Why Is The New Government Facing Backlash From Its Own MPs Over Puberty Blockers?

Posted on 15/07/2024 by Boris Clair

Just ten days after being elected, the government is already facing some internal turmoil over its stance on trans rights – specifically, over its restrictions on puberty blockers.

Here’s why Labour MPs are calling out the health department, why it matters, and how health secretary Wes Streeting has responded.

What has happened?

Streeting has decided to extend a ban – first implemented by the Conservatives – on puberty blockers prescribed to children for gender-related issues.

Puberty blockers are used to help children who start puberty very early.

And, for the last 30 years, they have also been used for those under 18 who are unsure of their gender identity and want to delay reaching sexual maturity.

It prevents physical signs of puberty appearing, like facial hair.

But, then-health secretary Victoria Atkins announced using puberty blockers for young people experiencing gender-related problems would be banned in both in the NHS and the private sector.

She announced the news in May, just before the dissolution of parliament – the emergency ban was implemented in England, Wales and Scotland.

That decision is now being legally challenged in the High Court by The Good Law Project and pro-trans group, TransActual.

The campaigners say the ban did not undergo sufficient parliamentary scrutiny before it was passed, and a statutory committee was not consulted.

According to the government’s legal department in the ongoing case, the government “is minded to renew the emergency banning order with a view to converting it to a permanent ban, subject to appropriate consultation.”

Why did the Conservative government – and now its Labour successor – ban the puberty blockers?

Atkins’ decision came after the Cass review – by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass – into the NHS services for trans children and young people was published earlier this year.

The review said the evidence for the long-term safety of using puberty blockers was weak, and called for more research into its use.

Who within the Labour Party has criticised this?

Labour, which has struggled to unite the party over its stance on trans issues in the past, is now facing internal backlash over its decision to extend the controversial Tory ban.

Stella Creasy – a frontbencher under Ed Miliband – said: “Cass review recommended caution, not exclusion, for any treatment and drew attention to shortcomings of previous GIDs service.

“To those asking will always be MP who listens to demand for better research & evidence base for help for those with gender dysphoria, not abandons them.”

Cass review recommended caution, not exclusion, for any treatment and drew attention to shortcomings of previous GIDs service. To those asking will always be MP who listens to demand for better research & evidence base for help for those with gender dysphoria, not abandons them.

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) July 13, 2024

Backbencher Zarah Sultana lashed out at Streeting on X, saying their party’s manifesto vowed to “remove indignities for trans people who deserve recognition & acceptance”.

She added: “That entails ending the Tories’ ban on puberty blockers. Young people – cis & trans – must have access to healthcare they need. I’ll always stand with the trans community.”

Fellow backbencher Nadia Whittome said: “Only a small number of young people are prescribed puberty blockers.

“Those who are often describe them as lifesaving. I know the distress the puberty blockers ban is causing them. No matter what happens in court, I will continue fighting for the government to scrap it.”

Clive Lewis, who ran in the 2020 leadership contest, wrote on X: “I’ve met young people who’ve been prescribed puberty blockers. Some told me they’d helped lift them from depression & probably saved their life. A blanket ban is wrong & not what Cass recommended. Careful, clinical provision is the way forward, not this politicisation.”

I’ve met young people who’ve been prescribed puberty blockers. Some told me they’d helped lift them from depression & probably saved their life.
A blanket ban is wrong & not what Cass recommended. Careful, clinical provision is the way forward, not this politicisation.

— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) July 14, 2024

LGBT+ Labour also wrote to Streeting, saying the Cass review also called for a cut in waiting lists for trans youth and long-term staffing issues to be addressed.

It demanded “comprehensive training for NHS staff on how best to support and work sensitively with trans and questioning young people, and better address the current toxicity of public debate which is actively harmful to young people”.

The group called for Streeting to set out a timeline of a clinical trial for the puberty blockers, adding: “We hope that, under this new Labour government, progress can be made to reset the public discussion on trans rights, centring on the humanity of, and compassion for, each individual trans person.”

Campaigners protesting the ban on puberty blockers

How has Streeting responded to criticism?

