
For me, the book is a healthcare story, and it's whether in each and every case, young people experiencing distress around their gender got the best care possible.” Powerful lobbying groups, notably the Mermaids charity, were given undue credence.īarnes said, “we've never questioned Trans identities, nor anyone's right to transition. The key allegations are that children as young as 10 were prescribed puberty blockers based on slim to zero evidence and that when critics raised legitimate doubts, they were silenced by powerful managers fearful of being dubbed ‘transphobic’. Instead, she’s tried to focus on the facts of a scandal which poses tough questions about groupthink in the NHS and the inability of whistleblowers to make their voices heard. Not bad for a title which was rejected by 22 publishers, many no doubt wary of the potential backlash involved in covering a story with the potential to inflame culture warriors on all sides.īarnes – a senior Newsnight producer and a former BBC colleague of mine – says she has no interest in playing that game.
