By Molly Anson
Over the past decade, Western countries – including Australia – have reported a dramatic increase in the number of young people presenting to gender identity services, particularly adolescent girls. Some studies have noted higher rates of co-existing mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions within this group.
But along with the rise in those attempting to "transition" to the opposite sex, has been a rise in those seeking to "detransition" and confront the harms done to them under the guise of "gender affirming care".
Australian detransitioners Mel Jefferies and Jay Langadinos have both commenced legal action against medical practitioners involved in their "gender affirming" treatment, which included masculinising hormones, breast removal, and in Jay’s case, the removal of her womb as well. Their cases raise serious allegations relating to clinical assessment, informed consent, and safeguarding.
These claims demonstrate that Australian clinicians may increasingly face legal scrutiny with regard to so-called “gender affirming care”, especially when it involves young people and children.
Despite the fact that Australia is following the United States and the United Kingdom with its rise in litigation against medical practitioners and gender clinics facilitating "gender affirming care", Australia’s Health Minister Mark Butler and health regulators are refusing to take measures to halt treatments and hold a national review.
The Rise in Legal Actions Overseas
In the UK, detransitioner Keira Bell brought legal action against the NHS England in 2020, arguing that she had been prescribed puberty blockers as a teenager without sufficient understanding of their long-term consequences, including impacts on fertility and sexual function. Although her case was ultimately unsuccessful on appeal, it put a spotlight on “gender affirming care” and wider concerns about paediatric gender services continued to grow.
Following an interim independent review led by Dr Hilary Cass, the UK Tavistock Gender Identity Development Service was closed in 2024. The review concluded that the service was not a safe or viable long-term option for vulnerable children, with concerns that patients were being rushed into medical interventions.
The final Cass Review ultimately led to an indefinite ban on puberty blockers in the UK, with similar restrictions being implemented in other parts of Europe and the US. As of yesterday, the UK has also paused new prescriptions of cross-sex hormones for under 18s.
Earlier this year, when a New York jury awarded detransitioner Varian Fox $2 million USD in damages after finding medical professionals liable for malpractice, it marked a significant moment in the rapidly evolving debate surrounding paediatric gender medicine.
Fox, now 22, underwent irreversible “gender-affirming” surgery to remove her breasts when she was 16-years-old, as part of her attempt to “transition” to become a male. Her successful claim centred on whether clinicians met the accepted standard of medical care, including whether she had been properly assessed and fully informed of the long-term consequences of treatment. The jury found that she had not.
The case represents the first successful jury verdict of its kind in the US. However, it is unlikely to be the last.
According to reporting in The Economist, at least 28 similar lawsuits are now underway across the US. These cases raise serious questions about clinical assessment, informed consent, and whether vulnerable young people were placed on irreversible medical pathways without sufficient exploration of underlying psychological or developmental factors.
Many of these claims are emerging years after treatment took place, as former patients reach adulthood and reassess decisions made during adolescence. This delay highlights the profound and lifelong implications of medical interventions carried out during a period of emotional and physical vulnerability.
Detransitioners Speaking Publicly
Alongside legal action, detransitioners themselves are increasingly speaking out.
Prisha Mosley, a detransitioner currently pursuing legal claims in the US, has described how medical professionals and activists told her that her body was made up of interchangeable parts, easily removed or added on, and that young people today are taught to see their bodies as customisable avatars, something separate from who they are, something malleable, something disposable.
Chloe Cole, another prominent US detransitioner, has also taken legal action against medical providers after undergoing a double mastectomy as a minor. Cole has since become one of the most widely recognised public voices on detransition, describing the lasting physical and psychological consequences of medical intervention during adolescence.
Online communities dedicated to detransition have also grown significantly. One Reddit forum alone receives approximately 21,000 weekly visits and over 700 weekly contributions, reflecting growing demand for peer support among those who regret transitioning.
Similarly, responses on social media platform X to recent news coverage show individuals increasingly speaking openly about detransition. What was once rarely discussed is now becoming more visible.
Despite the rise in detransitioners, many report difficulty accessing appropriate medical and psychological care during and after detransition, highlighting a gap in healthcare systems with an emphasis on facilitating transition.
Activist-Led Research
There are claims by researchers reporting low rates of permanent detransition. A large US survey conducted by Advocates for Trans Equality, involving more than 92,000 respondents, reported that the “tiny percentage” of trans people who do detransition, largely do so because of transphobia.
However, such surveys primarily capture individuals who continue to identify as transgender or remain connected to transgender communities. Those who no longer identify that way may be less likely to participate, making detransition difficult to measure accurately.
Legal cases, clinical reviews, personal stories and growing online communities show that detransition is undoubtedly a reality for some individuals, even as debate continues over its prevalence.
A Legal and Medical Reckoning
Medical decisions involving children and young people carry profound ethical and legal responsibility. The Fox Varian verdict, alongside the growing number of lawsuits internationally and in Australia, signals that these safeguards are now being tested.
As legal challenges expand and more detransitioners speak publicly, serious questions are being asked about how vulnerable young people were placed on irreversible medical pathways, and whether existing safeguards were sufficient. These cases mark the beginning of a broad legal and medical reckoning – one that is now unfolding internationally, including in Australia.
Molly has a background in law and clinical negligence. She now works as a caseworker supporting individuals affected by occupational diseases and has a strong interest in medico-legal issues and women’s rights.
Women’s Forum Australia is an independent think tank that undertakes research, education and public policy advocacy on issues affecting women and girls, with a particular focus on addressing behaviours and practices that are harmful and abusive to them. We are a non-partisan, non-religious, tax-deductible charity. We do not receive any government funding and rely solely on donations to make an impact. Support our work today.
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