The Trans Agenda #29
[6 May 2024]
Welcome to The Trans Agenda, a newsletter that will arrive in your inbox Monday if you are subscribed. You can also read it on Substack and on Trans Writes.
Publications known for taking an anti-trans stance are and will be referenced and linked. Often, these are the most comprehensive sources for these stories because of their obsession with trans people. I give a summary for those stories so you can make the choice if you want to click the link or seek out more information elsewhere.
As always, if you have any suggestions, I’m open to feedback and you can contact me using the links on this page near the bottom.
Due to the excessive length and how out of hand things were getting, I’ve split the newsletter into two with MEDIA & THE PAPERS in this one and NEWS & POLITICS, THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT, AROUND THE WORLD and ANY OTHER BUSINESS in its own, which you can read here, or in your email if you are subscribed.
THE PAPERS Tuesday 20 April – Sunday 5 May 2024
Across the week, a total of 34 articles & cartoons were produced about trans people in the Guardian/Observer, Times, Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, with the usual absence of positive representation. As always, not a single article was written by a trans person . Here’s a breakdown:
- The Telegraph leads the charge: The Telegraph stands out for its particularly aggressive approach. They published the most negative articles overall (15), including a prominent front-page story on Wednesday.
- A glimpse of neutrality: Just two articles maintained a neutral stance, offering factual information without bias. Both were in The Guardian.
- Sunday surprise (not really): While Saturday saw no articles about trans people, the sole Sunday article, in The Observer, was also negative and we all know who wrote that.
Tuesday 30 April [Total: 6. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 5, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [1: neutral 1, written by trans people 0]

The Times [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]

Daily Mail [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]

Telegraph [3: negative 3, written by trans people 0]




Wednesday 1 May [Total: 10. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 10, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [0]
The Times [3: negative 3, written by trans people 0]



Daily Mail [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]

Telegraph [6: negative 6, written by trans people 0]
- This was on the Telegraph’s front page:






Thursday 2 May [Total: 14. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 13, neutral 1, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [1: neutral 1, written by trans people 0]
![Trans rights row with Rowling is ‘really sad’ – Radcliffe The Guardian2 May 2024 ▼ Daniel Radcliffe, left, said he had had no direct contact with JK Rowling, right, since the controversy over trans rights erupted Daniel Radcliffe has described his rupture with JK Rowling over trans rights as “really sad”, and said that her role in his life as the creator of Harry Potter “doesn’t mean you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life”. His comments, in an interview in the Atlantic, mark the first published remarks by a Harry Potter star since the publication of the Cass review of gender identity services, and Rowling’s suggestion that Radcliffe and his co-star Emma Watson were “celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors”. Radcliffe and Watson’s dispute with Rowling dates back to the writer’s intervention in the controversy between trans-rights activists and gender-critical feminists in 2020. Radcliffe then issued a statement through the LGBTQ+ suicide-prevention group the Trevor Project, saying: “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional healthcare associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo [Rowling] or I.” He told the Atlantic: “I’d worked with the Trevor Project for 12 years and it would have seemed like… immense cowardice to me to not say something. I wanted to try and help people that had been negatively affected by the comments. And to say that if those are Jo’s views, then they are not the views of everybody associated with the Potter franchise.” He added: “I did have a realisation of a connection to Harry Potter and this stuff. A lot of people found some solace in those books and films who were dealing with feeling closeted or rejected by their family or living with a secret.” Radcliffe also said he had had no direct contact with Rowling since the controversy erupted. “It makes me really sad, ultimately, because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.” In 2020, Radcliffe was joined in opposing Rowling’s position by the Potter co-stars Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne. Of the British media’s response, Radcliffe said: “There’s a version of ‘Are these three kids ungrateful brats?’ that people have always wanted to write, and they were finally able to. So, good for them, I guess … “Obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without [Rowling], so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.” He added: “I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment.” ‘I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people’ Daniel Radcliffe Actor Article Name:Trans rights row with Rowling is ‘really sad’ – Radcliffe Publication:The Guardian Start Page:19 End Page:19 Trans rights row with Rowling is ‘really sad’ – Radcliffe The Guardian2 May 2024 ▼ Daniel Radcliffe, left, said he had had no direct contact with JK Rowling, right, since the controversy over trans rights erupted Daniel Radcliffe has described his rupture with JK Rowling over trans rights as “really sad”, and said that her role in his life as the creator of Harry Potter “doesn’t mean you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life”. His