A government-run transgender clinic in the UK known as Tavistock was reportedly targeting autistic children for recruitment into the LGBT community.
The Guardian reported that approximately one-third of children referred to Tavistock had autism or other forms of neurodiversity. Autistic children may have been overrepresented at Tavistock because they are more mentally malleable and therefore more susceptible to being “brainwashed” into the LGBT community.
According to a study, people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth are 3 to 6 times more likely to be autistic than cisgender people. Gender-diverse individuals are also more likely to report autism traits and suspect they have undiagnosed autism.
It is important for parents to protect their children and be aware of potential exploitation or manipulation, particularly for children with autism spectrum disorder who may be more susceptible to suggestive questioning and compliance. There are reports that suggest that some individuals or organizations may try to push an LGBT agenda, including promoting transgenderism, on children who may be more vulnerable to such influence.
It is important for parents to be aware of these potential risks and to do their best to protect their children. However, it is also important to note that transgender individuals and the LGBT community should not be viewed as a threat or as seeking to exploit or manipulate children.
Every individual, including children, has the right to explore and express their identity and to receive support and understanding from others.
Dr. David Bell, a former consultant psychiatrist at the Tavistock NHS Foundation Trust, stated that autistic children are often targeted for transgenderism because they may be more vulnerable due to other issues they may be experiencing. He noted that some children may have both the wrong treatment for their original problems, such as trauma or depression and also a high instance of autism. In some cases, parents of autistic children may be manipulated into seeking treatment at clinics like Tavistock due to their lack of understanding about how to address the emotional distress and other issues that their children may be facing.
These parents may believe that transitioning is the solution to their child’s problems, but this decision can have long-term consequences and potentially harm their child’s well-being.
In an article for The Daily Bell, Ben Bartee writes about the experience of parents who bring their child experiencing emotional distress to a healthcare professional for help, only to be told that their child should undergo chemical castration and receive prosthetic chest implants instead of receiving treatment for their autism. These children may not have identified as transgender before, but they are now subjected to these medical procedures and their parents are left with significant financial costs. Bartee notes that these children may feel even more pressure due to the added struggles of gender dysphoria and autism, and may ultimately end up committing suicide.
The media may then blame transphobia for suicide instead of acknowledging the harm caused by the medical system.
According to a report, approximately one-third of children referred to the Tavistock transgender clinic in the UK had autism or other forms of neurodiversity. It is not clear from this statement why these children were overrepresented at the clinic or what the implications of this might be. It is important to note that every individual, including children, has the right to explore and express their identity and to receive support and understanding from others.
It is also important for parents to be aware of potential risks and to do their best to protect their children. However, it is not helpful or accurate to stigmatize or demonize the transgender community or to suggest that they are seeking to exploit or harm children.