'First Do No Harm
presented by David Bell

Synopsis

This paper takes as its focus the massive increase in children and young people (CYPs) seeking gender transition. It discusses the factors that have contributed to this both at the individual level and at the socio-cultural level. At the individual level there are many pathways to gender dysphoria (such as internalised homophobia, complex comorbid problems, histories of family trauma and so on). The author considers that a very large number of children have been seriously harmed through the penetration of the ‘trans’ ideology into child and adolescent services leading to their complex problems being seen only through the prism of gender, thus leading to these problems being neglected, as born out by the Cass Review.

The paper also looks at the broader socio-cultural processes that have contributed to this phenomenon - such as the commodification of health care, misogyny, relativisation of truth, all contributing to what the author terms ‘a peculiar mode of thinking’ that has come to dominate this debate.

A recording of the seminar will be available for a two week period following the event.

When

Online via Zoom Tuesday 20th May,2025 8.00-9.30 pm AEST

Cost

$88 inc GST

Biography

Dr David Bell is a Training and Supervising psychoanalyst of the British Psychoanalytical Society and a former President. He lectures and publishes on psychoanalytic theory (the work of Freud, Klein and Bion). Throughout his career he has been deeply involved in interdisciplinary studies- psychoanalysis and literature, philosophy and socio-political theory (he set up and chaired, for about 15 years, a Philosophy and Psychoanalysis Study Group).

Interdisciplinary studies have formed a major part of his professional career – the relation between psychoanalysis and literature, philosophy and socio-political theory and he has lectured and written extensively in those areas. He is a leading psychiatric expert in immigration/asylum/human rights.

Over the last 6 years he has been very engaged in thinking about the current debate over gender dysphoria in children and adolescents, trying to maintain thoughtful and psychoanalytic perspective in a highly toxic and politicised climate. He has published papers and given many lectures on this subject.