comments, in an interview in the Atlantic, mark the first published remarks by a Harry Potter star since the publication of the Cass review of gender identity services, and Rowling’s suggestion that Radcliffe and his co-star Emma Watson were “celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women’s hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors”. Radcliffe and Watson’s dispute with Rowling dates back to the writer’s intervention in the controversy between trans-rights activists and gender-critical feminists in 2020. Radcliffe then issued a statement through the LGBTQ+ suicide-prevention group the Trevor Project, saying: “Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional healthcare associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo [Rowling] or I.” He told the Atlantic: “I’d worked with the Trevor Project for 12 years and it would have seemed like… immense cowardice to me to not say something. I wanted to try and help people that had been negatively affected by the comments. And to say that if those are Jo’s views, then they are not the views of everybody associated with the Potter franchise.” He added: “I did have a realisation of a connection to Harry Potter and this stuff. A lot of people found some solace in those books and films who were dealing with feeling closeted or rejected by their family or living with a secret.” Radcliffe also said he had had no direct contact with Rowling since the controversy erupted. “It makes me really sad, ultimately, because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.” In 2020, Radcliffe was joined in opposing Rowling’s position by the Potter co-stars Watson and Rupert Grint, as well as the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne. Of the British media’s response, Radcliffe said: “There’s a version of ‘Are these three kids ungrateful brats?’ that people have always wanted to write, and they were finally able to. So, good for them, I guess … “Obviously Harry Potter would not have happened without [Rowling], so nothing in my life would have probably happened the way it is without that person. But that doesn’t mean you owe the things you truly believe to someone else for your entire life.” He added: “I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people, and have no further comment.” ‘I will continue to support the rights of all LGBTQ people’ Daniel Radcliffe Actor Article Name:Trans rights row with Rowling is ‘really sad’ – Radcliffe Publication:The Guardian Start Page:19 End Page:19](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F20c6a281-b813-4f3c-bd90-ff7078a0e656_918x665.jpeg)
The Times [3: negative 3, written by trans people 0]
![Online trans clinic warning after teen gets ‘massive’ hormone dose Jonathan Ames - Legal Editor, Lucy Bannerman A teenager was prescribed “dangerously high” levels of hormones that could have led to sudden death, a judge said as he warned of the perils of accessing transgender treatments online. Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the family division of the High Court, said in a ruling yesterday that there was “very significant concern” over children “accessing cross-hormone treatment from any offshore, online, unregulated private clinic”. McFarlane had heard evidence from an expert witness that the dosage of hormones prescribed to the teenager by GenderGP after just a single online consultation with a counsellor was so high that it was “highly abnormal and frankly negligent”. Jacky Hewitt, a consultant paediatric endocrinologist based in Melbourne, told the court that in 20 years of practice she had never seen such a “massive” dose given to a child, and that such treatment would be unlawful in her native Australia. She said that the teenager was immediately prescribed levels of testosterone that would normally be administered only to an adult, after a period of steady escalation over the course of two or three years. “Not only did GenderGP prescribe this top-end dosage to a testosteronenaive child, but they did so by directing a ‘loading’ [double] dose at the commencement of the treatment,” she said. The teenager’s blood was later assessed by Russell Keenan, a consultant paediatric haematologist at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, who advised that the results were effectively normal when compared with reference points relevant to an adult male. At the heart of the case was a 16-yearold, referred to in the ruling as J, who was born female before beginning a course of cross-hormone treatment at the start of last year. The autistic teenager has a history of anorexia and self-harm. J’s last testosterone injection was in August and the next was scheduled for November. But further treatment was postponed, with J’s agreement, after the teenager’s father raised objections, on which the judge was asked to rule. In his judgment, McFarlane delayed ruling on the dispute over whether J, as a minor, had the capacity to consent to life-changing treatment, as it was agreed that no further medical action was required for six months. It was noted that there was a possibility that, when the time came, J could continue treatment with a British provider. But the judge went on to signal deep concern over the use of online gendertreatment clinics that are based abroad. He said it was “right to record” that if J considered resorting to using GenderGP, which is based overseas, for further prescriptions, “then there will be a need to consider very carefully ... his capacity to consent to that particular option and ... whether the circumstances are such that the court should exercise the inherent jurisdiction to prohibit him from doing so”. GenderGP describes itself as a “worldwide transgender clinic” that provides “advocacy, support, advice, healthcare and access to a range of complementary services, which enable trans people to live their lives more easily”. The judge said