A children’s psychiatrist who took a courageous stance against Queensland Children Hospital’s flawed ‘affirmation model’ says she feels vindicated after governments in America and the United Kingdom move towards a ban on puberty blockers for children.

Dr Jillian Spencer, an HRLA client, was stood down by her employer in her role as a senior child psychiatrist after she suggested that children and adolescents presenting with gender-related disorders may have underlying factors such as hidden traumas, distress, or autism spectrum disorder.

She also raised concerns about the use of puberty blockers in children, suggesting they could have severe lifelong impacts on the patient.

“If you block puberty they don’t grow out of [the gender distress],” she told the Courier Mail last month.

Experts have warned that puberty blocking medication can lead to sterility and loss of sexual function.

But now, a landmark report out of the UK by Dr Hillary Cass has revealed the true extent of the flaws within the health service’s gender programs, suggesting children had been “let down” by their doctors and specialists.

Jillian was making this case long before the Cass review.

The NHS has now banned puberty blockers for gender distress, a major step forward in safeguarding children from the possibility of a lifetime of detrimental side effects.

Dr Jillian Spencer rightly says she feels vindicated for her beliefs.

The American College of Pediatricians has also recommended that gender clinics discontinue the use of puberty blockers, advising against social affirmation and transgender support programs, similar to those still being implemented in Queensland state schools.

President-elect Donald Trump has also announced he would move to defund gender clinics and ban puberty blockers. 

This month it was reported in The Australian that a gender dysphoric 15-year-old had been granted access to cross-sex hormones despite the teen’s father indicating he did not support the intervention and did not provide his express consent.

In contrast with the previous Labor government, the LNP in Queensland now has the opportunity to follow other governments around the world and take a more rational, up-to-date and nuanced position when it comes to treatment for gender dysphoria and similar issues.

Calls have been made for the Queensland government to apologise to Jillian and reinstate her in her role as a specialist in Queensland Health. 

She is now running for president of the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, saying that the college has “permitted advocacy and ideology to replace scientific rigour”.

“Over the last two years, I've experienced the full force of the impact from leaders in psychiatry being unwilling to acknowledge the lack of evidence of benefit and the serious harms and risks to children from the gender affirming model of care,” she said when speaking about her nomination to run.

“To retain the trust and respect of the community, the college needs to urgently call for an end to the gender affirming model of care for children and adolescents with gender distress.”