Age of uncertainty
New Zealand Listener|September 10 - 16, 2022
Other countries have reviewed their use of puberty blockers for children and young people. New Zealand should too, argues Charlotte Paul.
Age of uncertainty

I am writing this article because my colleagues pleaded with me to do so. My younger col-leagues, in particular, know they can’t speak out because it could potentially damage their reputations.

I’m a medical epidemiologist and my relevant background is in research on sexual and reproductive health, the safety of medicines, and the ethics of research. My colleagues approached me because they’re concerned about the rapid increase in the use of hormones to suppress normal puberty in children and young people who express discomfort with their biological sex. They’re especially concerned that the grounds for accessing these hormones have widened greatly. How do we know this is doing more good than harm?

My colleagues are seeing in their clinics young people who have changed their minds about wanting to transition away from their biological sex and who also have serious mental health problems that have been left unaddressed. They doubt whether there is sufficient psychological assessment for children with gender dysphoria before they are prescribed puberty blockers – to help distinguish those who will remain transgender from those for whom it is a phase. They also question the capacity of children to consent to the intervention. They are worried about the lack of knowledge of long-term harms and benefits.

We all know that gender issues are highly contentious. The question has become polarised, and much commentary is written from a partisan perspective. That means there is extraordinarily little balanced information available to the public. Frank and fair discussion is surely necessary if we are to protect children and adolescents.

Denne historien er fra September 10 - 16, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra September 10 - 16, 2022-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA NEW ZEALAND LISTENERSe alt
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024