The puberty blocker ban has now been extended until 2027 in an act targeting a few hundred kids around the country at the behest of dedicated hate groups against them and literally nothing else. Trans Kids Deserve Better protested this action outside of Wes Streeting’s office last night.
The puberty blocker ban, specifically blocking the use of GnRH analogues in the treatment of trans youth, has now been extended until 2027. The ban was initially forced through Parliament via a series of completely unprecedented moves under The Conservatives and Victoria Atkins using emergency powers. Since then it has been championed by Labour’s Wes Streeting who has repeatedly extended it.
The ban, which targets the private healthcare sector and is completely outside of the scope of The Cass Review and never recommended by her, is to my knowledge the most extensive ban on any substance not covered by our drugs classification system. This despite Cass’ review highlighting that very few children were ever prescribed this medication and those that did receive it were happy about that.
But none of that matters. The ban is necessary for The Cass Review to enact what it did recommend; a research program into the efficacy of puberty blockers which is scheduled to end in 2027. Given the option between being forced to participate in research that could and likely will be used to undermine trans health care and not doing that; almost everyone is going to choose not doing that.
No ban? No research program. No research program? No means of claiming vindication for the tens of thousands of pounds and collective human hours spent pursuing one of the smallest and most vulnerable minorities in our country.
Streeting’s latest extension to the ban led to Trans Kids Deserve Better, who have held other protest action around this ban, occupying his office in Ilford North. Wherein the youths constructed a coffin and wrote “We will live out of spite” on its lid. Other signs from the youths read “we are not pawns for your politics” and “keep trans kids alive”.
TKDB issued a statement following the end of their action at the Ilford North constituency office:
“The occupation has now ended, but the space we created for grief and love brought light in this terrifying moment. We showed Streeting that we will not stop fighting despite the horrific treatment we receive from him and his government.
Trans Kids Deserve Better
Wes Streeting refused to show his face at his offices this morning, and refused to face the community he is doing his best (and failing) to destroy. He saw us standing in community in our grief and he treated it as a threat, as the government and media continually do. Because in reality, we are so powerful together, and we will keep living and thriving and fighting out of love, and out of spite. And that makes them afraid.
Trans kids deserve healthcare, dignity, and to be treated like human beings. We will fight for that until we have the future we need, and deserve. Trans kids deserve better“
Subsequent protest action is also planned including a phone and email blockade of Streeting and his office. This action is called for by The Dyke Project and details can be found via their instagram. Many, including groups like Equality Amplified, are calling for people to write letters to their MPs calling for the end of this ban.
I support these actions, I just don’t think they are going to tip the scales. The UK government and media have been found to be repeatedly colluding with anti-trans hate groups and ignoring LGBTQIA+ inclusive ones on a whole range of subjects surrounding trans lives. I don’t think it matters how much you beg and plead with them to not be bigots; they are bigots, they have chosen bigotry. And I don’t believe you can reason people out of bigotry.
We should absolutely pursue undoing the ban and the last decade or so of anti-trans proliferation through our institutions. It is a rot that needs to be cut out for the safety of everyone. But that is of little comfort to the many trans people and especially trans youth who will have to navigate and survive a world so set against them until that point. Which is why I think we should put more effort into alternatives to getting the UK Govt to show us even a shred of humanity.
Trans lives can absolutely be insulated from a lot of the worst of what’s to come whether that be through active social inclusion in events, better inclusive policies in employment or just throwing heaps of cash at us so we can afford to acquire medications elsewhere, if not from the NHS or private providers.
There is so much that can be done before we ever even have to consider throwing ourselves against the brick wall of British bigotry, and I will be working to pursue those alternatives through 2025 and beyond. I hope you’ll join me.