The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has welcomed a positive public response to its recent awareness campaigns about the dangers of gender transitions for children. However, it described the response from politicians and health professionals as “disappointing.”
ACL National Director of Politics Wendy Francis says they have declined multiple opportunities to understand the latest research about the risks of the practice, despite growing opposition to children being affirmed into a transgender identity from global and Australian experts.
The ACL recently brought prominent 19-year-old Californian detransitioner Chloe Cole to Australia, to address parliaments, media and audiences around the nation and describe her regret over the irreversible treatment doctors inflicted on her young body.
Her story failed to sway those in power. ACL Director of Policy and Research Christopher Brohier gave his assessment of the response to Vision Radio: “From the politicians and particularly those in power, it’s been disappointing in the sense that no one has said, look, we’ve got to do something about this. They’ve said, look, New South Wales is doing an inquiry. We will wait for them to see what happens.”
“When you hear what’s happened to this girl and other girls, the point she makes is that this is not a Californian thing. This is happening in Australia. We do the same things to kids. It’s the same guidelines that are used. There should be an outrage,” he added.
“The encouraging thing is that among the people, there is a real desire to change. The Advertiser newspaper in South Australia conducted a poll asking the question: Should this medicalisation of kids with gender dysphoria be stopped? The response was a 95% ‘Yes’ from something like 1200 people. So the public is getting it, but the pollies are still lagging behind,” he lamented.
“The message that we want to get through to all your listeners is that it’s up to us. We have to bring change. And we have to be constantly at the doors of these MPs saying: This is not good enough, because the rest of the world is changing. The UK has banned this treatment for kids. Finland, Sweden, France, Norway, 20-something American states, the rest of the world, is moving, and we’ve got our head in the sand. Well, that might be okay for an emu, but it’s not good enough for our kids,” Mr. Brohier declared.
Wendy Francis noted: “Chloe’s tour was followed by a national webinar The Cass Review: Perspectives from Australian Gender Clinics hosted by prominent Australian psychiatrist, Professor Philip Morris AM, President of the National Association of Practising Psychiatrists, with well-known UK paediatrician, Dr. Hilary Cass. The Cass Report is the result of a landmark investigation into gender-affirming care offered via the National Health Service (NHS) in England.”
The ACL notes Australian gender clinics were invited to attend, but none accepted, according to Victorian Upper House Libertarian MP, David Limbrick, who is running a campaign against the infiltration of gender ideology.
“The Cass Report’s findings have raised serious questions about the safety and effectiveness of Australia’s current approach to gender medicine for children and adolescents. Our leading gender clinic, the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Gender Service in Melbourne is rated poorly by the Cass Review for their lack of rigorous development and independence. Concerns are further amplified by recent data obtained from the RCH revealing that three-year-old children are being treated there for gender confusion,” Ms. Francis asserted.
The ACL writes: “With documented concerns regarding the quality of Australian clinical guidelines indicating that our gender clinics have not followed international standards, the Australian Christian Lobby continues to call on our Federal and State governments to conduct an independent medical inquiry into treatments being offered at our gender clinics.”
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
