Franks Olgivie director Stephen Franks says the letter was sent out to a list of more than 20 practices supplied to his firm by Inflection Point. File photo. Photo: twitter
- A letter warning of potential legal action against health professionals offering gender affirming care has been sent to more than 20 practices
- The Royal College of GPs says the letter is a "blatant attempt" to "intimidate and alter behaviour"
- The law firm that prepared the letter say their clients - Inflection Point NZ - believe the practice of gender affirming care in the country "probably falls short of New Zealand law requirements"
- Transgender advocates say the letter is misinformed and the focus on transgender health seeks to separate the minority group from access to healthcare that others would take for granted.
A letter from a Wellington law firm warning of potential legal action against practices offering gender affirming care is a "blatant attempt" to intimidate health professionals, says the Royal College of GPs.
But the principal of the firm behind the letter said they were only pointing out that current practice in the Aotearoa could fall short of legal requirements.
The letter was instigated by Inflection Point NZ - an organisation that has described itself as against the "gender indoctrination and medicalisation" of children.
The group held a controversial conference in the capital last year, hosting speakers including Brian Tamaki, former National Party MP Simon O'Connor and Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull - also known as Posie Parker.
'It's a warning'
Franks Olgivie director Stephen Franks said the letter was sent out to a list of more than 20 practices - including psychology and psychiatry services - supplied to his firm by Inflection Point.
He said the letter's intent was to stop practitioners who had been lax in their processes when directing patients towards gender related medical treatment.
"They don't want people who are 15, 16, 17 in five years' time saying 'I need a remedy'. They want these practitioners to look at what they're doing and realise that the view that 'everyone's doing it' or that it's normal practise is not going to be enough.
"It's a warning. They can get their own advice and decide whether it works or not but its a warning because the authorities in New Zealand have not done it," Franks said.
Franks said changes to guidelines and age limits restricting aspects of gender related treatment in other countries were not being reflected here.
An attempt to intimidate
But the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners medical director Luke Bradford said the fact that the letter did not relate to any specific wrongdoing or current legal action was concerning.
"When they openly acknowledge that that practice may not have done what the complaint is about it all seems based entirely on an attempt to intimidate and alter behaviour," Bradford said.
Bradford said he was aware Te Whatu Ora had provided advice for practices who may have received the letter and his organisation was requesting for that information to be made more widely available.
It's about 'should people be allowed to be trans' - advocate
Gender Minorities Aotearoa executive director Te Ahi Wi-Hongi said the letter was a "poor attempt to frighten health care providers into refusing to provide transition related health care to young transgender people".
They said the letter showed misconceptions about the safeguards and guidelines that were followed in New Zealand.
"There are not doctors out there who are trying to draw people into transitioning. It's just not reality. Nobody's trying to draw people in with false assurances and trick them into to being transgender. It's not how health care works in this country. In fact it's not how health care works anywhere," Wi-Hongi said.
They said the group's focus on health care for transgender people separated the minority group from the right of access to care that other people would take for granted.
"A lot of people in this country take the same medicines and we're not worried about those medicines. So when people are just concerned only about transgender children or about transgender people taking the medicines we can see that it's not about 'is the medicines are safe?' it's about 'should the person be allowed to be trans?'," Wi-Hongi said.
RNZ have requested comment from Inflection Point NZ via Franks Ogilvie.
Te Whatu Ora have also been approached for comment.
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