Anti-trans Bayswater Support Group challenge puberty blockers trial

The Good Law Project (GLP) has announced its intention to oppose a legal challenge mounted by the vehemently transphobic Bayswater Support Group against the upcoming puberty blocker trial for trans youth healthcare. Trans-led charity Gendered Intelligence will lead the case against Bayswater, should the need arise.

On 27 July, the Good Law Project posted:

The controversial Bayswater Support Group have teamed up with claimants including Keira Bell, whose legal challenge to young trans healthcare in 2020 was overturned on appeal, following an intervention by Good Law Project. In a case funded by a group with links to the far right, they are asking the High Court for permission to challenge the NHS Pathways trial.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the transphobes have tried to stop the puberty blockers trial. Last year, MPs including Kemi Badenoch, Iqbal Mohamed, Rosie Duffield, and Rupert Lowe tried to halt the trial in parliament.

As the Canary reported at the time, the Tory-commissioned Cass Review — itself widely criticised by the medical community for its massive level of bias — called for the trial. Likewise, the leadership of the Pathways trial itself is riddled with anti-trans ideologues.

Ant-Trans Bayswater Support Group

And yet, even this hasn’t been enough to appease the transphobic zealots of the Bayswater Support Group. Regarding the organisation, the Trans Safety Network explained that:

While Bayswater present themselves as a support group for parents, TBIJ’s findings show they operate as a conversion therapy activist organisation with direct links to political campaigning against the rights of trans children and young people.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism also noted that:

Bayswater appears to have successfully lobbied to water down prosecution guidelines for anti-trans domestic abuse.

So, obviously, Bayswater has the best interests of trans kids at heart. The Good Law Project went on to explain:

The claimants suggest that the trial may be unlawful because prescribing puberty blockers to the young people in the trial would fail to safeguard their “rights, safety and wellbeing”. But this isn’t what the evidence suggests – and puberty blockers remain a standard treatment for young trans people across the world.

On top of that, the UK itself still considers puberty blockers safe enough to administer to cis children who are going through precocious puberty. The rules are just different for trans kids.

Of course, that’s before we get to the fact that suicides spiked among trans youth immediately after the government issued its near-total ban on hormones and puberty blockers for young trans people. It’s almost as if the NHS used to issue that medication for a fucking reason, isn’t it?

Healthcare decisions for healthcare professionals

The Good Law Project stated:

If the High Court allows this challenge to go forward, Good Law Project will support the trans youth charity, Gendered Intelligence, with an application to intervene – defending the rights of young trans people who should be able to access puberty-blocking treatment. Important decisions about gender-affirming care should be made by young people and their clinicians. Not by politicians or activists who fight against trans rights.

Healthcare decisions should be made by healthcare professionals? What a world that would be.

Featured image via the Canary / Unsplash

By Grace

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