A British university withdrew funding for research into transgendered persons who are “de-transitioning” back to their biological sex because early results in the study were deemed to be “politically incorrect.”
Townhall.com is reporting on the research that was being conducted by Professor James Caspian, a psychotherapist, at Bath Spa University on individuals who were de-transitioning back to their original sex.
The term de-transitioning refers to persons who surgically changed their sex, but now want to surgically go back to their biological sex because they regretted their reassignment surgery.
Caspian told The Telegraph that he became interested in researching the subject in 2014 after a conversation he had with Professor Miroslave Djordjevic who is considered to be the world’s leading genital reconstructive surgeon.
During the conversation, Djordjevic provided empirical evidence – in the form of his own surgery experience – that the number of persons regretting their sex reassignment who opt to change back to their biological sex is on the rise.
According to the surgeon, patients come to him from all over the world who say they experience depression and sometimes suicidal thoughts after the surgery. In order to avoid this, Djordjevic enforces strict guidelines for those seeking sex change operations. They must undergo two years of rigorous psychological evaluation as well as provide two professional recommendations attesting to why the patient is making a safe and proper decision to surgically change their sex.
In addition to a desire to protect the patient, Djordjevic says he also does this out of a fear that the medical community will soon deem it ethical to provide transition surgeries to minors.
“I’m afraid what will happen five to 10 years later with this person,” he says. “It is more than about surgery; it’s an issue of human rights. I could not accept [minors] as a patient because I’d be afraid what would happen to their brain and mind.”
Djordjevic’s testimony intrigued Professor Caspian who decided to embark on a study of the long-term effects of sex change surgery in order to better understand the reasons why patients wanted to change back and to what extent this was happening.
At first, Bath Spa University approved his funding request for the project. But the administration became concerned that his findings could harm the university’s reputation in the transgendered community.
“The fundamental reason given was that it might cause criticism of the research on social media, and criticism of the research would be criticism of the university,” Caspian said. “They also added it’s better not to offend people. University exists to encourage discussion, research, dissent even, challenging ideas that are out of date or not particularly useful.”
He added that the university told him: “Engaging in a potentially politically incorrect piece of research carries a risk to the university. Attacks on social media may not be confined to the researcher, but may involve the university. The posting of unpleasant material on blogs or social media may be detrimental to the reputation of the university.”
Caspian argued that the research was needed because of the growing number of youth who were regretting their surgeries with some reporting that they were “traumatized” by it. He also said that older studies on the subject were out of date and new research was important and needed.
“The whole field has completely changed over the last few years and the idea that we might use the information from the research we are going to do in a way that won’t help people is completely wrong,” he said.
However, the university has refused to budge and is offering no comment on the story until completing an internal investigation.
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