Protecting LGB young people from harmful medical experimentation
Our Position
We are horrified by the announcement of the PATHWAYS trial. As a charity representing lesbians, gays and bisexuals, we are outraged that the lives of mostly LGB teenagers are held in such contempt that blocking their healthy development has been given ethical approval.
We support growing numbers of detransitioned LGB people who know first-hand how harmful these drugs can be. Many now recognise that they struggled to come to terms with their homosexuality. They can attest to the impact of puberty blockers, yet they have not been consulted. All evidence shows that lesbian, gay and bisexual young people make up the majority of those who will be harmed.
Every detail of the proposed trial is indefensible. Recruiting vulnerable children — already fearful of puberty due to online influence and social pressure — into a trial of drugs now restricted or banned in several countries is unethical. The follow-up period is alarmingly short. The reliance on self-evaluation by children is deeply flawed. And the claim of a “reasonable prospect of benefit” contradicts everything now known about puberty blockers and child development.
Puberty is not a disease. It is an essential stage of human growth. Turning it into a medical problem to be suppressed is an activist-led ideology masquerading as healthcare.
It is profoundly shocking that 9,000 children passed through the Tavistock GIDS, most of whom were same-sex attracted, and their data has been lost or suppressed. Before risking another generation, we demand accountability and transparency. This ill-fated trial must be cancelled.
It is unworthy of a civilised society.
Why This Matters
LGB young people are disproportionately affected
Puberty blockers are not a neutral pause button
International evidence shows that puberty blockers:
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- disrupt bone, brain and sexual development
- almost always lead to cross-sex hormones
- cause permanent and irreversible effects
- are being restricted or prohibited in multiple countries
Learn more:
Puberty Blockers: Campaigning to Protect Children Since the Very Start
The Tavistock data loss
More than 9,000 patient records from the Tavistock GIDS, the largest cohort of its kind, are missing.
No trial can ethically proceed while existing evidence has been destroyed, ignored or suppressed.
The PATHWAYS design is fundamentally flawed
Significant issues include:
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- reliance on self-assessment by children under pressure
- minimal follow-up time
- failure to acknowledge that the vast majority progress to cross-sex hormones
- success measures that appear designed to confirm a predetermined outcome
This is not rigorous science. It is an attempt to validate an ideology.
DEMO AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
We oppose the puberty blockers trial.
We oppose the medicalisation of LGB young people.
We reject the idea that same-sex attraction is something to be “cured.”
Location: Department of Health, Westminster
Date: 17 December
Time: 1:00pm
If you agree with us that Gay Teens Aren’t Sick, stand with us and make your voice heard.
Support Us
LGB Alliance is committed to protecting the rights of lesbian, gay and bisexual people, especially vulnerable young people at risk of misdiagnosis, coercion or irreversible harm.
Your support helps us continue this vital work.