In a thread on X (formerly Twitter), Streeting acknowledged there’s “lots of fear and anxiety” around the decision he has made, but the “safety of children must come first”.

He argued the Cass review did not find enough evidence about puberty blockers’ long-term impact, adding: “The evidence should have been established before they were ever prescribed.”

The health secretary said the NHS is setting up a clinic trial with National Institute for Health and Care Research so the effects can be “safely monitored” to prove the evidence required.

He said puberty blockers’ use in children who start puberty much too early has been “extensively tested” and met safety requirements – but the same is yet to be said for gender dysphoria.

Streeting explained: “This is because the puberty blockers are suppressing hormone levels that are abnormally high for the age of the child.

“This is different to stopping the normal surge of hormones that occur in puberty. This affects children’s psychological and brain development.”

He added: “I am determined to improve the quality of, and access to, care for trans people.”

Some of the public statements being made are highly irresponsible and could put vulnerable young people at risk.

I know there’s lots of fear and anxiety. I am determined to improve the quality of, and access to, care for trans people.

8/9

— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) July 14, 2024

Turn Out Most Animals Are Pretty Frickin’ Gay, Research Finds

Posted on 09/10/2023 by Boris Clair

We’ve recently written about how many members of Gen Z are LGBT+ (spoiler alert; it’s a lot). And a recent study recently showed that same-sex attraction is far from limited to humans; lots (like, up to 80% in some cases) of animals are sexually fluid, too.

The project examined all the existing research on same-sex activity among animals. It was led by scientists at Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas in Spain ― they created a database of all the studies’ conclusions.

So, what did they find?

They discovered that same-sex sexual activity has been recorded in 1,500 animal species, from birds to bees (literally).

Mammals were much more likely to be recorded as engaging with gay sex than other species (about 4%), with non-human primates particularly likely to display homosexual behaviour ― “it has been observed in at least 51 species from lemurs to apes,” they say.

That’s likely an underrepresentation of actual homosexual activities, the researchers add.

“This figure is probably underestimating the actual prevalence of same-sex sexual behaviour in mammals, since this behaviour has attracted the attention of behavioural ecologists and evolutionary biologists only recently,” they say ― and there’s already a research bias towards mammals over other animals, which could explain some of the discrepancies.

In fact, longer-term studies find that homosexual activity occurred in 80% of the mammal population ― the more you observe the animals, it seems, the more sexually fluid they prove themselves to be.

Those who performed same-gender sex acts commonly displayed activities like courtship, mounting, genital contact, copulation and pair bonding ― mounting and genital contact were the most common acts (87% of the same-sex sexual acts in their dataset).

OK, but ― why?

Because it doesn’t help to further the population, same-sex activity among animals is considered an “evolutionary conundrum” and a “Darwinian paradox,” the researchers say.

Of course, lots of the animals who engaged with same-sex sexual activity also had sex with a different gender. And our conception of “homosexual” and heterosexual” is just that ― our human conception.

“Same-sex sexual behaviour as it is used here does not denote sexual orientation (ie an overall pattern of sexual attraction/arousal over time), sexual orientation identity (the sexual orientation that individuals perceive themselves to have), categories of sexual beings (homosexuals, heterosexuals, etc), nor sexual preference,” the researchers say.

They warned that their findings shouldn’t be used to analyse homosexuality in humans ― they’re different.

With that said, a lot of the studies that the researchers looked at suggested homosexual activity in animals could have an adaptive role “in maintaining social relationships and mitigating conflict.”

Part of the reason they think this is because homosexual behaviour has evolved in so many species in similar environments, suggesting it has benefits for those in their circumstances.

They also found that “The prevalence of same-sex sexual behaviour was also associated with adulticide [grown adults of a species killing other adults of the same species], but only for males.”

But the researchers don’t think this disproves the theory that same-sex activity is used to calm conflict ― in fact, they think it confirms it.

That’s because if animals usually engage in homosexual activity during times of violence, it’s more likely that violent results will be associated with the act.

“Because the association was more intense in males than in females, we presume that adulticide was a stronger force triggering the evolution of same-sex sexual behaviour in males. If this hypothesis is confirmed, it seems that same-sex sexual behaviour mitigates rather than negates adulticide, as there are still many species that commit this type of aggressive behaviour,” they say.

