New Norwegian report: Strong increase in the number of young people who believe they were born in the "wrong" body

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By inyheter.no - Helge Lurås - chief editor published March 9, 2023

The Commission of Inquiry for Health Services (Ukom) is out with a new report on 9 March which deals with "Patient safety for children and young people with gender incongruence".

In Norway, it has been possible to get medical treatment for gender incongruity since the late 1950s.

Ukom refers to a "large increase" in the number of people turning to the health service in Norway with alleged symptoms of this. Especially biological girls who "identify as boys".

From the report :

"There has been a large increase in inquiries to the health service from people with gender incongruity in recent years. In particular, the number of children and young people in their teens who apply to, or are referred for assessment and treatment in the specialist health service, has increased significantly. The biggest increase is among youths and young adults who are registered as girls at birth, but identify as boys."

From 1975 to 1990, there were approx. four referred persons per year for such treatment for gender incongruence in Norway. In the last ten years, there has been an increase in referrals from approx. 50–70 per year in 2007–2010 to 400–600 referrals per year in 2018–2021.

Around 55,000-60,000, people have been born in Norway each year in recent decades. This means an increase from 0.01 percent to 0.1 to up to 1 percent in recent years.

It is unknown why there is a large increase in the number of children and young people who seek or are referred for medical treatment. The biggest increase is among young people and young adults who are registered as girls at birth, but identify as boys, the report says.

However, they point out that "social media has made it easier to share, acknowledge and be open about feeling different."

– Inadequate knowledge

In the report, it appears that the knowledge base is far too poor, including the "long-term effects" of the treatment. This puts patient safety at risk:

"The knowledge base, especially research-based knowledge for gender confirmation treatment (hormonal and surgical), is deficient and the long-term effects are little known. This is particularly true for the teenage population where the stability of their gender incongruence is also not known. There is a lack of research-based knowledge about the treatment of patients with non-binary gender incongruence."

- In order to safeguard patient safety, Ukom considers it necessary that the knowledge base on gender incongruence and gender dysphoria be strengthened, and that the health service offered is arranged in line with the knowledge base, the report states.

They further believe that the national professional guidelines for gender incongruence are not normative. "It does not set specific requirements for investigation or requirements for a medical indication for starting treatment. The mention of children's competence to consent and parents' right to information leaves room for interpretation."

In other words: There is a danger that irreversible treatment is initiated on a failing basis and on the basis of children's own, but insufficient input, where their parents are not taken on board or have "veto rights".

"The guideline does not establish a sufficient standard for the health service offering, and we believe that for some patients it may pose a patient safety risk. This may go beyond the soundness requirement, which has broad roots in health legislation, and may also be demanding for the supervisory authorities," the report states.

They also point to a "demanding speech climate".

- There is a significant impact on children and young people, also related to treatment and health services. We hear about fear and dread of making mistakes from all quarters. Different opinions about what is the right treatment can create a difficult cross-pressure. Different emphasis and mentions of what is necessary at the group level can confuse and destroy the patient-therapist relationship and a personalized approach for the person concerned. There is a need to establish a constructive community for everyone who is engaged in good health care for people with gender incongruity, it says,

What is gender incongruity?

Oslo University Hospital, department for gender identity assessment for adults, writes the following :

"Gender incongruence in youth and adulthood is characterized by a marked and persistent incongruence (discrepancy) between one's perceived gender and birth gender, which often leads to a desire for a "change" in order to live and be accepted as a person of the perceived gender, by means of hormone treatment, surgery or other health care."

The following definitions appear in Ukom's report:

GENDER DYSPHORIA

Gender dysphoria is a medical term for the discomfort caused by a mismatch between a person's gender identity and the gender they were assigned at birth and the gender role associated with this. Gender dysphoria is a term within the gender incongruity spectrum. People who experience gender dysphoria may wish to undergo gender confirmation treatment to align their bodies with their gender identity. Not all trans people experience gender dysphoria

GENDER INCONGRUENCE (TRANSGENDER)

Gender incongruence is a persistent experience that the gender you were assigned at birth does not match the gender you experience yourself to be. People with gender incongruence are often called transgender people. Not all people who experience gender incongruence define themselves as transgender. Gender incongruence is also a diagnosis that replaces all diagnoses that previously began with "trans" - and is explained as a mismatch between perceived gender and the gender one was assigned at birth.

        Helge Lurås - chief editor - Inyheter

Why has Ukom started an investigation?

By UKOM - Published March 9, 2023

In 2022, Ukom received two reports of concern from relatives of people who have been in an investigation and treatment course for gender incongruity in the age range 16-21 years. In the reports of concern, the next of kin refers to several different aspects of the current treatment offer that may have an impact on patient safety.