there “must be very significant concern about the prospect of a young person such as J accessing cross-hormone treatment from any offshore, online, unregulated private clinic”. Paul Conrathe, the solicitor representing J’s father, called for the government to issue a warning to pharmacies not to honour hormone prescriptions from providers such as GenderGP. He added that the case had “exposed a dangerous gap in NHS provision, which urgently needs to be remedied”. GenderGP was contacted for comment.Teacher fights ban over pupil misgendering A decision to ban a Christian maths teacher after he misgendered a pupil was an “unjustified interference” with his rights to freedom of speech and religion, the High Court has been told. Joshua Sutcliffe is pursuing an appeal against a prohibition order in May last year after a regulator found him guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” while working at The Cherwell School, in Oxford, between 2015 and 2018. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel concluded he did not treat a transgender student with “dignity and respect” by failing to use his “preferred pronoun” in class and while appearing on This Morning on ITV. It found Sutcliffe failed to safeguard pupils’ wellbeing when saying God stopped a person from being gay because it was wrong. The panel concluded he did not provide a balanced view to a video played in class about men being “not masculine enough” while at St Aloysius’ College in Islington, north London, in 2018. At a hearing in London, Sutcliffe’s lawyers argued the decision to ban him, which may be reviewed after two years, was “unsafe” and included “perverse” findings. They said that there was “no legal requirement to use preferred pronouns” and that he had a right “not to believe gender identity belief”. The Department for Education, which accepted the TRA’s recommendation to ban Sutcliffe, opposes the appeal, arguing it has been brought too late and has “no merit”. Government lawyers said the teacher had failed “to distinguish between his role as a teacher and his activities as a preacher”. Mr Justice Pepperall will issue his written ruling at a later date.Falling out with Rowling has been really sad, says Radcliffe Shayma Bakht Daniel Radcliffe and JK Rowling in 2011 Daniel Radcliffe has described his fallout with JK Rowling over her transgender views as “really sad”. The actor, 34, who became a global star after being cast as Harry Potter in the film adaptations of Rowling’s novels, said that he had not spoken to her for four years. Rowling had been involved in casting Radcliffe in 2000, but the pair fell out after she wrote tweets in June 2020 that were labelled by some as anti-trans. “It makes me really sad, ultimately,” Radcliffe told The Atlantic magazine, “because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.” Radcliffe responded to Rowling’s tweets by defending trans people in a statement via The Trevor Project, the LGBT suicide-prevention charity for which he is an advocate. Last month, after the Cass report said that the evidence for gender treatments for children was “remarkably weak”, Rowling said she might not forgive the Potter actors and “celeb[rities] that cosied up” to the trans-rights movement. Radcliffe said that he stood by his statement, adding that it would have shown “immense cowardice to me to not say something”. Online trans clinic warning after teen gets ‘massive’ hormone dose Jonathan Ames - Legal Editor, Lucy Bannerman A teenager was prescribed “dangerously high” levels of hormones that could have led to sudden death, a judge said as he warned of the perils of accessing transgender treatments online. Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the family division of the High Court, said in a ruling yesterday that there was “very significant concern” over children “accessing cross-hormone treatment from any offshore, online, unregulated private clinic”. McFarlane had heard evidence from an expert witness that the dosage of hormones prescribed to the teenager by GenderGP after just a single online consultation with a counsellor was so high that it was “highly abnormal and frankly negligent”. Jacky Hewitt, a consultant paediatric endocrinologist based in Melbourne, told the court that in 20 years of practice she had never seen such a “massive” dose given to a child, and that such treatment would be unlawful in her native Australia. She said that the teenager was immediately prescribed levels of testosterone that would normally be administered only to an adult, after a period of steady escalation over the course of two or three years. “Not only did GenderGP prescribe this top-end dosage to a testosteronenaive child, but they did so by directing a ‘loading’ [double] dose at the commencement of the treatment,” she said. The teenager’s blood was later assessed by Russell Keenan, a consultant paediatric haematologist at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, who advised that the results were effectively normal when compared with reference points relevant to an adult male. At the heart of the case was a 16-yearold, referred to in the ruling as J, who was born female before beginning a course of cross-hormone treatment at the start of last year. The autistic teenager has a history of anorexia and self-harm. J’s last testosterone injection was in August and the next was scheduled for November. But further treatment was postponed, with J’s agreement, after the teenager’s father raised objections, on which the judge was asked to rule. In his judgment, McFarlane delayed ruling on the dispute over whether J, as a minor, had the capacity to consent to life-changing treatment, as it was agreed that no further medical action was required for six months. It was noted that there was a possibility that, when the time came, J could continue treatment with a British provider. But the judge went on to signal deep concern over the use of