Children being ‘used as guinea pigs’ in puberty blockers experiment
Emily Pollok
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is allowing a trial of puberty blockers for children to go ahead despite confessing to being “uncomfortable” about the risks involved and receiving strong and widespread opposition.
The Pathways trial, recommended by the Cass Review (which examined NHS gender identity services for children and young people) was set to start in January. Concerns regarding the impact of the drugs include issues related to brain development, fertility, and bone density, as well as the subject of whether young children are capable of giving consent.
NHS trust 'violated dignity' of Darlington nurses
Lydia Houghton
A group of Darlington nurses had their dignity "violated" by an NHS trust, a tribunal said today.
Newcastle Employment Tribunal said that "complaints of indirect sex discrimination" against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust "are well founded and succeed" after the nurses were required to share a female-only changing room with a biological male who identifies as a woman.
Girlguiding drops 'trans-inclusive' policy
Nicola Laver
Girlguiding has dropped its trans-inclusive policy and only biological girls will be entitled to join the guides in future. It announced that it has updated its equality and diversity policy following the recent Supreme Court ruling that girls and women are defined in the Equality Act 2010 by their biological sex.
A joint statement from the trustees, CEO and Chief Guide said it was a “difficult decision” made with “a heavy heart” and that they are now looking at how the change affects existing members.
