The Good News Supplement: Monday 30th December - Sunday 5th January

IMAGE CREDIT: Hampshire Live

A very happy new year to you all. Here’s a handful of good news stories from the gender beat to ease us into 2025. Enjoy!

Doctor in the House

A group of medical professionals have published an open letter in support of the courageous whistle-blower, Dr Jillian Spencer.

Dr Jillian Spencer is an Australian child and adolescent psychiatrist. She was suspended from her job at the Queensland Children’s Hospital after she spoke up against the harm caused to the gender distressed youngsters being pushed down a medical pathway there. She is currently running for the role of President-Elect at the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). Of course, trans activists are desperately trying to prevent her from doing so.

This week a group of international clinicians and researchers of various professional disciplines with a special interest and expertise in evidence-based gender medicine wrote to RANZCP to voice their support for Dr Spencer’s nomination.

“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. We share Dr Spencer’s observations that this current model is not evidence-based and not safe for the young people in our care…

Aspects of care should be open for debate, and we greatly value Dr Spencer’s integrity and commitment to protect the profession of psychiatry as a trustworthy, evidence-based authority. In order for her to do so, it is essential that the integrity of the political process be preserved, and not be influenced by cultural and political activism.”

Sanity Prevails in Pronouns Row

An Ohio teacher forced to resign because she would not be compelled to validate the social transition of two of her pupils has won a six figure compensation award.

Vivian Geraghty is a teacher who worked for the Jackson Local School District. In 2022, two of her language arts students declared a trans identity and were permitted to socially transition at school. Vivian was expected to use their new names - different from those listed on the school register - and their preferred pronouns. She refused to do so and continued to refer to the pupils in accordance with their sex.

One of the students approached a school counsellor, complaining of being ‘dead-named’. The school’s headteacher and school board authorities tried to compel Vivian to use the students’ new names and pronouns. Eventually, she was told that if she continued in her refusal to comply, she would have to resign. So she resigned. And subsequently took legal action against the Jackson Local School District, believing that her First Amendment rights had been violated.

In August, the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio found that the school’s ‘pronoun practice was not neutral’ and ruled that its attempt to force Vivian to use the student’s preferred pronouns amounted to ‘compelled speech’.

This week Vivian was awarded a pay-out of $450,000 (approximately £362,000) from the Jackson Local School District.

Cherry on the Cake

The redoubtable Joanna Cherry KC is joining the board of the LGB Alliance as a trustee. Wonderful news and the continuation of a beautiful friendship.

Hailing the charity as a ‘beacon of sense and sanity’ Joanna Cherry said, “There are still many battles to fight, including the invasion and erosion of lesbian spaces by heterosexual men, the continued medicalisation of LGB youth through cross-sex hormones, and the horror of elective double mastectomies for young adult lesbians. The tide, however, is turning, and I look forward to contributing to many more victories for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the years to come”.

Eileen Gallagher OBE, Chair of Trustees at the LGB Alliance, said, “No one in British politics has done more than Joanna to fight the rise of gender identity ideology, which has so seriously undermined LGB rights in the last decade. She stood up for lesbians and for LGB Alliance at a time when it was not only deeply unfashionable, but seriously detrimental to her career in the SNP. Joanna’s new role is the next step in a long relationship”.

Glinner of Hope

If you’re in need of something to help beat the January blues now that the festive season is done and dusted…

Don’t forget that Graham’s memoir, Tough Crowd, is still available from Amazon, The Express shop, Lightning Eye, Waterstones, Blackwells and all other discerning outlets. (There are also audio versions available on Audible and Spotify too.)

And Finally…