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Gender fluidity bill before NSW Parliament
An informative article about the Gender Fluidity Bill introduced by One Nation’s Mark Latham in NSW has been published in Croakey – The independent in-depth social journalism for health/
https://www.croakey.org/nsw-parliament-gender-fluidity-bill-based-on-flawed-research/
The introduction to the article summarises the legislation as follows:
A committee of the NSW Parliament will hold public hearings next week into a Bill with potentially serious negative consequences for transgender and gender diverse students in NSW public schools.
The Education Legislation Amendment (Parental Rights) Bill 2020 is a private member’s bill introduced by One Nation’s Mark Latham. It aims to prohibit the teaching of “gender fluidity” in NSW public schools (gender fluidity is defined in the Bill as “a belief there is a difference between biological sex…and human gender…”.)
Since his election to the NSW Parliament, Latham has been running a campaign against programs in public schools aiming to provide a more inclusive environment for LGBTQI students
This Bill is part of his campaign and is strongly opposed by transgender advocates and human rights groups. They argue that it would prevent schools from providing a safe and inclusive environment for transgender and gender diverse students and could increase the already high rate of discrimination and bullying they experience.
Supporters of this Bill and reporting by some conservative media outlets (which have been identified as having a clear anti-trans bias) frequently cite “evidence” that most trans children “outgrow” their gender dysphoria. They use this research to argue against measures to support trans children from living as their affirmed gender.
However, this evidence is based on outdated research with significant limitations and serious methodological flaws.
Dr Fiona Bisshop is President of AusPATH, the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health, and a GP with a focus on gender and HIV medicine. In the piece published on Croakey she discusses this problematic research and unravels some common myths about trans children.
<font face=”inherit”>I </font>recommend<font face=”inherit”> you read https://www.croakey.org/nsw-parliament-gender-fluidity-bill-based-on-flawed-research/ </font>Dr Fiona Bisshop’s article which concludes:
it is clear to me that if we as medical professionals are to uphold the principle of primum non nocere
(first,
do no harm), we must carefully assess these children and support them
in their gender identity until such time as it becomes apparent that
they fully intend to transition, and we should look to recent properly
collected and analysed data to inform our decision-making now and in the
future, and not rely on outdated claims. -
1 Reply
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I read Fiona Bishops’ full statement and found it so logical and in no way ‘left wing’.
I have consulted with her many times over the past few years about my own condition and she does come across this way as well.
I think this Bill is clearly uninformed and wide of the mark as to what the medical fraternity are trying to achieve here with young transgender people. Hopefully this Bill will be defeated.