Tuesday, 4 March 2025

Gender services

Joe McCRACKEN (Western Victoria) (19:11): (1466) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Equality. Minister, last week I had constituents visit me to discuss their concerns regarding the impacts of gender-affirming care used to treat gender dysphoria which results in gender transition. In particular their concerns relate to vulnerable young people with autism, ADHD and other mental health concerns. My constituents’ child, whilst healthy and intelligent, is a vulnerable young person who has experienced rapid onset gender dysphoria on the backdrop of level 2 ASD combined with ADHD, anxiety and depression. This was only made worse during the lockdowns. My constituents are not anti-trans, and they have tried to support their child as best as they can. When asking questions about transition, knowing there was a clear medical evidence base to do so, they were told they were only allowed to gender affirm and that doing anything else was transphobic. My constituents’ daughter has since cut ties with her parents, and they are absolutely distraught.

Gender-affirming care, which is mandated, affirms the self-identified perception of gender incongruence. It leads straight to social, medical and legal transition to change natal sex. The medicalised component involves the use of cross-sex hormones and surgical removal of reproductive organs combined with cosmetic procedures to achieve the desired appearance. Many studies have identified the lack of credible evidence regarding the effectiveness of gender-affirming care. Several countries have ceased its implementation while others are actively reviewing the practice. Mounting evidence demonstrates the unethical nature of care, lack of follow-up for patients and failures in supporting those that detransition. There is a distinct gap in clinical guidance for this vulnerable group of people who identify as trans within the autism spectrum where there are reduced clinical, scientific and ethical safeguards, placing them at substantial health risk.

My constituents love their daughter. Their family have cried countless times fearing for their daughter and what gender transition might actually do, particularly gender-affirming care, all whilst having to bear with the assertion that gender-affirming care will improve mental health as long as there is no contact with the parents, my constituents. The action I seek from the minister is to urgently work with other responsible ministers to stop gender-affirming care and protect vulnerable young people, offering them realistic and accessible alternatives, especially those with mental health concerns who might be on the autism spectrum and suffering from gender dysphoria.