Pride Therapy Network of Montreal

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, members of The Pride Therapy Network of Montreal are offering remote therapy sessions (online and phone) using secure platforms such as Doxy.me, Vsee, WebEx and Secure Video. All practitioners on our team have sliding scales. If you're interested in seeking support, you can learn more about our team members here: https://pridetherapynetworkmontreal.com/directory/

Know someone in Ontario that might have something to say about PrEP? https://primpstudy.weebly.com/prep-interview-series.html

The JBSCE Subcommittee on Queer People is aware of the event with Dr Zucker happening tomorrow. We believe the way the event was publicized as initially neutral... and informative should have been more transparent to allow a safer and more informed choice to participate. We have sent a letter to the organizers (see below) and we are planning to hold a positive space for trans and non binary students, staff and faculty (and their allies), who would feel the need to gather and be together in solidarity. The location will be in Wendy Patrick Room in Wilson Hall, from 3 to 5pm. Snacks, tea and hot chocolate will be provided. Our number one priority is to provide a safe space for trans and non binary folks who might have been hurt by this event happening. We see you and we love you. In Solidarity, The Co-Chairs of the Subcommittee on Queer People ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Letter to the organizers: To Drs. Choudhury, Kirmayer and Veissière, organizers of the conference ‘Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria’, to be held on January 23rd, by the Culture, Mind and Brain Program (Division of Social & Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University), We, the JBSCE Subcommittee on Queer People, are writing you to express our concerns regarding this event involving the speaker Dr. Kenneth Zucker. Dr. Zucker’s therapeutic approach (also described as ‘corrective approach’ by Pyne in 2014) has been criticized in the past, deemed unfounded and harmful to some trans and non-binary youth. His theoretical and clinical approach seeks to minimise the change of youth growing up as trans. In 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement recommending gender-affirmation as best practice for transgender youth, rather than watchful-waiting, redirection or reparative therapy as the latter three strategies have negative psychological and social consequences. As the Subcommittee representing 2SLGBTQIA+ students, staff and faculty here at McGill, protecting trans and non-binary youth and allowing these youth to live and express themselves as they want and whenever they want is of utmost importance for us. We are particularly worried to see this event presented as a neutral discussion on the matter, when it is in fact filtered through a cisnormative lens that views trans lives as less desirable. It is also using a non-politicized biomedical paradigm that evaluates outcomes through a too narrow lens of physical health. The safety and wellbeing of trans and non-binary youth are non negotiable and we find it harmful to reopen this fraught debate. We have received numerous emails and calls from intensely worried individuals and organizations at, and outside McGill University. We are appreciative that the Department of Psychiatry is interested in bringing transgender issues to a large audience. However, care must be taken when doing so, both out of concern for trans well-being and out of respect for the work of clinicians and scientists in trans health who have demonstrated the clear benefits of affirmative approaches. We also hope that multiple diverse perspectives will be presented on this issue. Academic freedom, while of paramount importance, should not be used to the detriment of academic responsibility. We therefore ask you to listen to the community’s concerns and cancel this event. Sincerely, The Members of the McGill JBSCE Subcommittee on Queer People ------------- References 1) World Professional Association for Transgender Health. WPATH Position on Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria (ROGD) (2018). Retrieved From https://www.wpath.org//WPATH%20Position%20on%20Rapid-Onset; 2) Ashley, Florence (2018). There Is No Evidence That Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria Exists. Retrieved from https://psychcentral.com//there-is-no-evidence-that-rapid/ ; 3) Javellana Restar, Arjee (2019). Methodological Critique of Littman’s (2018) Parental-Respondents Accounts of Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-019-1453-2. 4) Australian and New Zealand Professional Association for Transgender Health (2018). Australian Standards of Care and Treatment Guidelines For trans and gender diverse children and adolescents. Retrieved from https://www.rch.org.au//australian-standards-of-care-and-t ; 5) Pediatric Endocrine Society Interest Group position (2017). Statement on gender-affirmative approach to care from the pediatric endocrine society special interest group on transgender health. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0000000000000516.

There is a problematic talk on gender identity by Kenneth Zucker being held at McGill, found here: https://www.mcgill.ca/culture-mind-brain/seminars The Pride Therapy Network of Montreal has sent the following statement to the event organizers: The Pride Therapy Network of Montreal is a community-based organization of mental health professionals who all trained and committed to providing culturally informed, accessible, and affirmative services to members of sexually and gen...Continue reading