The NHS has quietly changed its trans guidance to reflect reality

Imagine you have a child who says they believe they were born in the wrong body, describing what amounts to a fundamental and painful mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity. Imagine the child you see as your daughter declaring that they are in fact a boy.

Where would you turn for information? No doubt a lot of people in such a position would consult the NHS. That ‘mismatch’, after all, could be a sign of gender dysphoria, a condition recognised – and treated – by the health service.

What would you find if you looked up this issue on the excellent and comprehensive NHS website? First, you’d see reassuring words telling you that the NHS can help your child:

‘Treatment for gender dysphoria aims to help people live the way they want to, in their preferred gender identity or as non-binary.’

Perhaps you might wonder about the treatments for young children in this context.