online gendertreatment clinics that are based abroad. He said it was “right to record” that if J considered resorting to using GenderGP, which is based overseas, for further prescriptions, “then there will be a need to consider very carefully ... his capacity to consent to that particular option and ... whether the circumstances are such that the court should exercise the inherent jurisdiction to prohibit him from doing so”. GenderGP describes itself as a “worldwide transgender clinic” that provides “advocacy, support, advice, healthcare and access to a range of complementary services, which enable trans people to live their lives more easily”. The judge said there “must be very significant concern about the prospect of a young person such as J accessing cross-hormone treatment from any offshore, online, unregulated private clinic”. Paul Conrathe, the solicitor representing J’s father, called for the government to issue a warning to pharmacies not to honour hormone prescriptions from providers such as GenderGP. He added that the case had “exposed a dangerous gap in NHS provision, which urgently needs to be remedied”. GenderGP was contacted for comment.Teacher fights ban over pupil misgendering A decision to ban a Christian maths teacher after he misgendered a pupil was an “unjustified interference” with his rights to freedom of speech and religion, the High Court has been told. Joshua Sutcliffe is pursuing an appeal against a prohibition order in May last year after a regulator found him guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” while working at The Cherwell School, in Oxford, between 2015 and 2018. A Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) panel concluded he did not treat a transgender student with “dignity and respect” by failing to use his “preferred pronoun” in class and while appearing on This Morning on ITV. It found Sutcliffe failed to safeguard pupils’ wellbeing when saying God stopped a person from being gay because it was wrong. The panel concluded he did not provide a balanced view to a video played in class about men being “not masculine enough” while at St Aloysius’ College in Islington, north London, in 2018. At a hearing in London, Sutcliffe’s lawyers argued the decision to ban him, which may be reviewed after two years, was “unsafe” and included “perverse” findings. They said that there was “no legal requirement to use preferred pronouns” and that he had a right “not to believe gender identity belief”. The Department for Education, which accepted the TRA’s recommendation to ban Sutcliffe, opposes the appeal, arguing it has been brought too late and has “no merit”. Government lawyers said the teacher had failed “to distinguish between his role as a teacher and his activities as a preacher”. Mr Justice Pepperall will issue his written ruling at a later date.Falling out with Rowling has been really sad, says Radcliffe Shayma Bakht Daniel Radcliffe and JK Rowling in 2011 Daniel Radcliffe has described his fallout with JK Rowling over her transgender views as “really sad”. The actor, 34, who became a global star after being cast as Harry Potter in the film adaptations of Rowling’s novels, said that he had not spoken to her for four years. Rowling had been involved in casting Radcliffe in 2000, but the pair fell out after she wrote tweets in June 2020 that were labelled by some as anti-trans. “It makes me really sad, ultimately,” Radcliffe told The Atlantic magazine, “because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.” Radcliffe responded to Rowling’s tweets by defending trans people in a statement via The Trevor Project, the LGBT suicide-prevention charity for which he is an advocate. Last month, after the Cass report said that the evidence for gender treatments for children was “remarkably weak”, Rowling said she might not forgive the Potter actors and “celeb[rities] that cosied up” to the trans-rights movement. Radcliffe said that he stood by his statement, adding that it would have shown “immense cowardice to me to not say something”.](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd33f8d15-6330-4ddd-92db-5ba57562f3ac_1052x687.jpeg)
Daily Mail [4: negative 4, written by trans people 0]



Telegraph [6: negative 6, written by trans people 0]
![School reports parents over gender stance Teachers told social services after deciding to reaffirm child’s gender choice rather than follow clinical advice The Daily Telegraph2 May 2024By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent A leading private school had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in 2020 after a dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. However, the school insisted upon “respecting [the child’s] wishes to use masculine pronouns”. A LEADING private school in Scotland had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in December 2020 after a long-running dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. “Watchful waiting” is where a child’s view of their gender is closely observed but without social or medical intervention. However, the school insisted upon “respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns”, claiming they had the teenager’s “best interest and wellbeing at heart”. The school announced it received a gold award from trans activist charity LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), which requires schools to rewrite policies, in April 2019. Schools are then given a gold, bronze or silver rating for their LGBTQ+ friendliness as part of a charter scheme that is backed by the SNP government. The child’s mother, whom The Telegraph is not naming in order to protect the pupil’s identity, said the school would defer to the charity rather than listen to the parents, who were acting on clinical advice that affirming the teenager’s gender was not in her best interest. “We were repeatedly lied to by the school,” the mother said. “I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school