they are not safe or effective for continued use. 

It is becoming more evident that the effects of such treatments are irreversible and causing a great deal of harm to young people who cannot consent to the experimental pathways that are resulting in permanent damage.

The MP has called on the health department to consider a more multi-disciplinary approach in their care of gender incongruent children.