This article was originally published by the Star Observer. You can find the original article here.
A number of international clinicians and researchers have penned an open letter to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists encouraging them to maintain the nomination of dismissed psychiatrist and anti-trans activist, Dr Jillian Spencer.
Spencer, who was stood down from clinical duties at Queensland Children’s Hospital following a complaint from a trans patient, has nominated herself for President-Elect of the RANZCP.
“Many of us have witnessed and raised many of the same concerns as Dr. Spencer about the current model of care, called Gender Affirming Care, based on the World Professional Association, WPATH’s, standards of care,” the open letter read. “We share Dr Spencer’s observations that this current model is not evidence-based and not safe for the young people in our care.”
The letter, signed by about one hundred people, emphasise the importance of impartial, democratic selection of the next president-elect.
“We are concerned that social and political issues and activism are interfering with clinical practice, undermining clinical professional’s ability to practice in accordance with sound scientific evidence. This is most recently evidenced by the campaign by transgender activists to have her name removed from the ballot.”
The “transgender activists” referred to in the letter comprise of transgender advocacy and peer support network, Trans Health Australia, who, according to screenshots posted on Spencer’s X page, posted in a private Facebook group, encouraging members to voice their objections to Spencer’s nomination in a letter writing campaign.
The letter has been uploaded to the website of Aaron Kimberly, a Canadian-based mental health clinician and executive director of advocacy group Gender Dysphoria Alliance.
Gender-affirming care criticised
Dr Spencer has been vocal about her opposition to the model of gender-affirming care in the past several years, and alleged Queensland Children’s Hospital was providing inadequate mental health screenings before treatment at their Gender Service. She also attested to the “harmful” effects of gender-affirmation therapies on young patients.
An independent report into Queensland Children’s Gender Service, released in July 2024, found no evidence of patients being “hurried or coerced” into decisions about medical intervention, and recommended significant staff increases to meet demand.
Australia’s model of gender-affirming care is guided by the Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents and endorsed by leading medical bodies, including the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Spencer submitted her nomination for President-Elect of the RANZCP at the end of November last year, where she demanded that the College call for an end to the “gender-affirming model of care for children and young adolescents with gender distress” in order to “retain the trust and respect of the community”.
“Unfortunately, the College’s shockingly inadequate response to the issue of harm to children from gender affirming interventions, reflects more deep seated issues within the College. The College has become disengaged with its members. It has repeatedly aligned itself with one side of various disputed political issues… and it has permitted advocacy and ideology to replace ideologic rigour.”
Spencer also called for an independent mental health research council, and for the College to remain neutral in “social and political issues”, which she says “rightfully belong to the community to debate and democratically decide.”
