It has been a brutal week for the transgender narrative.
First, we had the Cass Review, which took a sledgehammer to trans activist claims about “gender medicine” and has already triggered further investigations – the UK’s National Health Service has announced that they will be conducting Cass-style inquiries into seven adult transgender clinics, as well. The closure of the Tavistock clinic could be just the beginning.
Then, Dr. Phil aired an entire show opposing “transition” for minors. He does not come from a socially conservative perspective, but trans activists were livid by his attacks:
The Dr. Phil Show Drops a Bomb on Insane Push to Transition Kids
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) April 10, 2024
“We had patients contact us who were begging to have body parts put back on within months of having surgeries.”
Jamie, a case worker who identifies as a queer woman married to a transgender man, says, “This is… pic.twitter.com/AuafMZ9ci9
In the wake of the New York Times publishing a series of columns questioning the transgender narrative – the most recent of them was published earlier this month – the sudden interest of mainstream media figures in taking a closer look at trans activist claims is an indication that the herd is moving.
Then, a preprint study from Mayo Clinic – which, I will stipulate, has not yet been peer-reviewed – affirmed that puberty blockers cause long-term fertility problems in boys. This is something that critics of “gender medicine” have been saying for years – that transition includes the sterilization of minors. The researchers analyzed more than 130,000 sperm cells from male children with gender dysphoria, ages 17 and younger.
According to Fox News:
The researchers analyzed the testicular cells of boys who had been taking puberty blockers for anywhere from three months to 52 months, and compared them to cells of a control group who had not been on the blockers. Among those on puberty blockers, the researchers identified mild to severe ‘sex gland atrophy,’ determining that the medications accelerated the aging and function of testicular cells.
Most significantly, the findings of this study suggest that the impact of puberty blockers is likely permanent – once again, something critics of “transition” have been saying for years, while trans activists attempt to shout them down. Fox News noted that the “researchers also detected cases of microlithiasis, which is marked by the presence of small clusters of calcium in the testicles.”
What does this mean? This: “Additional research from Mayo Clinic has linked testicular microlithiasis to an increased risk of testicular cancer.” The researchers noted in the conclusion of the study that the risks are now clear: “We provide unprecedented histological evidence revealing detrimental pediatric testicular sex gland responses to [puberty blockers].”
This is yet more evidence that we are, in fact, sterilizing trans-identifying boys. It is not reversible. They will never have their own biological children.
Most people remained silent out of cowardice as this evidence emerged. Only a few dissidents dared to stick their heads above the parapets on this issue – a motley crew of social conservatives, Christians, feminists, and a couple of celebrities like J.K. Rowling, who were willing to stake their reputations on this fight for gender-confused kids. Those people – the ones who knew better but decided to stay silent to protect themselves – will deserve no credit, and should be called out for their cowardice.
As Julie Bindel noted at Unherd, the conversions are beginning already. She, it turns out, has been taking note of those who refused to defend the dissident (and, as it turns out, correct) voices on this issue as a monumental medical scandal unfolded. I could also name politicians who never bought into transgender ideology but refused to take on trans activists for fear that it might hurt their careers. As the evidence piles up and the voices of detransitioners grow louder, I hope that they are listening. I hope they are honest with themselves. Their silence helped this happen.
When trans-identified children were being sterilized, they said nothing. Some of us will remember that.