Renowned Christian commentator Vebjørn Selbekk, editor-in-chief of the Christian daily Dagen, has voiced deep concerns over the rise of transgenderism and the seeming ease with which young people can change their genders in Norway. He believes society will eventually regret the decisions being made around gender care. Selbekk, a prominent figure in Norwegian Christian circles, has pointed to the burgeoning stories of regret among those who have undergone gender changes. He is particularly alarmed by the young age at which individuals can opt for gender surgery in Norway – as early as 18, while sterilization requires a minimum age of 25.
Selbekk goes on to argue that schools are instrumental in promoting the idea of gender fluidity. He believes that the country’s education system has been overwhelmed by identity politics and radical gender theory. These ideas challenge the traditional scientific understanding of gender as an innate attribute, suggesting that it is something to be chosen. He considers this capitulation to pressure from the increasingly aggressive trans movement as a significant factor in the surging rates of gender treatment among young people in Norway.
Meanwhile, even as its neighbor Sweden takes measures to control gender treatments, such as increasing the age limit for puberty blockers, Norway continues on its current trajectory. However, Selbekk notes emerging dissent within the gender care community. He reports growing concerns among Norwegian professionals about the number of patients expressing regret over surgical interventions and hormone therapy. The Norwegian Health Authority’s recent revocation of authorisation for the country’s most prominent trans activist and gender dysphoria doctor, Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad, points to the mounting worries.
Earlier in the year, a government commission in Norway criticized the treatment offered to people with gender incongruity. The report indicated a risk of over-, under-, and incorrect treatment stemming from a lack of a robust knowledge base. It was also noted that hormone therapy, which should be exclusively administered by Oslo’s University Hospital, was being provided by General Practitioners and other healthcare facilities. This revelation was confirmed by Bjørn Guldvog, director of the Directorate of Health.
In light of these concerns, Guldvog suggested that current guidelines might need revisiting. He proposed an expansion of gender healthcare services in Norway as a potential solution to these problems. This, he believes, would ensure that those in need receive appropriate, individualized assistance. However, Guldvog also emphasized that supervision and regulation in this area were the responsibility of the Norwegian Health Authority, not his directorate.