Responding to the Judicial Review Decision on Puberty Blockers

In June, the former Government used emergency legislation to restrict access to medication commonly known as puberty blockers. Following a legal challenge by Trans Actual and the Good Law Project, a judicial review judgement has found that the use of the emergency legislation was lawful 

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A Stonewall Spokesperson said: 

“The safety and wellbeing of young people must always be the priority and we should ensure that they have access to high quality, timely and inclusive healthcare that will help them thrive. 

Suddenly removing access to medication has already caused a huge amount of distress and panic for many trans young people and their families.  

All young people should have access to the very best evidence-based treatment available and we firmly believe that medical decisions should be made by doctors, not by politicians. 

While we welcome further research on the efficacy of puberty blockers, we are seriously concerned about the distress caused from the use of emergency legislation to restrict access to them. 

We urge Government and policy makers to listen to trans young people and their families and; prioritise their wellbeing when considering their next steps.  

Notes

For those who need support, please reach out for it, there are a list of organisations here: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/young-futures/lgbtq-support/mental-health 

At the center of this case is a young trans girl, and at the center of this issue are many more trans young people who have been making their own representations about their access to healthcare. We ask all covering the topic - and this judgement - to be mindful of their wellbeing first and foremost.