Athena Forum team member Marianne Driessen argues that parents who question or refuse the medicalisation of their children’s gender distress are increasingly stigmatised and excluded from public debate. Drawing on conversations with families, the article describes the emotional and social consequences experienced by parents and criticises the new ideological consensus around gender identity and youth transition. Driessen also challenges the medical basis for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries for minors, arguing that current gender-affirming practices are harmful and insufficiently evidence-based.
Read the full article here.