Therapists should approve sex change operations in “as few sessions as possible” and also act as “allies,” said a clinician who writes referrals to allow people to undergo sex changes.
“The less sessions the better. I will typically do the session in one visit,” Sarah Eley, a mental health clinician and clinical supervisor, said in a presentation at the Advancing Excellence in Transgender Health.
Eley remarked in the same clip:
Generally what I recommend is that you do the minimal amount of time necessary for capturing the information that you need and the information goes back to reducing barriers for transgender, non-conforming, non-binary and diverse folks so that they can move forward as quickly as they can.
“When we’re saying we have to see them for multiple sessions that sets up continuous barriers and really perpetuates a system that trans non binary and gender diverse folks need to be put to the test to prove who they are and what they need,” Eley stated.
In a different clip, Eley argued that the role of mental heath providers who write surgical referrals is not actually to assess a patient’s mental health, but to help patients become eligible to receive the life-altering surgery.
Our role is not to question somebody’s gender or their choice to have or need to have surgery,” Eley stated, going on to say “our role is to really help them get to that next step in the process.”
During her presentation, Eley advocated for clinicians to act as “allies” as they write letters to get people approved to undergo sex change operations.
“We are still in this process of putting up barriers for trans, non-binary, and gender diverse people and its really crucial in this process of serving as allies … in writing these letters that we look at our own internal biases,” Eley remarked.
In addition, Eley advocated for a broad interpretation of the standards that patients are supposed to reach before undergoing an irreversible sex change operation.
“There’s certain criteria we’re asked to speak about in the letter and that is if any mental health symptoms … are reasonably well controlled” Eley said.
She went on to say, “I have quotes around that because I really think we can look at what ‘reasonably well controlled’ means in a broad sense of the phrase.”
“We can look at … mechanisms of survival or … mechanisms of resiliency,” she added
The presentation, which took place in 2021, was titled “Providing Mental Health Assessments for Gender Affirming Surgery Referral Letters.”
According to her LinkedIn profile, Eley was previously an outpatient therapist at Fenway Health, where she provided “gender affirming, trauma informed care, through a Liberation Health and racial equity lens.” In this role, Eley also “Led trainings, consultation and education for medical and mental health providers on providing sexuality and gender affirming mental health care for queer, trans and gender diverse people.”
Now, Eley works as a clinician and clinical supervisor for an organization called Sayftee, which describes itself as “a socially conscious group practice offering a range of services including family therapy, individual therapy, couple/relationship therapy, groups, workshops, training, consultation, and supervision.”
The organization also notes, “We are committed to serving gender expansive and LGBTQI+ people and those who love them” before going on to explain that they have an interest specifically in young people.
“We are especially passionate about providing a nurturing and supportive environment for youth and young adults to discover the most authentic version of themselves,” the organization’s website reads.
Eley’s biography on the organization’s website says,”Her approach to therapy considers the intersections of systems, environment, culture, personal experiences and identity, as well as the impact of trauma and social stress, marginalization, and privilege, on personal development.”
The organization promotes a number of books that endorse transgenderism and are aimed at a young audience. One section of the website, called “Ages 8 and Under,” lists books that parents can read to young children in order to condition them with transgender ideology.
Eley’s comments took place at the Advancing Excellence in Transgender Health conference, which is hosted by the Fenway Institute.
The 2022 conference is being held from October 14th to the 16th, and is intended to “train the whole health care team in providing responsive and confident gender-affirmative health care, grounded in research evidence and best clinical practices.”
The American Medical Association recently called on the Department of Justice to “investigate and prosecute” reporters and commentators who oppose the campaign to normalize child transgenderism.
BREAKING: The American Medical Association is asking Big Tech and the Department of Justice to censor, deplatform, investigate, and prosecute journalists who question the orthodoxy of radical gender surgeries for minors, arguing that public criticism is "disinformation." pic.twitter.com/NHv32Zzdu5
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) October 3, 2022
This report is part of an ongoing investigation from Breitbart News exploring the links and incentives between pro-transgender activism, pharmaceutical companies, and other medical interests.
Spencer Lindquist is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerLndqst and reach out at slindquist@breitbart.com
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