  • The next of kin questions the soundness of the treatment.
  • The investigation was demanding, and the follow-up was not sufficient in relation to the vulnerable and exposed situation the relatives perceived the young people to be in.
  • Sufficient follow-up was not provided for other diagnoses or problems that the young people also had, or questions were raised as to whether gender confirmation treatment was the right treatment for their children.
  • Parents experienced that the course of investigation and treatment created fear in the young people of not receiving treatment or of receiving the wrong treatment.
  • The information on treatment, effects,s and side effects was insufficient.
  • Parents and family were a little involved. This put extra strain on both the young people and their families.
  • The parents experience that there is cross-pressure from different quarters and different communities that affects their children.

In recent years, there has been a great deal of attention paid to the health service provision for people with gender incongruity both nationally and internationally. Over the past decade, there has been a large increase in the number of people who have been referred for treatment of gender incongruity. This has created challenges for established treatment institutions.

In Norway, many have advocated for improving the health service provision for people with gender incongruence. The Norwegian Directorate of Health has drawn up national guidelines to expand and make treatment available to the group. At the same time, several actors, both from the authorities, health personnel, and patient and relative organizations are asking questions about the soundness and organization of the treatment offered.

It has also been debated whether the guidelines from the Norwegian Directorate of Health and other guidelines from the authorities in the area, provide for a sound organization of the treatment offered to the group in Norway. Both in the media, in social media, and in work with the health service, there is an ongoing debate about the treatment and assistance offered to people with gender incongruity.

The public debate is characterized by the fact that there are different approaches to the treatment of gender incongruence. The debate also shows that gender incongruence is about more than medical treatment. Gender incongruence is about personal identity and inclusion, acceptance, and rights for a minority group. This is fundamental and applies to several patient groups, conditions, and problems. The treatment of gender congruence is also a matter of political interest. Reconciling medical and non-medical considerations has proven to be very demanding. This is reflected in the public discourse.

In many areas, trans people have worse living conditions and quality of life than the rest of the population. The government's new action plan for gender and sexuality diversity (2023-2026) states that the healthcare provision for people with gender incongruity has been inadequate over time.

Uncertainty about what is proper treatment has led to the authorities in some countries, such as England and Sweden, choosing to tighten the treatment offered for people with gender incongruity. In Norway, on the other hand, guidelines have been laid to expand and decentralize the treatment offered.

We started the investigation by carrying out a survey of the treatment offered for people with gender incongruence. The survey revealed a number of unresolved issues with implications for patient safety that are particularly relevant for the treatment of children and young people who are developing psychologically, cognitively, physically, and socially. The treatment offered for gender incongruence can involve irreversible treatment with hormones and surgery that causes drastic changes. As a consequence of this, we concluded that it was particularly important to take a closer look at the patient safety of children and young people who receive treatment for gender incongruence.

In England, the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) published a report in 2022 on the topic of gender incongruity. The starting point for their investigation was a report of concern about a young person who took his own life while awaiting assessment for gender incongruity. He was then under follow-up at the local mental health service, and there was a 24-month waiting period at the clinic for gender incongruence. The investigation looked in particular at the health service for young people (children and young people) with gender incongruity and found that there was a large increase in young people being referred to specialized units for gender incongruity.

HSIB has shared experiences from its work with Ukom. The investigation showed that the centralized health services lacked the capacity to receive the increased number of referrals and had long waiting times. There was a lack of competence and capacity in non-specialized care services to look after and assess young people with gender incongruity while they were waiting for assessment. The HSIB also announced other findings from England (the Care Quality Commission) that healthcare staff at specialized treatment units for gender incongruity did not always feel respected, supported, and valued and reported an absence of a culture of openness.

Some of the health personnel experienced pressure due to conflicts and a lack of consensus regarding the treatment of children and young people with gender incongruity and spoke of the fear of expressing their opinions. The HSIB also announced other findings from England (the Care Quality Commission) that healthcare staff at specialized treatment units for gender incongruity did not always feel respected, supported, and valued and reported an absence of a culture of openness. Some of the health personnel experienced pressure due to conflicts and a lack of consensus regarding the treatment of children and young people with gender incongruity and spoke of the fear of expressing their opinions.

The HSIB also announced other findings from England (the Care Quality Commission) that healthcare staff at specialized treatment units for gender incongruity did not always feel respected, supported, and valued and reported an absence of a culture of openness. Some of the health personnel experienced pressure due to conflicts and a lack of consensus regarding the treatment of children and young people with gender incongruity and spoke of the fear of expressing their opinions.

