Gosh, there's a lot of misleading and mendacious claims in that document.
This is the creationist/climate change denial playbook transferred over to gender health issues - sow doubt by inserting a wedge anywhere there's not perfect knowledge or debate about specifics/policy approachs within the scientific community. Then claim that the experts don't know what they're talking about/doing more harm than good.
This feels about as genuine as the Climatic Research Unit hacking 'controversy', where some very normal email conversations and position documents got wildly taken out of context by climate change denialists, who then proceeded to lead the media down the garden path with all sorts of conspiracy theories.
For instance on page 81, there's this claim "WPATH members adhere to the belief that attempting to help a patient overcome their feelings of gender incongruence and reconcile with their birth sex amounts to conversion therapy".
It cites this document:
https://www.wpath.org/media/cms/Doc...ASIAPATH.EPATH.PATHA.USPATH.pdf?_t=1669428978
I'll note a couple of things.
This document is not from WPATH alone. It's a response to the UK's NHS interim service specification on gender identity services for children and young people. It includes input from four other transgender health organisations (SIAPATH, EPATH, PATHA, and USPATH).
The only reference to conversion therapy in that document on page 5 (bottom of point 9):
"Indeed, the denial of gender-affirming treatment under the guise of “exploratory therapy” has caused enormous harm to the transgender and gender diverse community and is tantamount to “conversion” or “reparative” therapy under another name."
That statement is correct. And
completely in line with medical standards.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) hold similar positions.
Here's the AAP policy statement on 'Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents', which was last re-affirmed in August 2023.
https://publications.aap.org/pediat...1/Ensuring-Comprehensive-Care-and-Support-for
In contrast, “conversion” or “reparative” treatment models are used to prevent children and adolescents from identifying as transgender or to dissuade them from exhibiting gender-diverse expressions. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has concluded that
any therapeutic intervention with the goal of changing a youth’s gender expression or identity is inappropriate. Reparative approaches have been proven to be not only unsuccessful but also deleterious and are considered outside the mainstream of traditional medical practice. The AAP described reparative approaches as “unfair and deceptive.”
43
Similarly, here's excerpts from the AACPA's position:
There is "no evidence to support the application of any “therapeutic intervention” operating under the premise that a specific sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression is pathological.
"
That " “conversion therapies” (or other interventions imposed with the intent of promoting a particular sexual orientation and/or gender as a preferred outcome) lack scientific credibility and clinical utility."
That "there is evidence that such interventions are harmful. As a result, “conversion therapies” should not be part of any behavioral health treatment of children and adolescents."
So,
WPATH is right. Denying gender affirming treatment and relying on “gender exploratory therapy” is harmful and tantamount to "conversion/reparative therapy". If you want to read up on this particular sub-topic, I'd suggest starting with these::