The authors of the study added that the field is under-researched, and more study is needed. In the meantime, though ― that’s pretty interesting, right?

‘The Closet Is A Terrible Place’ – How Coming Out Transformed Five Lives

Posted on 18/06/2023 by Boris Clair

Whether you identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer, it’s hard to be happy when you have to lie about who you are. For many LGBTQ+ people, coming out as their true gender or sharing their sexuality comes fraught with fear over how family members will react, whether they’ll lose friends once they bring their authentic selves into the light, or if their workplace, church or community will look at them differently.

But no matter how difficult, the closet is no place for a person to truly live. Five people from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum share their coming-out stories, to unfurl the beautiful array of experiences the journey entails.

Sammy Altman

It took me a while to realise that I was in fact gay. I grew up without ever interacting with anyone who was LGBTQ+, and I thought for a long time that I was just strange and didn’t want to have sex. I then realised that I just didn’t want to have sex with a guy.

I was about 20. I told my sisters first who both were really kind and supportive, and encouraged me to tell my mum, but I was incredibly nervous. I’m Jewish and from a tight-knit community, so I wasn’t sure how my parents would react.

My Mum was on a holiday so I decided that would be a great time to tell her. I Skyped her with both of my sisters and I panicked and couldn’t say anything. I handed the phone to one of my sisters and she told my Mum, who hung up and for a long time it was difficult, and she wasn’t accepting.

I had a few coming out stories because I had to come out to my Mum and then I was silenced, having to come out to my dad and family separately. My Dad was really accepting. Yet, still my partner and I were not invited to family events and we were not allowed to tell my extended family.

Eventually they came to realise that they either accepted me for who I am, or they were going to lose me. So, 12 years later I’m now engaged and getting married in December to my fiancé Rachael, and my parents are very accepting towards her and treat her no differently to how my sister’s partners are treated.

At the time, I was ashamed. I wish I wasn’t, and now if it makes you feel uncomfortable, then fuck off. That’s not my problem!

Zoey Allen

I came out in January 2019. After years of fighting who I was, I finally discovered the language to describe how I felt and figured it was time to truly embrace who I was. I nearly came out to my wife at the time on so many occasions, but fear of losing my family put me off. I over masculinised, with tattoos, shaved head, big beard and some muscles, but it only made me more depressed.

I began dressing up in more feminine outfits for parties, shaved my beard and began losing weight. I had no other way of controlling how I looked and couldn’t put it into words.

Although my wife and I are no longer together, when I came out to her, she was there for me, particularly, in the early days and our children truly accepted me.

We began working on our blog www.ourtransitionallife.com and socials which I now solely run, talking about my journey and other LGBTQIA+ issues.

I lost a few friends and family members along the way due to a lack of understanding, but now at nearly 42 and four and a half years into my transition, I have not only reconnected with some, but I have a whole new LGBTQIA+ family who support me.

Sam Thomas (he/him)

The word gay was a slur when I was at school. Being effeminate with mullet-like hair, I stood out. For years, I was called gay, which meant I was disliked. Over time, the bullying went from verbal insults into physical violence. I’d hide in the boy’s toilets where I knew I wouldn’t be found. By sixteen, the bullying subsided. I guess to an extend I earned their respect for standing up for myself.

It was only at college did I realise what gay meant. There was a guy the same age as me, who I had a huge crush on. Back in 2002, when homophobia was rife, I had never met an openly gay guy before, but he was out & proud. This was when the penny dropped, and I realised fancying boys meant I was gay.

When I came out to my friend, she said, ‘I know. We all did back at school!’ It seemed everyone knew I was gay but me. She was the first person I spoke to about my sexuality and came out as lesbian soon after. We forget that coming out isn’t just giving ourselves permission to become our true selves. It’s also about giving others permission to become the people they’ve always yearned to be too.

Maria Eilersen (she/they)

I came out to myself on a yoga teacher training in the Guatemalan jungle. I was in my late twenties and had just been made redundant from my corporate job. Not wanting there to be too glaring a gap in my CV but craving an eat-pray-love solo trip, I’d opted for a YTT abroad instead of a yoga retreat.