and LGBT Youth Scotland. The school policies, which LGBT Youth Scotland help write, are set up to ensure parents are deliberately misled. “We had received two expert opinions, including from a specialist in gender, not to challenge our child but that adults should basically turn a blind eye, and not affirm her. But these experts were repeatedly dismissed by teachers.” She added: “Rather than engaging meaningfully with us, we were referred to social services by the school and investigated. Fortunately, they were sensible and it went no further, but the fact that this was deemed appropriate in the first place is outrageous.” Sources at the school admitted social services were contacted but said this was for advice about how to “support the young person”. Dr Hilary Cass, whose landmark review into child gender services in the English NHS was published last month, has warned about the possible dangers of social transitioning, meaning to informally change name and gender. The leading paediatrician called for a cautious approach, including in schools, saying social transitioning was more likely to push children onto a potentially damaging medical pathway. Social workers were called in by the school in December 2020, who interviewed the parents and the child before agreeing with the clinical advice and taking no further action. However, the mother says the school still persisted with the “affirming” approach. The school was still attempting to contact social workers the following August. Jenny Gilruth, the SNP education secretary, said last week that she was looking at implications of the Cass Review into Scottish government’s guidance for schools, which LGBTYS helped write. In a letter from Ms Gilruth regarding the George Watson’s case, sent last November, she said ultimately a child’s wishes on whether parents were informed about gender transition “should be respected”. Information the mother obtained from the school after making a Subject Access Request shows her daughter’s “preferred name” was changed on school systems after she said she was non-binary. Meeting records show the school said in late 2019 it would “be respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns” despite the fact that “mum and dad absolutely do not agree with the ‘positive affirmation approach’ that school is endorsing”. A spokesman for George Watson’s College said: “We have always worked collaboratively with parents and apologise to those involved in this case for any distress caused by what are difficult and challenging circumstances.” A spokesman for LGBTYS said George Watson’s had been awarded a charter in 2018 and that it expired in 2022. He added: “When it comes to advising on supporting trans pupils in schools we always refer to Scottish government guidance.” ‘I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school’ ‘Rather than engaging with us, we were referred to social services by the school’ Article Name:School reports parents over gender stance Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent Start Page:1 End Page:1 School reports parents over gender stance Teachers told social services after deciding to reaffirm child’s gender choice rather than follow clinical advice The Daily Telegraph2 May 2024By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent A leading private school had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in 2020 after a dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. However, the school insisted upon “respecting [the child’s] wishes to use masculine pronouns”. A LEADING private school in Scotland had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in December 2020 after a long-running dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. “Watchful waiting” is where a child’s view of their gender is closely observed but without social or medical intervention. However, the school insisted upon “respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns”, claiming they had the teenager’s “best interest and wellbeing at heart”. The school announced it received a gold award from trans activist charity LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), which requires schools to rewrite policies, in April 2019. Schools are then given a gold, bronze or silver rating for their LGBTQ+ friendliness as part of a charter scheme that is backed by the SNP government. The child’s mother, whom The Telegraph is not naming in order to protect the pupil’s identity, said the school would defer to the charity rather than listen to the parents, who were acting on clinical advice that affirming the teenager’s gender was not in her best interest. “We were repeatedly lied to by the school,” the mother said. “I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school and LGBT Youth Scotland. The school policies, which LGBT Youth Scotland help write, are set up to ensure parents are deliberately misled. “We had received two expert opinions, including from a specialist in gender, not to challenge our child but that adults should basically turn a blind eye, and not affirm her. But these experts were repeatedly dismissed by teachers.” She added: “Rather than engaging meaningfully with us, we were referred to social services by the school and investigated. Fortunately, they were sensible and it went no further, but the fact that this was deemed appropriate in the first place is outrageous.” Sources at the school admitted social services were contacted but said this was for advice about how to “support the young person”. Dr Hilary Cass, whose landmark review into child gender services in the English NHS was published last month, has warned about the possible dangers of social transitioning, meaning to informally change name and gender. The leading paediatrician called for a cautious approach, including in schools, saying social transitioning was more likely to push children onto a potentially damaging