Karen Bercovici’s argument in her Nov. 14 guest column on gender-affirming care is nothing more than transphobia dressed up as rationality [“We need to rethink ‘gender care’ for children,” Gazette, Nov. 14]. The writer focuses on a single study, the Cass Review, which has recently been debunked by a number of medical, public health, and legal experts (see tinyurl.com/2dzracza).
What the writer did not tell readers is that Hillary Cass, for whom the review is named, has no previous experience working with trans youth, did not employ any actual trans people, and stacked her methodological team with prominent anti-trans actors, such as Tilly Langton, a known conversion therapy proponent. The column also didn’t mention that Cass consulted with Patrick Hunter at the recommendation of Ron DeSantis. Hunter was instrumental to DeSantis’ Florida Review, a politically motivated movement to ban transgender care. Further, Bercovici fails to be critical of any of the Cass Review’s methodological approaches or findings, but expert responses to the review have found that Cass and colleagues did not follow established scientific standards for collecting and evaluating evidence.
There is not nearly enough room in this letter to list all of the flaws of the Cass Review, so here is just one that stood out to me: One of the review’s main critiques is the lack of longer or larger studies about medical-based treatments for trans youth. While we can all agree that such a thing would be good (and will come in time), there are so many pediatric treatments that are given without knowledge of long-term effects. Should we also not treat pediatric metabolic syndrome because little is known about the long-term effects of using GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1)? Of course not.
Bercovici’s column is not about protecting or caring for children. While the author sounds informed and concerned, it’s really all smoke and mirrors, meant to obscure an agenda: a radical feminist approach that aims to negate the very existence of trans people.
Abbey Edward
Northampton