In the room where it happens
Notes on the SEGM conference's first day
Medical conferences have a similar flavor: the slightly disheveled physicians in the expensive suits, the laptops out as some are still connected to work, the hugs and handshakes. The opening of the Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine’s first day of pre-conference panels, in NYC on October 9, was similar but different.
The hugs were longer. There were comments about people’s heights because after collaborating on Zoom for so long, they were now meeting for the first time in person. Many chatted about their long international flights and time zone changes.
There is a buzz. NYC itself is constantly moving but this conference, these figures are charged and have been changing the discourse now for a number of years. Clinicians worldwide need and want to talk about gender transitions in youth and SEGM is providing the space for these conversations.
This conference, the first that SEGM will be presenting, is ushering in the Fall (perhaps not just the season but the fate for the house of cards) and will be the first of a number of youth gender medicalization conferences scheduled in the United States for 2023-2024.
The first day, referred to as the pre-conference, included 4 panel discussions. It was pitched as a primary day for those needing some background before the main conference.
The first day of the main conference, on October 10, began as a history lesson with presentations from Dr. Ken Zucker and Dr. Stephen Levine, and an overview of the history of the Dutch Protocol from Zhenya Abbruzzese. The morning session was rounded out by Dr. Riittakerttu Kaltiala discussing the evolution of treatment in Finland.
It was after Dr. Kaltiala presented that the audience had its first chance to ask questions.
The first question (paraphrased): Can you explain a little bit more about the patients you are seeing who are still proceeding with hormonal treatments in Finland since the changes in 2020?
Answer (paraphrased): Psychiatric problems did not resolve. In fact we saw some develop new problems. Those who were functional before hormonal treatment remained functional. Which means that they need to continue to be provided psychiatric treatments.
The second: Why was it in Finland that the clinicians leading the center were the ones to identify the issues where in other countries that has not been the case?
Answer: In Finland, we didn’t have a tradition of this, the change in the population was so very clear. We read the literature and we had the expectation from the literature of one population and we saw something totally different present.
After a short break Dr. Sallie Baxendale took the audience through the concept of the “transgender brain” and what the latest research shows. The upshot: there is no evidence of a transgender brain.
Anna Hutchinson followed with a presentation on two powerful cases directly from her clinical practice. And then Lisa Littman reviewed data regarding the social contagion hypothesis.
The morning ended with a panel and the room broke for lunch.
Please send questions or submissions to LGBTcouragecoalition@gmail.com
I'd love to hear more on the research of Dr. Sallie Baxendale relating to the elusive "transgender brain."
Thank you so much for writing this, would love to hear more. Really wanted to be there. I hope that there are autism professionals there that can help chart a path a developmentally appropriate path for those on the spectrum.