medical pathway. Social workers were called in by the school in December 2020, who interviewed the parents and the child before agreeing with the clinical advice and taking no further action. However, the mother says the school still persisted with the “affirming” approach. The school was still attempting to contact social workers the following August. Jenny Gilruth, the SNP education secretary, said last week that she was looking at implications of the Cass Review into Scottish government’s guidance for schools, which LGBTYS helped write. In a letter from Ms Gilruth regarding the George Watson’s case, sent last November, she said ultimately a child’s wishes on whether parents were informed about gender transition “should be respected”. Information the mother obtained from the school after making a Subject Access Request shows her daughter’s “preferred name” was changed on school systems after she said she was non-binary. Meeting records show the school said in late 2019 it would “be respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns” despite the fact that “mum and dad absolutely do not agree with the ‘positive affirmation approach’ that school is endorsing”. A spokesman for George Watson’s College said: “We have always worked collaboratively with parents and apologise to those involved in this case for any distress caused by what are difficult and challenging circumstances.” A spokesman for LGBTYS said George Watson’s had been awarded a charter in 2018 and that it expired in 2022. He added: “When it comes to advising on supporting trans pupils in schools we always refer to Scottish government guidance.” ‘I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school’ ‘Rather than engaging with us, we were referred to social services by the school’ Article Name:School reports parents over gender stance Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent Start Page:1 End Page:1](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb3ca2f29-20cc-489a-8c89-b1a86b2b0613_271x310.jpeg)

![School reports parents over gender stance Teachers told social services after deciding to reaffirm child’s gender choice rather than follow clinical advice The Daily Telegraph2 May 2024By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent A leading private school had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in 2020 after a dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. However, the school insisted upon “respecting [the child’s] wishes to use masculine pronouns”. A LEADING private school in Scotland had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in December 2020 after a long-running dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. “Watchful waiting” is where a child’s view of their gender is closely observed but without social or medical intervention. However, the school insisted upon “respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns”, claiming they had the teenager’s “best interest and wellbeing at heart”. The school announced it received a gold award from trans activist charity LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), which requires schools to rewrite policies, in April 2019. Schools are then given a gold, bronze or silver rating for their LGBTQ+ friendliness as part of a charter scheme that is backed by the SNP government. The child’s mother, whom The Telegraph is not naming in order to protect the pupil’s identity, said the school would defer to the charity rather than listen to the parents, who were acting on clinical advice that affirming the teenager’s gender was not in her best interest. “We were repeatedly lied to by the school,” the mother said. “I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school and LGBT Youth Scotland. The school policies, which LGBT Youth Scotland help write, are set up to ensure parents are deliberately misled. “We had received two expert opinions, including from a specialist in gender, not to challenge our child but that adults should basically turn a blind eye, and not affirm her. But these experts were repeatedly dismissed by teachers.” She added: “Rather than engaging meaningfully with us, we were referred to social services by the school and investigated. Fortunately, they were sensible and it went no further, but the fact that this was deemed appropriate in the first place is outrageous.” Sources at the school admitted social services were contacted but said this was for advice about how to “support the young person”. Dr Hilary Cass, whose landmark review into child gender services in the English NHS was published last month, has warned about the possible dangers of social transitioning, meaning to informally change name and gender. The leading paediatrician called for a cautious approach, including in schools, saying social transitioning was more likely to push children onto a potentially damaging medical pathway. Social workers were called in by the school in December 2020, who interviewed the parents and the child before agreeing with the clinical advice and taking no further action. However, the mother says the school still persisted with the “affirming” approach. The school was still attempting to contact social workers the following August. Jenny Gilruth, the SNP education secretary, said last week that she was looking at implications of the Cass Review into Scottish government’s guidance for schools, which LGBTYS helped write. In a letter from Ms Gilruth regarding the George Watson’s case, sent last November, she said ultimately a child’s wishes on whether parents were informed about gender transition “should be respected”. Information the mother obtained from the school after making a Subject Access Request shows her daughter’s “preferred name” was changed on school systems after she said she was non-binary. Meeting records show the school said in late 2019 it would “be respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns” despite the