Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of Christian Concern, responds to the long-awaited Cass Review into NHS treatment for children and young people with gender dysphoria.
The Cass Review makes clear that children have not been told the truth by clinicians and other adults.
It is not true that you may be born in the wrong body. It is not true that you can change gender. It is not true that puberty-blockers will help children. It is high time we stopped telling children these things.
The pressure of an academic culture captivated by transgender ideology has prevented honest, independent, scientific research. Fundamental to science is the need to be driven by evidence-based scientific research. The NHS and other clinicians must return to evidence-based medicine, not ideological treatment of vulnerable children.
It is now clear that the professional ban on conversion therapy is harming children. This ban needs to end. We welcome the UKCP (The UK Council for Psychotherapy) withdrawing its signature from the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on Conversion Therapy. Other organisations need to follow. Clinicians cannot be pressured into adopting an affirmative approach through the threat of accusations of 'conversion practices'.
It is time for the government to drop entirely all plans to introduce new legislation to outlaw so-called 'conversion practices'.
The government needs to act to block all loopholes to accessing puberty blockers and introduce a complete ban on their use in this country.
Once again, the damaging effects of online pornography are laid bare. More needs to be done to restrict access to such material to children in particular.
I am pleased to see that the NHS will review all trans treatment following this review. Children have been badly served by an ideological system which believed that affirming children in a false gender identity and prescribing harmful drugs was helpful.
This needs to stop. Children need to be told the truth. We are created male and female and we cannot change this. Most children will grow out of gender confusion as they go through puberty. Gender confused children need care and support and to be told the truth which will set them free.
