FOR THE RECORD

The Pathways trial rests on the unexamined assumption that childhood “gender identity” is an innate, medicalisable entity. Child development science – from Piaget to Winnicott – demonstrates the opposite.

Any topic that is off limits to questioning becomes a space in which aversion to naming risk can become a fertile ground for harm or exploitation. If there is fear in putting our skills into practice, all the more reason to ask - turning away is the worst thing to do.

Social transitioning, changing a child’s name, pronouns, and social role to reflect a cross sex identity, is often presented as a neutral or reversible act. Developmental evidence suggests otherwise.