fact that “mum and dad absolutely do not agree with the ‘positive affirmation approach’ that school is endorsing”. A spokesman for George Watson’s College said: “We have always worked collaboratively with parents and apologise to those involved in this case for any distress caused by what are difficult and challenging circumstances.” A spokesman for LGBTYS said George Watson’s had been awarded a charter in 2018 and that it expired in 2022. He added: “When it comes to advising on supporting trans pupils in schools we always refer to Scottish government guidance.” ‘I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school’ ‘Rather than engaging with us, we were referred to social services by the school’ Article Name:School reports parents over gender stance Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent Start Page:7 End Page:7 School reports parents over gender stance Teachers told social services after deciding to reaffirm child’s gender choice rather than follow clinical advice The Daily Telegraph2 May 2024By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent A leading private school had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in 2020 after a dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. However, the school insisted upon “respecting [the child’s] wishes to use masculine pronouns”. A LEADING private school in Scotland had parents investigated by social workers after they fought teachers’ attempts to “affirm” their daughter’s transgender identity. George Watson’s College in Edinburgh called in social services in December 2020 after a long-running dispute in which the parents, acting on advice from psychologists, asked for the school to adopt a “watchful waiting” approach to their child. “Watchful waiting” is where a child’s view of their gender is closely observed but without social or medical intervention. However, the school insisted upon “respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns”, claiming they had the teenager’s “best interest and wellbeing at heart”. The school announced it received a gold award from trans activist charity LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS), which requires schools to rewrite policies, in April 2019. Schools are then given a gold, bronze or silver rating for their LGBTQ+ friendliness as part of a charter scheme that is backed by the SNP government. The child’s mother, whom The Telegraph is not naming in order to protect the pupil’s identity, said the school would defer to the charity rather than listen to the parents, who were acting on clinical advice that affirming the teenager’s gender was not in her best interest. “We were repeatedly lied to by the school,” the mother said. “I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school and LGBT Youth Scotland. The school policies, which LGBT Youth Scotland help write, are set up to ensure parents are deliberately misled. “We had received two expert opinions, including from a specialist in gender, not to challenge our child but that adults should basically turn a blind eye, and not affirm her. But these experts were repeatedly dismissed by teachers.” She added: “Rather than engaging meaningfully with us, we were referred to social services by the school and investigated. Fortunately, they were sensible and it went no further, but the fact that this was deemed appropriate in the first place is outrageous.” Sources at the school admitted social services were contacted but said this was for advice about how to “support the young person”. Dr Hilary Cass, whose landmark review into child gender services in the English NHS was published last month, has warned about the possible dangers of social transitioning, meaning to informally change name and gender. The leading paediatrician called for a cautious approach, including in schools, saying social transitioning was more likely to push children onto a potentially damaging medical pathway. Social workers were called in by the school in December 2020, who interviewed the parents and the child before agreeing with the clinical advice and taking no further action. However, the mother says the school still persisted with the “affirming” approach. The school was still attempting to contact social workers the following August. Jenny Gilruth, the SNP education secretary, said last week that she was looking at implications of the Cass Review into Scottish government’s guidance for schools, which LGBTYS helped write. In a letter from Ms Gilruth regarding the George Watson’s case, sent last November, she said ultimately a child’s wishes on whether parents were informed about gender transition “should be respected”. Information the mother obtained from the school after making a Subject Access Request shows her daughter’s “preferred name” was changed on school systems after she said she was non-binary. Meeting records show the school said in late 2019 it would “be respecting his [the child’s] wishes to use the masculine pronouns” despite the fact that “mum and dad absolutely do not agree with the ‘positive affirmation approach’ that school is endorsing”. A spokesman for George Watson’s College said: “We have always worked collaboratively with parents and apologise to those involved in this case for any distress caused by what are difficult and challenging circumstances.” A spokesman for LGBTYS said George Watson’s had been awarded a charter in 2018 and that it expired in 2022. He added: “When it comes to advising on supporting trans pupils in schools we always refer to Scottish government guidance.” ‘I feel that our child was just seen as a little guinea pig by the school’ ‘Rather than engaging with us, we were referred to social services by the school’ Article Name:School reports parents over gender stance Publication:The Daily Telegraph Author:By Daniel Sanderson Scottish correspondent Start Page:7 End Page:7](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd130c10d-2a74-4d63-9240-404db8a5ad51_1521x521.jpeg)




