PCS Proud Statement on the Banning of Puberty Blockers in the care programme of young Trans people.
PCS Proud condemns in the strongest terms the recent announcement that Wes Streeting intends to make permanent the ban on the use of puberty blockers in the treatment of young Trans people pending an immoral, unethical, and unworkable clinical trial that could take years.
This ban is in defiance of the overwhelming majority of medical evidence from experts in the field of trans healthcare, the well documented and researched positive outcomes of such treatments, and the extremely low regret rates amongst those having gone through the care pathway that is shown repeatedly in various studies worldwide. The evidence for its safe and effective use is so overwhelming that the UK stands isolated and alone amongst all Western European democracies in banning puberty blockers in the treatment of Trans young people.
This ban then cannot be said to be based in the research, science, data, or fact. The international rejection by professional bodies involved in Trans healthcare and strident academic criticism of the Cass report amply demonstrates that. instead, this ban can only be the result of a personally held belief system: one which sees even happy and successfully transitioned people as a negative outcome.
That this is specifically targeted at the successful healthcare programme of Trans people alone is shown by the fact that the very same medicine has been used safely in the treatment of sometimes extremely young children with conditions such as precocious puberty for almost forty years. The side effects are well known and can be mitigated. This use of puberty blockers has not been banned. The discriminatory nature of this ban is startlingly apparent.
Through this action Wes Streeting, and by extension this Labour Government, has shown itself willing to implement highly destructive and potentially fatal policies that attack a venerable minority based not on science, research, data and facts, but on personally held belief systems. It is a government where unfounded belief systems appear to take precedence over evidenced data when making its policy decisions.
PCS Proud recognises that this unethical and scientifically immoral decision will also detrimentally affect many of our union members. Those who are parents, family, friends, or loved ones of the young trans people affected will be left facing the trauma that will no doubt be suffered by their children. Again, the data and research clearly show the appalling levels of self-harm and suicidal idealisation caused by a rejection of trans children’s affirmed gender identities and a failure to offer an effective care pathway. The emotional and psychological consequences of the necessary care and support within family and friendship circles for the affected young trans people will be borne by many of our members. This may lead to workplace and performance issues. PCS Proud will support such members, as should the union as a whole, in any issues which may arise as a consequence. Such members, though their support for their Trans young one, are every bit a part of our community as the LGBT+ members themselves and we stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity with you.
It is high time our union passed a clear, unequivocal policy condemning the rampant transphobia within the UK, calling out all those who perpetuate it, and setting out clealry our support for the reality of trans lives and a proprly funded and resourced care pathway for trans people. As motion A317 passed at last year's conference made clear, the ideologies underpinning transphobia are directly linked and related to those attacking other minorities such as the rights of those with disabilities, black people, neurodiverse people, and women . Transphobia is being used to mainstream and normalise hate speech not just against the trans community, but other vulnerable groups too. The Trans community are just the easiest target due to our size and relative powerlessness. If we don’t call out transphobic policy making, and government sponsored removal of rights and healthcare who will be the next target? Whose rights to exist and thrive within the UK will be taken away next?
PCS Proud stands in solidarity with all those groups whose rights, existence and health care are under similar threat, and who are targeted by the rising agenda if hate and division.
PCS Proud will be producing a motion for conference around these issues and we call on all branches to contact us, support the motion, and make sure PCS is in the forefront of the fight against the rising tide of hate within the UK