While England has moved to ban puberty blockers for children, a senior child psychologist in Queensland has been punished for raising concerns about their use. Dr. Jillian Spencer, who worked at the Queensland Children’s Hospital, was stood down after urging caution about the long-term effects of medical interventions on children struggling with gender identity.
Dr. Spencer preferred a neutral therapeutic approach rather than the hospital’s “affirmation model,” which automatically supports children in transitioning away from their biological sex. She argued that many of these young patients present with underlying mental health struggles and trauma, making immediate medical intervention dangerous and harmful.
Following her removal, Dr. Spencer filed a complaint with the Queensland Human Rights Commission. In her filing, she stressed that rushing to affirm children’s self-perceived identities through pronouns and medical pathways could trap them in treatments they might otherwise outgrow. She warned that biological females, in particular, are at increasing risk of being placed on irreversible medical tracks without adequate psychological support.
In response, the Queensland Children’s Hospital defended its enforcement of pronoun use and its affirmation model. Officials stated that their policies align with the government’s public sector code of conduct, which requires staff to follow workplace inclusivity rules. This explanation, however, suggests that political ideology, rather than sound medical judgment, is driving decisions about vulnerable children.
The case highlights a growing divide between medical caution and government-driven gender policies. Professionals like Dr. Spencer, who call for careful evaluation and safeguarding, are being sidelined in favor of activist-influenced models. While England has prioritized protecting children from untested interventions, Queensland appears to be enforcing ideology at the expense of science and child welfare.