Table of Contents
Bob McCoskrie
What do Kiwi families think about children trying to change their sex, puberty blockers, and gender ideology in classrooms? A new nationwide poll tells us, but the media have ignored it. You’ll soon see why.
TRANSCRIPT:
We all know what the media think about helping our children change their sex and trying to be transgender. For the past decade, they have promoted the whole issue. In fact, back in 2015, I was on 1News expressing concern for the trend – but getting rubbished for it
VIDEO –
We also published two reports warning of the consequences – Boy Girl Other and Children Transitioning
But a lot of water has gone under the bridge, and we have seen the consequences – and the research is now coming out backing up what we said.
But what do the general public think? We have just commissioned a nationwide poll on this through a reputable and independent company.
And of course, there’s been significant coverage of the results by the media. Here’s a summary………
Ok – they have completely ignored it. So let me tell you about it – and then, please, share this video.
A new poll has found strong support for a ban on puberty blockers, and also support for a ban on the use of ‘gender affirmation’ chemical and surgical treatment for under-18s. In the poll of 1,000 New Zealanders commissioned by Family First and surveyed by Curia Market Research, respondents were asked a number of questions around gender ideology and the treatment of children who experience gender confusion.
Let’s go through the results
Respondents were asked: The UK health service (the NHS) has stopped the use of puberty blockers, which begin the gender transition process, for children under 16 as it deemed they are too young to consent. Do you support or oppose a similar ban in New Zealand on the use of puberty blockers for young people 16 or younger?
Almost two out of three (62%) respondents support banning puberty blockers for children aged 16 or younger, with just 19% opposed. A further 19% were unsure or refused to say. Opposition to puberty blockers has grown since Dec 2020 when a similar poll showed 51% support for a ban and 28% opposition.
The NHS in the UK now states “Puberty blockers are not available to children and young people for gender incongruence or gender dysphoria because there is not enough evidence of safety and clinical effectiveness.” Recent comparisons have found that the prescription of puberty blockers in New Zealand is more than ten times as frequent than in the UK.
In July 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US issued a warning label about the risk of puberty blockers after six minors (ages 5-12) experienced severe symptoms. The minors, who were all biologically female, suffered from symptoms of “pseudotumor cerebri” (tumor-like masses in the brain), including visual disturbances (seeing bright lights that aren’t there), headache or vomiting, papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve), increased blood pressure, and abducens neuropathy (eye paralysis).
Second question. Respondents were also asked: Some people have proposed banning puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and physical sex-change surgeries for children under the age of 18 who identify as transgender. Would you support or oppose this kind of ban?
A majority (53%) of respondents support banning puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and physical sex-change surgeries for children under the age of 18m, with just 24% opposed. 23% were unsure or refused to say.
Respondents were then asked: If a young person says they want to change their gender, should the treatment be primarily based on providing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, or should the treatment primarily focus on dealing with the gender dysphoria and any other underlying mental health issues.
A majority (53%) of respondents think treatment of young persons who want to change their gender should primarily focus on mental health treatment rather than chemical treatment. Only 10% support chemical treatment being the primary focus and 37% are unsure or refused to say.
That’s been our argument all along – just as we would deal with anorexia nervosa where a girl may think she’s severely overweight when she is actually dangerously skinny and malnourished. We heal the mind – not cut and chemicalise the body.
The CASS review which we’ve discussed a lot recently said “The reality is that we have no good evidence on the long-term outcomes of interventions to manage gender-related distress… The evidence we do have for gender medicine is built on “shaky foundations.”
It also said that “Young people facing gender-related distress had no significantly different levels of suicide risk to other young people with similar levels of complex presentations” and that there was “No evidence that gender-affirming treatment reduces suicide risk.”
Now what about the RSE programme in school
Only 15% think primary-age children should be taught they can choose their gender and that it can be changed through hormone treatment and surgery if they want it to be, while two out of three (69%) say they shouldn’t. OppositionLiverp00l007 to gender ideology has grown significantly from a similar poll in 2019 where only 54% said children should not be taught this, and 35% said they should.
However, there was a split over whether sex ed should be in schools at all. 44% of respondents support prohibiting teaching sexual issues at primary school, with 40% opposed. The difference is not statistically significant – and suggests that age appropriateness is the key.
The poll also asked: Do you think the taxpayers should fund surgery or hormone treatments for adults who wish to change their gender? Only 16% of respondents support taxpayers funding gender change surgery or hormone treatments, with 68% opposed.
Labour’s budget in 2022 included an additional $2.2 million for gender affirming care and $2.5 million to train GPs in advising trans youth. They had previously pledged $3 million over four years in their 2019 budget.
You can READ THE FULL POLL RESULTS on our website familyfirst.nz
This is not the first time we have commissioned polling on these issues – which is why we’ve been able to notice the trend towards rejecting this ideology as time has progressed. The general public are seeing the harms and confusion of this ideology on our children. Here’s some other previous ones.
In terms of sports participation, a 2023 poll found that just 13% of respondents agree that “boys who identify as girls be allowed automatic right of access to girls sports teams such as netball or girls rugby or football (and vice versa)” (dropping significantly from 39% in a similar poll in 2018) and two in three (68%) disagree (rising significantly from 39% in 2018).
A 2021 poll found that only 22% of respondents think boys who identify as girls should be allowed automatic access to girls toilets and changing rooms and almost two in three (61%) disagree – much stronger opposition than in a similar poll in 2019 found that 46% v 36% said that biological sex should trump gender identity.
In a 2022 poll, respondents were asked – “The Ministry of Education tells teachers that schools do not have to disclose to parents that their child is identifying as transgender in class and using a different name and preferred pronouns. Would you support a law requiring schools to notify parents if their child is identifying as transgender in class?” A majority (55%) would support a parental notification-type law, with only 29% opposed. A further 16% were unsure or refused to say.
A nationwide poll last year found significant opposition to a decision which resulted in a teacher losing his teaching licence for refusing to recognise a student’s gender ‘identity’ and using the students preferred pronouns. Only 16% of respondents think a teacher should lose their teaching licence for misgendering a trans student – with 65% opposed.
It seems pretty clear that the politicians have the weight of public support to correct this confusing and harmful ideology and to protect our children – and to acknowledge the truth of biology.
It’s time we put first-do-no-harm medicine and credible research ahead of ideology and an agenda to push gender fluidity indoctrination.
It’s time we had watchful waiting, therapy, and healing of the mind rather than chemicals, castration and confusion.
The real question is – why won’t the politicians represent the views of the public?
