University Turns Down “Politically Incorrect Transgender Research”

by Ken Ham
Featured in Ken Ham Blog

Want to do scientific research that doesn’t agree with the cultural narrative? Well, apparently you shouldn’t even bother. Reportedly Bath Spa University in the UK turned down a research application on gender reassignment reversal for being “potentially politically incorrect” and because of its potential to be lambasted on social media, and the university with it. So the scientific study doesn’t matter—what matters is what people already believe and making sure “science” stays in agreement with the status quo, particularly regarding the gender issue.

“It’s Better Not to Offend People”

James Caspian is a psychotherapist whose specialty is working with transgender people. He proposed research on de-transitioning after learning from a leading gender reconstructive surgeon that the stories of those who have “crippling levels of depression following their transition and in some cases even contemplated suicide” were not being heard and that there is a “lack of academic rigour on the subject.” This surgeon claims that “there is a desperate need for greater understanding in reversals.”

Caspian’s research idea was initially approved, but his preliminary findings suggested “growing numbers of young people, particularly women, were regretting gender reassignment.” The university then told him he would have to resubmit it to the ethics committee who rejected it because “it might cause criticism of the university” and “it’s better not to offend people.” Reportedly they claimed,

Engaging in a potentially politically incorrect piece of research carries a risk to the university. Attacks on social media may not be confined to the researcher, but may involve the university.

The posting of unpleasant material on blogs or social media may be detrimental to the reputation of the university.

Science is supposed to be an unbiased quest to discover of the truth . . . right?

Science is supposed to be an unbiased quest to discover of the truth . . . right? But, in reality, accounts like this show that sometimes science is agenda driven and only those research proposals that agree with the status quo are given grants or approval. This is particularly true with issues such as transgenderism, evolution, or man-made climate change (or when money is involved)—if you don’t agree with the established narrative, you likely won’t get your work published.

New Transgender Guidelines Affect Children

Yet, despite the lack of medical consensus or in-depth scientific studies, the transgender agenda steams ahead. According to a recent report, the Endocrine Society released new recommendations that “ease previous restrictions so that children under 16 years old can begin hormone therapy in order to physically transform their bodies.” This means a young girl can start taking male hormones (or vice versa) if a team of experts “confirms that the adolescent is, in fact, transgender and has ‘sufficient mental capacity to give informed consent.’” These new guidelines also emphasize that “young children may benefit psychologically from changing their hair and clothing to match the gender they believe to be as opposed to the sex they were assigned at birth.”

One medical professional who does not agree with these new guidelines says,

I think it’s putting a lot on the shoulders of these children. . . . It’s putting them on a path that will have a lot of medical and surgical consequences. . . . If the children are pushed in this belief it will be much, much harder for them to get out of this belief because everyone will have agreed on it very, very early on. . . . What worries me is that, indeed, there might be in the upcoming years a considerable number of these children that are placed on a path that we don’t fully know the outcome.

By the way, would they agree that children should be given a choice regarding potty training or what things they can or can’t put in their mouth?

God Created “Male and Female”

We live in a culture that is completely unhinged from the biblical truth—and from the very obvious biology/genetics that God used to created male and female (Genesis 1:27). The result is chaos, where an influential minority has changed the culture and even scientific research! It’s not hard to imagine scientists or universities being slaughtered on social media for publishing research that doesn’t agree with the popular narrative regarding transgenderism. The scientific findings don’t matter—what matters is agreeing with the (unbiblical) LGBT agenda.

The LGBT agenda pushes an anti-Christian, anti-biblical philosophy that encourages people to indulge in their sin. And that always leads to pain. As Christians, we can offer real hope and peace because of the gospel. We can share with people the freedom that comes from repenting and placing their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, the one who died for us.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.

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