Introducing: The Tavistock
The Walkers: The real Salt Path | Tortoise Investigates
The Observer
4.6 • 5.8K Ratings
🗓️ 18 September 2023
⏱️ 3 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This is the story of the Gender Identity Development Service for children and young people at the Tavistock. The Tavi, as it’s known is the only clinic in England and Wales which has treated children suffering from body dysphoria. Its critics have accused it of fast-tracking young people into changing gender. Its supporters argue it has provided help and support, even a lifeline. Now, the clinic will close. This is the story of what happened.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is the story of the most controversial NHS clinic, |
| 0:05.0 | a place which treats children and young people who are questioning their gender |
| 0:10.0 | and set some of them on a path through a medical transition using puberty blockers and hormones. |
| 0:17.0 | It's known simply as the Tavostock. |
| 0:20.0 | It's the story of an institution at the centre of an ideological battle, |
| 0:27.6 | offering a lifeline to some. |
| 0:30.2 | It was that relief. I can breathe finally. I've got that first appointment. I'm in the system now. |
| 0:35.7 | Accused of overseeing an unprecedented medical scandal by others. |
| 0:41.2 | I studied history, but one thing I never understood was how the really bad things were allowed to happen. |
| 0:48.7 | And now I understand how very bad things can happen. |
| 0:53.3 | It's the story of what happens when culture moves faster than science. |
| 0:59.5 | At the time, we were genuinely conscientious people trying to do the right thing in a very |
| 1:04.1 | conflicted world. |
| 1:06.0 | One that has become so toxic, most people stay away. |
| 1:11.0 | How should we treat children with gender dysphoria? |
| 1:14.5 | When I was 14, 15, I wish I'd been referred to beauty blockers |
| 1:18.4 | because it wouldn't make life so difficult for me now in terms of presenting how I want to. |
| 1:23.7 | When even talking about it has become shrouded in self-censorship and fear, I'm going to take |
| 1:30.3 | you inside the Tavistock to find out what really happened. I'm going to open up this story |
| 1:36.3 | and let in some light, rather than add to the noise. |
| 1:39.3 | Gender identity clinic and child... |
| 1:42.3 | ...ofcern this age. We hear from the people who've run the clinic. |
... |
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