On March 4, Science Friday on National Public Radio featured a doctoral student who asserted that there is a "robust evidence base" for medically transitioning children. This purported expert presented misleading and incomplete information. Listeners of this show need to hear from people who know better, and who are able to provide more .
My response to Science Friday: "Is it possible to not support Governor Abbott and still advocate to follow the science? In the March 4, 2022 Science Friday broadcast entitled, "Once Again, Transgender And Nonbinary Kids Are Under Attack in Texas", a guest claimed there is "robust evidence base" for medically transitioning children. That is simply not true and one would think a show with the word "science" in the title would have put in the modicum of effort needed to understand that. Sweden, France, Finland, and the UK are each taking a data-driven, science based reviewed of gender care and are releasing findings like this "“…low quality evidence that the treatments have the desired effect…” and that the treatments “…are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis.” While you may wish to dismiss the Governor as a Christian fundamentalist, transphobic, bigot, I don't think it's easy to do that for the health professionals in the four countries cited. In short, I am suggesting that the staff of NPR's Science Friday do their jobs."
Please let us know if there are any responses from NPR. Did anyone receive one? If so, did it acknowledge that there is another side to this - another view?
I wonder whether we might direct a letter like this at some medical organizations, hospitals, and the like? I once enjoyed NPR but my own view is that they've turned into a propaganda outlet for GI and the like. So, although I think that most progressives are very much misguided rather than child hating, I expect that this media outlet is not going to "care". It is a real problem because there are so many people who are not radical progressives but they only hear one view. Then they say things like "kids need to hear about how there are different people in the world." They don't understand that so many are gas-lighted about identity.
So, I would love to be pleasantly surprised by any kind of open minded response from NPR. Thx
Why do you start off by dismissing Gov. Abbott's actions are "politically motivated"? You will never protect children by agreeing with the progressives. They do not care at all about the children, that's why they are doing this to them.
I just amended and emailed them. I also wrote a local NPR journalist who does a series called "Embodied" and who has been featuring one-sided trans-kids news the last few weeks. argh.
I just emailed them. Very good letter. One thing it doesn't mention though, is that added to all the cited deleterious effects of puberty blockers, there's been very little research done into the role puberty plays in brain development, and this is a potentially massive area of damage being done by this off-label medication.
I emailed too.
FYI this post reviews the methods and data (so far as he could tell) and concludes that the study shows precisely the OPPOSITE of the claims shared widely through press releases and on the SciFri program: https://jessesingal.substack.com/p/researchers-found-puberty-blockers?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTk5MDYyLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo1MTcyMzk4NiwiXyI6IlRqSmdsIiwiaWF0IjoxNjQ5MjYwMTgwLCJleHAiOjE2NDkyNjM3ODAsImlzcyI6InB1Yi00ODMzIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.i45efkD4btfQyTdRGgZ-ydTjFxKmAhDewzirnJPS0vM&s=r
My response to Science Friday: "Is it possible to not support Governor Abbott and still advocate to follow the science? In the March 4, 2022 Science Friday broadcast entitled, "Once Again, Transgender And Nonbinary Kids Are Under Attack in Texas", a guest claimed there is "robust evidence base" for medically transitioning children. That is simply not true and one would think a show with the word "science" in the title would have put in the modicum of effort needed to understand that. Sweden, France, Finland, and the UK are each taking a data-driven, science based reviewed of gender care and are releasing findings like this "“…low quality evidence that the treatments have the desired effect…” and that the treatments “…are potentially fraught with extensive and irreversible adverse consequences such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, infertility, increased cancer risk, and thrombosis.” While you may wish to dismiss the Governor as a Christian fundamentalist, transphobic, bigot, I don't think it's easy to do that for the health professionals in the four countries cited. In short, I am suggesting that the staff of NPR's Science Friday do their jobs."
Please let us know if there are any responses from NPR. Did anyone receive one? If so, did it acknowledge that there is another side to this - another view?
I wonder whether we might direct a letter like this at some medical organizations, hospitals, and the like? I once enjoyed NPR but my own view is that they've turned into a propaganda outlet for GI and the like. So, although I think that most progressives are very much misguided rather than child hating, I expect that this media outlet is not going to "care". It is a real problem because there are so many people who are not radical progressives but they only hear one view. Then they say things like "kids need to hear about how there are different people in the world." They don't understand that so many are gas-lighted about identity.
So, I would love to be pleasantly surprised by any kind of open minded response from NPR. Thx
Why do you start off by dismissing Gov. Abbott's actions are "politically motivated"? You will never protect children by agreeing with the progressives. They do not care at all about the children, that's why they are doing this to them.
Thank you for writing this. I just submitted a response adding my personal experience to the mix.
Perhaps also of interest, a 2021 article from the Netherlands, the country where the use of puberty blockers was pioneered: https://4thwavenow.com/2021/03/16/dutch-puberty-blocker-pioneer-stop-blindly-adopting-our-research/
also, you can reach Ira Flatow directly here: iflatow@sciencefriday.com
This was marvelous. Thank you so much. When I reached out to them they blocked me : (
I can’t listen to NPR any more. So sad they’ve been captured so thoroughly.
Will do now. Thanks - it's always good to find ways to actually get the real information out there to a wider audience!
done! Excellent letter.
I just amended and emailed them. I also wrote a local NPR journalist who does a series called "Embodied" and who has been featuring one-sided trans-kids news the last few weeks. argh.
I just emailed them. Very good letter. One thing it doesn't mention though, is that added to all the cited deleterious effects of puberty blockers, there's been very little research done into the role puberty plays in brain development, and this is a potentially massive area of damage being done by this off-label medication.
Thanks, done. I used to love Science Friday.....alas.
I just emailed them! Thank you so much!