Spending three weeks immersed entirely in spiritual practice, surrounded by strangers who cared little about my life and career back in London, I was able to fully be myself for the first time without labels or expectations. That freedom allowed me to admit I was falling for one of the fellow yogis, and finally feel safe enough to accept that I’m queer. My solo travels supported this integration before I got home and felt ready to come out to friends and my sister. It took another six months and getting my first serious girlfriend for me to eventually come out to the rest of my family in Denmark.

Looking back, there were so many earlier signs of my bisexuality, but it took being stripped of societal expectations in the jungle to feel safe enough to finally explore it.

Moe Ari Brown (they/them or he/him)

Having been assigned female at birth and a biologically identical twin, I was also assigned a life plan and role within the world before I’d opened my eyes. My childhood was filled with listening to others’ expectations and receiving praise for trying to live up to them, forgetting how to live on my own terms. Despite my success in adulthood, I couldn’t seem to feel the joy I was supposed to feel at what everybody thought was the peak of my life. Enough was enough, and I embarked on a journey to understand why I felt this way.

I allowed myself to realise that I am transgender non-binary and discovered that losing my facade was the only way to experience joy truly. It was difficult to accept that I would no longer receive validation for meeting the expectations of others, especially when those expectations were about being like my twin. I experienced a kind of grief when I began to shed the layers of the persona I’d built based on those expectations – like when I first cut my hair.

For years, my long hair was one of the prominent ways that people identified me and my sister. They’d frequently refer to us as “the tall twins with the long hair.” In January 2015, the day I decided to cut my hair was one that I’ll never forget. It’s then I jumped straight into figuring out who I am as Moe Ari.

I’d recently made my relationship official with my then girlfriend, now wife, after knowing her for about three years. I was nearing the end of my graduate program in family therapy, and I was finally in a place where I was ready to be my full self with myself and in a romantic partnership. I came out to my parents as “queer” about a month later and began the process of coming out as transgender non-binary about a year after that.

I’m a work in progress, but when I learn new things about myself, I welcome others into celebrating with me rather than seeing it as “coming out” because I try to live my life now as though there are no walls and no closets to come out of.

MP Claims New Borders Bill Is ‘Dangerous’ Attack On LGBT Refugees

Posted on 01/02/2022 by Boris Clair

LGBT refugees could be forced to hide their identity as a result of the government’s “devastating” Nationality and Borders Bill, according to a Labour MP.

Olivia Blake, who represents Sheffield Hallam, will argue in a Commons debate that the draft legislation is one of the “biggest attacks on the rights of refugees in recent memory”.

She will say it risks re-traumatising those who are fleeing persecution by making it harder to prove their LGBT status.

In a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday, Blake will argue that tougher clauses in the bill risk forcing LGBT refugees to conceal their identity out of fear that living openly in the UK could increase their risk of persecution if they are sent back to their country of origin.

Under current UK law, those seeking asylum must demonstrate that there is a “reasonable degree of likelihood” that they face persecution if they do not stay in the UK.

If the bill is passed, that threshold will be raised to the higher level of the “balance of probabilities”, which campaigners say will make it “even more difficult” for people to prove their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sonia Lenegan, legal and policy director at Rainbow Migration, said: “Often the only evidence LGBTQI+ people have is their own account, and the culture of disbelief within the Home Office means that people are already commonly disbelieved.

“This will become worse under clause 31 of the Nationality and Borders Bill — more LGBTQI+ people will be wrongly refused asylum and face return to life-threatening situations.”

There are currently 69 countries where homosexuality is outlawed, including Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Punishments vary from fines, life sentences and the death penalty.

Campaigners have also raised concerns that the timeframe in which people are allowed claim asylum will be shortened, with any delays resulting in penalties.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Blake, vice chair of the all party parliamentary group on migration, said: “The government’s Nationality and Borders Bill represents one of the biggest attacks on the rights of refugees, migrants, and people of colour in recent memory.

“As ever, the worst effects of the legislation will be felt by the most vulnerable – especially LGBT+ people seeking sanctuary in the UK.