Friday 3 May [Total: 3. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 3, written by trans people 0]
The Guardian [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]

The Times [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]

Daily Mail [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]
![Online clinic is blasted after autistic teen given ‘danger’ hormone dose Daily Mail3 May 2024By Alex Ward Social Affairs Correspondent THE most senior family judge in England has issued a warning over a private gender clinic after an autistic teenager was prescribed ‘dangerously high’ doses of hormones. Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the Family Division of the High Court, said ‘any other court’ should exercise ‘extreme caution’ over contact with Gender GP, an online clinic. His ruling came in a case concerning the capacity of a 16-yearold trans boy to provide consent to treatment, having already taken prescribed testosterone. The court had heard the boy, referred to as J for legal reasons, was prescribed a ‘massive’ dose of testosterone by Gender GP. The teenager was born a female and has been diagnosed with autism as well as having a history of anorexia and self-harm. He was given a referral after a single online session with a Gender GP counsellor before he was prescribed hormones and ‘strongly recommended’ to take puberty blockers. The court noted J received a prescription despite no clinical evaluation taking place or a meeting between him and a doctor. It also heard evidence from an endocrinologist. Judge McFarlane, summarising the evidence in his judgment, wrote: ‘[The endocrinologist’s] principal criticism of Gender GP’s intervention, however, relates to the dose of testosterone that was prescribed. ‘Not only did Gender GP prescribe this top-end dosage to a testosterone-naive child, but they did so by directing a “loading” (double) dose at the com ‘Very significant concern’ mencement of the treatment. ‘[The expert] advised “with confidence” that “there is no professional society of paediatric endocrinologists internationally who would consider this anything other than a highly abnormal and frankly negligent approach”.’ While the judge declined to issue any declaratory relief in the case – stating a prohibition on private clinics was a matter for Parliament – he added there was a ‘very significant concern’ about Gender GP’s practices. Article Name:Online clinic is blasted after autistic teen given ‘danger’ hormone dose Publication:Daily Mail Author:By Alex Ward Social Affairs Correspondent Start Page:30 End Page:30 Online clinic is blasted after autistic teen given ‘danger’ hormone dose Daily Mail3 May 2024By Alex Ward Social Affairs Correspondent THE most senior family judge in England has issued a warning over a private gender clinic after an autistic teenager was prescribed ‘dangerously high’ doses of hormones. Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the Family Division of the High Court, said ‘any other court’ should exercise ‘extreme caution’ over contact with Gender GP, an online clinic. His ruling came in a case concerning the capacity of a 16-yearold trans boy to provide consent to treatment, having already taken prescribed testosterone. The court had heard the boy, referred to as J for legal reasons, was prescribed a ‘massive’ dose of testosterone by Gender GP. The teenager was born a female and has been diagnosed with autism as well as having a history of anorexia and self-harm. He was given a referral after a single online session with a Gender GP counsellor before he was prescribed hormones and ‘strongly recommended’ to take puberty blockers. The court noted J received a prescription despite no clinical evaluation taking place or a meeting between him and a doctor. It also heard evidence from an endocrinologist. Judge McFarlane, summarising the evidence in his judgment, wrote: ‘[The endocrinologist’s] principal criticism of Gender GP’s intervention, however, relates to the dose of testosterone that was prescribed. ‘Not only did Gender GP prescribe this top-end dosage to a testosterone-naive child, but they did so by directing a “loading” (double) dose at the com ‘Very significant concern’ mencement of the treatment. ‘[The expert] advised “with confidence” that “there is no professional society of paediatric endocrinologists internationally who would consider this anything other than a highly abnormal and frankly negligent approach”.’ While the judge declined to issue any declaratory relief in the case – stating a prohibition on private clinics was a matter for Parliament – he added there was a ‘very significant concern’ about Gender GP’s practices. Article Name:Online clinic is blasted after autistic teen given ‘danger’ hormone dose Publication:Daily Mail Author:By Alex Ward Social Affairs Correspondent Start Page:30 End Page:30](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F27d07e56-5a06-4fb7-a0af-add12f9d4883_872x770.jpeg)
Telegraph [0]
Saturday 4 May 2024 [Total: 0 Publications 3]
The Guardian [0]
The Times [0]
Daily Mail [0]
Telegraph [?]
- Saturday’s Telegraph is never available on Press Reader and I’m still trying to work out why.
Sunday 5 May [Total: 1. Publications 4, positive 0, negative 1, written by trans people 0]
The Observer [1: negative 1, written by trans people 0]
- Sonia Sodha compares the debate over assisted dying with self-ID and surrogacy in her article this week.

The Sunday Times [0]
Mail on Sunday [0]
Sunday Telegraph [0]
TRANSWRITES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
- The 32 things The Cass Review recommends and why they are concerning, by Gemma Stone.
- NHS & puberty blockers: Former GIDS patients reflect on long wait times, invasive assessments, by Sasha Baker.
- The Cass Review: A government-sanctioned attack on trans lives, by Lee Hurley.
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