Secret support for researchers under attack

When conferences have to be held in secret locations so that scientists are not “given a beating”, something is wrong. This was the situation in mid-September in Berlin, where the Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine (SEGM) held its conference on “Youth Gender Distress”. Before the event even took place, a group called Transfeinde stressen (“Stress Out the Transphobes”) — with support from two trans advocacy organizations — issued calls for a manhunt based on their belief that a hate group, namely SEGM, would be disseminating pseudoscientific ideas at the conference. Images in the style of wanted posters promptly appeared online, depicting three conference participants under the slogan “Know your enemy”. There was also an incitement to beat up the speakers.

One of those depicted was the philosopher, Kathleen Stock, who may have felt these attacks were rather familiar. She had previously been hounded out of the University of Sussex by transactivists due to her belief that sex is biologically determined. The university was subsequently fined £558,000 for failing to protect her freedom of speech. The other photos depicted the professors of child and adolescent psychiatry, Tobias Banaschewski and Florian Zepf, both of whom are recognized experts in their field.

Concealing the conference location for fear of violent attacks was a prudent decision. The militancy of certain parts of the transgender movement has been illustrated by the murder of Charlie Kirk. Admittedly, there is no proof that the alleged murderer, Tyler Robinson, was motivated to act by his hatred of Charlie Kirk’s contemptuous comments about the trans movement. What is documented, however, is the way this crime was celebrated online: “Rowling next!” announced a series of posts. In other words, next in line to be killed should be Joanne K. Rowling, the Harry Potter author, who has spoken up against the absolutist claims of the trans movement.

Half-hearted solidarity

Shortly after the conference, the German Medical Association of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern called on three professional organizations to advocate in defense of the besieged scientists. This appeal was addressed to the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy (DGKJP); the Professional Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy in Germany (BKJPP); and the Federal Consortium of Senior Clinicians for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy (BAG KJPP). After all, this was a serious scientific conference being subjected to a smear campaign. The event was officially endorsed by the International Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP). The President of the German Medical Association gave the opening address. The conference addressed the question of how to respond to the growing number of children who feel uncomfortable about their sex, taking into consideration the long-term consequences of hormonal interventions and the possibility that social media might influence the desire to transition.

The need for caution and adherence to medical standards should be self-evident, and that is what SEGM demands. However, there is disagreement among experts about what that means in practice, because according to the dominant trans-affirmative approach, the child's desire to transition should not be questioned. A trans-affirmative approach is also broadly followed by the recently adopted German Guidelines on Gender Incongruence and Gender Dysphoria in Childhood and Adolescence. Before these guidelines were agreed, they had attracted criticism from thirteen professors of child and adolescent psychiatry, including Florian Zepf and Tobias Banaschewski, who now found themselves on the wanted posters. What had they done that was so terrible? They had questioned whether the guideline meets scientific standards and criticized the fact that it neglects psychotherapy as a treatment and focuses instead on drug interventions whose long-term consequences are unclear.

This is no longer a fringe position. Recently, several countries such as Sweden and Finland have moved away from treatment with puberty blockers, not least in view of mounting evidence that children and adolescents in some gender clinics are being put on a fast track to surgery without being informed about potential risks. The weak evidence base makes informed consent virtually impossible, and in light of the fact that over eighty percent of minors later abandon their desire to transition, it makes sense to investigate potential psychological causes, as happened at the conference in Berlin. The scientists being attacked there do not oppose transition; they simply demand clarification about the risks for patients. After all, it would hardly be a pro-trans position to conceal the risks and long-term consequences for children and young people who want to transition.

The professional organizations that were contacted by the regional medical association seem to partially share this view too. When asked for comment by this newspaper, they described the smear campaign as indefensible. However, they remain evasive about expressing public solidarity with the scientists who are under attack. Private assurances of solidarity are said to have been offered. This will come as a surprise to the scientists. The professional organizations do not want to comment on the accusation that SEGM is an anti-trans hate group. As a result, any solidarity supposedly offered in private is instantly nullified, and the scientists continue to be subjected to further smears. Now at least they know who not to rely on to defend their scientific freedom.

Author: Thiel, Thomas

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Translation note: The English words "sex" and "gender" are both encompassed by the single German term "Geschlecht."