Dear Colleague,
Mairi McDonald and others have most helpfully raised an issue, concerning the
membership of GIRES' recently annnounced Medical Research Panel, about which
it is timely to engage in public debate.
Those of you who have not accessed the GIRES website to see for yourselves
the News Page to which Maire refers << http://www.gires.org.uk >>, may
find it helpful if I here quote the relevant item:
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Recruitment of a Medical Research Panel is nearing completion. This group
provides GIRES with expert medical and scientific guidance on the selection,
design, evaluation and summarisation of research as well as likely funding
sources. Most importantly, the establishment of such a group linked directly
to GIRES provides a valuable forum in which people affected by Gender
Identity and Intersex Issues can engage in a dialogue with those who whose
professional duty is to serve them. Furthermore, following such dialogue,
the Panel's endorsement of its conclusions should add greatly to their weight
when GIRES advances them in debates with policy makers at national and local
level. Professor Charles Brook, Dr Domenico Di Ceglie, Professor Max
Elstein, Professor Richard Green, Dr Russell Reid, Mr Michael Royle and Dr
Philip Wilson have kindly agreed to serve on the Panel. They provide a wide
range of expertise in Gender Identity and Intersex Issues and related ethical
considerations. GIRES intends to round out the capabilities of the Group
with the recruitment of specialists in paediatric urology and genetics. It
is important that GIRES is informed about the latest thinking in all the
medical and scientific fields that relate to its work.
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The members of the panel all have direct experience of medical practice in
the gender identity and intersex fields. In these fields, they are regarded
as authorities and provide expert evidence in legal cases, speak at
professional conferences and serve in senior capacities within a range of
prestigious organisations.
Whenever any group striving for its proper rights sees others who have the
power and influence to help or hinder its cause, it has the choice of trying
to bring them into its camp own or leaving them to remain neutral or even
side with others. Within the camp there can be dialogue that changes views,
establishes a consensus and agrees a united attack.
There is a large world outside the trans community that consists of people
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