Children as young as three are being referred to a gender clinic in Adelaide where a total of 88 kids between three and 10 have been “treated”.
Independent South Australian MP Frank Pangallo spoke out about the special clinic located at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, saying there should be a nationwide review of gender centres and the so-called treatments they use.
“Children aged between three and five being referred to a gender clinic, that’s disturbing,” Mr Pangallo told 7 News.
“We’re talking about the welfare of children, this is about child protection.”
Pro-child mutilation extremists said the Adelaide clinic followed international standards and that Mr Pangallo’s comments caused “psychological harm”.
According to the clinic’s website, they accept new referrals from across the state for minors aged 17 and under, and supply them with puberty blockers and hormones. which have irreversible effects and can result in sterilisation.
“Our medical support team provide medical management for young people following a referral from a gender-trained specialist mental health opinion; and offers specialised fertility counselling,” the clinic states.
“The team also support the treatment administration for young people seeking puberty suppression and gender affirming hormones.”
Two women who have tried to reverse their “gender transitions” told 7 news they were concerned about children being given the same procedures they were.
Chloe Cole said so-called gender transitioning affected children “sexually, physically, psychologically, [and] emotionally”.
“I’ve seen first hand just the damage that these treatments do to the body to the development of children,” she said.
“No child understands their identity, or fully understands their body, especially when they’re at the age of three, four or five. It’s ridiculous to expect that out of a child so young.”
Courtney Coulson, who is a guest speaker along with Ms Cole at a detransitioner forum, said of her own experiences: “There are also a lot of really negative permanent changes, and I can’t rightfully say it was worth it.”
The Cass Review, comprehensive UK report released earlier this year, warned against the use of puberty blockers for people under 18, resulting in the National Health Service in England changing its policies.
“We have concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the safety or clinical effectiveness of [puberty blockers] to make the treatment routinely available at this time,” NHS England wrote.
“NHS England recommends that access to [puberty blockers] for children and young people with gender incongruence/dysphoria should only be available as part of research.”
