20/02/2025
Hopefully everyone has had a relaxing start to the year. Whether it be your first year back or your last, we hope you make many happy and safe memories this year.
Unfortunately, 2025 has brought news in both Australia and the United States which has been of grave concern to those particularly in the gender diverse community but also in the LGBTIQ+ community more broadly.
Closer to home, the Queensland Government in January has announced a pause on all new adolescent gender affirming hormone therapy. This encompasses both Stage 1 (puberty blockers) and Stage 2 (hormone therapy) treatment, pending a “review”, despite the fact paediatric gender services across the country, including those in Queensland, have already been subject to a recent external review.
Meanwhile, across the Pacific, President Trump has recently signed two executive orders threatening the recognition and right to healthcare deserved by members of the trans and gender diverse community in the US, including recognising only binary s*x and gender, and banning all federal funding for gender affirming care for those under the age of 19.
As those who have friends, colleagues or family identifying as part of the transgender or gender diverse community may be aware, gender affirming care often has life-saving impacts on those receiving it, has much lower regret rates than many other contemporary medical procedures, and can fundamentally alter the life of those who pursue it for the better. Transgender and gender diverse populations are already at higher risk of self harm and su***de, and enacting these orders will no doubt exacerbate the disparities in mental health between members of this community and the broader public.
As allies and/or members of the community and as future healthcare professionals, we all have an obligation to protect those who are most marginalised and vulnerable in society, whether that be through advocacy, your future practice, or your own self-education. Progress is not inevitable, as we are just beginning to find out, but neither are regressions.
We encourage everyone to look out for each other, support other members of the community and to remember that there are many people out there who love you and support you for who you are. If you need help, QLife is a great anonymous phone-based support network for LGBTIQ+ people by LGBTIQ+ people.
Finally, whilst this post may have highlighted some of the more depressing events recently, remember that there is always progress. Thailand, earlier this year, recognised its first same s*x couples and voices from s*xual and gender minorities have been in the limelight, often for the first time, in the last few years. These include prominent creators in online spaces such as Jessie Earl from Jessiegender, Lily Alexandre and Abigail Thorn from Philosophy Tube are to name a few.
We know these are uncertain times for many of us, but we will continue to advocate for inclusion and equity for everyone in all spaces. We are here if you need to speak with us or you can also reach the medical student support team, to help process your feelings at this time.
Rainbow Med Team
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
