Trans teenager’s mum WINS right to appeal against their access to hormone treatment from online clinic
THE mother of a transgender teenager has won the right to appeal against their access to hormone treatment off an online gender clinic.
The 16-year-old, called Q in the court documents, and referred to as “he”, was born a girl but told his parents in 2020 of a wish to identify as a boy.
After an acrimonious divorce, he went to live with his dad who was supportive of his desire to access treatment through a controversial clinic.
A previous judge made the father promise to the court he would not fund or facilitate hormone treatment at the Singapore-based Gender GP while the child is still a minor.
The clinic had been slammed after Dr Hilary Cass’s landmark report into transgender healthcare published earlier this year.
The parents then agreed to allow Q to undergo a six-month assessment by UK-based online Gender Plus clinic instead.
However, the court would still have had the final say on whether Q could receive treatment even if the clinic recommended the child have it.
In the meantime, an emergency ban on puberty blockers for children, introduced after the Cass review, was made indefinite.
The dad then won a ruling to dismiss the case altogether, removing any intervention from the court.
But the mum went to the High Court to seek right of appeal.
Yesterday, its judgment revealed that Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, ruled the mother can appeal the decision to dismiss the case.
Sir Geoffrey said there is “sufficient current doubt as to what is proper and appropriate in this area”.
The judgment highlights an NHS England letter sent to health service gender dysphoria clinics in April, asking them to defer offering first appointments to those under 18.
Sir Geoffrey said: “The judge was wrong to refuse to adjourn the mother’s application in the unusual circumstances of this case.
“The judge did not place enough weight on the rapidly changing regulatory environment.”
The case was adjourned until the completion of Child Q’s assessment by Gender Plus, which will then be considered by the court.