With this starting point, we have carried out a survey of the health care and treatment offered to children and young people with gender incongruity. We have looked at how health care and practice work today, and how the framework and guidelines for health care affect patient safety. Ukom does not go into detail about all help and treatment measures for gender incongruence and gender dysphoria, but we point to challenges in the current offer to ensure that children and young people with gender incongruence and gender dysphoria receive help in a safe environment.

The report is based on the offer for children and young people, but several of our findings and recommendations will have relevance for the offer for everyone with gender incongruence and gender dysphoria.

Our findings

Our survey shows several weaknesses in the provision for children and young people with gender incongruence and gender dysphoria. The findings show difficult dilemmas related to medical, legal, and ethical issues. We have chosen to divide our findings into the following main themes:

  • Overall management – ​​a guideline with a different background
  • Help and treatment services - variety in practice and expertise
  • Insufficient knowledge
  • Requirements for soundness - particularly related to children and young people
  • Right to healthcare – a gap in expectations
  • Speech climate and interaction

The next chapters deal with gender incongruence and the patient and relatives' perspectives before we describe the findings in the next chapters.

How public schools brainwash young kids with harmful transgender ideology

By New York Post - Betsy McCaughey - December 22, 2021

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Militant transgender advocates are imposing their agenda with uncompromising zeal on schoolchildren.

That’s fine with President Joe Biden. His administration announced this month that by April, it will enhance the legal entitlements of transgender public school students, with new guarantees regarding access to bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports competitions.

These issues grab the headlines, but they’re less harmful to most students than the damage being done by the distortion of the school curriculum. From the youngest age, students are being brainwashed with gender ideology.

Children — as young as 5 — are being encouraged to disregard their anatomy and choose their gender based on their feelings.

Last week, a California mother raged at the Spreckels Union School District board for allowing teachers to coach her 12-year-old daughter on becoming a boy, choosing a boy’s name, and hiding the plan from the family.

A book school libraries offer for kids ages 4 to 8 reads, “This is Ruthie. She is a transgender girl. That means when she was born everyone thought she was a boy. Until she grew a little older — old enough to tell everyone that she’s actually a girl.”

Gender dysphoria — a rare medical condition that makes people feel mismatched with their sexual anatomy — occurs in about 0.6 percent of the adult population, according to the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute. Anyone afflicted should be treated with kindness and offered medical help.

It first appears in childhood, but with so few children affected, the curriculum should not be distorted for everyone. Elementary-school teachers are putting words on the blackboard like “nonbinary” and “transgender” even before kids have learned multiplication.

But Maine’s Department of Education reports that between 13 percent and 18 percent of public high school students say they’re “lesbian, gay, bisexual, or unsure” of their sexual identity. It’s no wonder when the curriculum programs them to doubt their identity. In school, it’s cool to be anything but heterosexual.

Maine requires public school teachers to explore the achievements of LGBTQ+ individuals, not just in health class but also in history and social studies. That’s indoctrination since teachers are not asked to do the same for the celibate, for example.

This indoctrination offends many Christian and Jewish parents. Most Christians say that whether someone is a man or woman is determined by their sex at birth, according to Pew Foundation research (which did not cover Muslims, who’d likely agree), while agnostics and atheists are more likely to go along with gender ideology. In the document “Male and Female He Created Them,” the Vatican rejects gender ideology.

Public schools shouldn’t be taking sides. But in Maine, and many other states, they are.

On Dec. 8, when the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case involving Maine’s public schools, the state’s attorney, Christopher Taub, insisted that they’re “religiously neutral.” That’s a laugh.

Justice Samuel Alito was skeptical, asking Taub if he’d say that about schools that teach critical race theory. Taub ducked the question. Alito would have been even more on the mark asking about Maine’s transgender curriculum. It’s the left’s new religion, and there’s nothing neutral about it.

Where do parents go for help stopping this propaganda? Sorry, not to the American Civil Liberties Union, despite its century-long record protecting the free exercise of religion. Lately, the ACLU has demoted religious rights, putting them below transgender rights. The ACLU declares that “religion is being used as an excuse to discriminate against others.”

The International Olympic Committee is also kowtowing to transgender apostles. Last month, the IOC announced it’s recommending eliminating any tests whatsoever — including testosterone levels — for transgender athletes to compete in women’s events. Fairness is damned.

Don’t count on Biden. He’s already told the transgender crowd that “your president has your back.” His administration is unlikely to strike a middle ground that respects the majority as well as the transgender minority.

Truth is, if students are to be educated, rather than indoctrinated, parents will have to stand up to the transgender militants. No one else has the nerve.

Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York. Twitter: @Betsy_McCaughey