More than 100 prominent Australians have urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to establish an independent public inquiry into drugs for children suffering gender dysphoria.
The signatories, including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and academic Clive Hamilton, as well as a swathe of doctors, state and federal MPs, lawyers, and detransitioners, signed the letter calling for an immediate halt to all medical interventions until the inquiry is complete.
Puberty blockers, known as stage one treatment, delay the physical changes of puberty, while stage two hormone therapies induce permanent bodily changes.
Critics warn these interventions, once thought reversible, may have lasting consequences on bone density, brain development, and fertility.
The letter, initiated by Women’s Forum Australia, calls for an inquiry led by professionals with no ties to gender medicine clinics.
Signed by more than 40 doctors and child psychiatrists, it warns that the increasing reliance on medical interventions for gender transitions poses a “potential public health disaster of generational significance.”
Among the letter’s supporters are Charles Sturt University’s Professor of Public Ethics Hamilton, former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, suspended Queensland Health child psychiatrist Jillian Spencer, psychiatrist Andrew Amos, and former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves.
The signatories argue Australian policymakers have disregarded international findings, including the 2024 Cass Review in the United Kingdom, which led to a ban on puberty blockers.
“Recent developments globally have exposed serious concerns about the ‘gender-affirming’ approach to treating gender-confused youth, and there is now a bipartisan consensus in many countries that major changes to practice in this area are needed,” the letter states.
Queensland Action Fuels Wider Debate
The call for a national inquiry follows the Queensland LNP government’s recent decision to suspend new hormone therapy treatments for minors.A preliminary investigation found that the Cairns Sexual Health Service had provided gender-affirming care to 42 patients, aged 12 to 18, outside best-practice guidelines. The pause will remain in place until at least 2026 while a formal review is conducted.
In the United States, policy shifts are also underway. On Jan. 29, President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting gender transition procedures for individuals under 19.
“It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ’transition' of a child from one sex to another,” the order reads.
Europe Moves Away from Medical Intervention
Going by reports, several European nations have revised their approach to treating gender dysphoria in minors, prioritising counselling over medical interventions.In Denmark, referrals to the country’s only adolescent gender clinic rose from 97 in 2016 to 352 in 2022, yet hormone treatments became less common, dropping from 67 percent to just 10 percent.
Finland permits hormone therapy only if a young person’s gender identity is deemed “permanent” and causes severe distress.
Sweden restricted puberty blockers in 2022, saying risks likely outweigh the benefits, but allows treatment in “exceptional” cases.
France takes a cautious stance, allowing puberty blockers with parental consent but advising “the greatest reserve” due to long-term risks like osteoporosis and infertility.
These shifts reflect growing concerns over the long-term effects of gender-affirming treatments..