“Rather than re-traumatising LGBT+ people fleeing persecution, we need an asylum system that supports them.”

She said she wanted her debate to “put this issue firmly on the agenda”.

“I’m inviting every MP, from every party, to participate,” Blake said. “Together, we must shine an urgent light on this dangerous attack on the global LGBT+ community – and organise to prevent it.”

Speaking ahead of the bill’s second reading in parliament last July, Patel said the bill — which also promises a crackdown on people smuggling and small boat crossings — would “increase the fairness of our system” which is being “abused and gamed”.

It’s Official: More Gay And Bi Men Can Now Give Blood

Posted on 14/06/2021 by Boris Clair

After a long wait, gay and bisexual men are able to donate blood more freely, following an overhaul of “dehumanising” blood donation rules.

Under the old rules, gay and bi men were unable to donate blood unless they’d abstained from sexual activity for more than three months. They were also specifically asked about their sexuality on donation forms.

The reasoning given was that “at a population level, men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of acquiring certain infections through sex”.

But under the new rules in England, Scotland and Wales, eligibility to give blood will be based on individual circumstances surrounding health, travel and sexual behaviours instead.

What does the rule change mean?

Any individual who attends to give blood – regardless of gender – will be asked if they’ve had sex and, if so, about recent sexual behaviours.

Those who’ve had the same sexual partner for the last three months will be eligible to donate – regardless of gender or sexuality.

People will also be able to donate if they have a new sexual partner with whom they’ve not had anal sex and there is no known recent exposure to an STI or recent use of PrEP or PEP.

To mitigate risks, those who’ve had anal sex with a new partner or with multiple partners in the last three months will not be able to give blood, but may be eligible in the future.

Donors who have been recently treated for gonorrhoea will be deferred and anyone who’s ever received treatment for syphilis will not be able to give blood.

Wasn’t this rule change announced last year?

Yes, but it’s only just coming into play from June 14.

The changes follow an evidence-based review by the FAIR (For the Assessment of Individualised Risk) steering group led by NHS Blood and Transplant.

The new donor selection system is designed to be fairer and will also maintain the UK’s status as one of the safest blood supplies in the world. Data around the impact of the donor selection changes will be kept under review and assessed 12 months after implementation to determine if changes are needed.

How do people feel about it?

Commenting on the rule changes when they were first announced in December, Adam Bloodworth wrote for HuffPost UK: “What people may not realise is that dehumanising rules like these reinforce feelings of shame that many LGBTQ people carry around with them as a heavy mental burden each day.

“By being discounted from an activity most people are encouraged to do, we’re reminded that we are perceived to be ‘different’ by some in society – no matter how many times people tell us we aren’t.”

Ethan Spibey was prevented from donating blood due to his sexuality – he’d wanted to do his bit and donate after a blood donor saved his grandfather’s life, but was unable to do so. Spibey, who has since been campaigning for a change to donation rules and founded FreedomToDonate, said: “The work of the FAIR steering group shows that simply being a man who has sex with men is not a good enough reason to exclude someone from donating blood.

“This is more than just about a fairer and more inclusive system, it’s about those who rely on blood, and giving blood literally saves lives. I can’t wait to finally repay that first pint. I would encourage anyone who is able to safely donate blood to register to do so.”

How to donate blood

Gay and bi men who’ve previously been turned away for blood donation can call NHS Blood and Transplant on 0300 123 23 23, which can review the new guidelines with you and, if eligible, book your next appointment.

Robbie de Santos, from the charity Stonewall, welcomed the “historic change”.

“We want to see a blood donation system that allows the greatest number of people to donate safely and we will continue to work with government to build on this progress and ensure that more people, including LGBT+ people, can donate blood safely in the future,” he said.

Gay Malaysian Pensioner Granted Asylum In Time For Christmas

Posted on 23/12/2019 by Boris Clair

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Strictly History Is Made With Same-Sex Routine | Jive Talking

Posted on 04/11/2019 by Boris Clair

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Posting NSFW Pics For Paying Fans Was The Unlikely Saviour Of My Self-Confidence

Posted on 07/10/2019 by Boris Clair