On 23 September it was reported that a psychotherapist had a university research proposal approved and then turned down with the claim that it ‘would be politically incorrect’ to publish results concerning people reversing their ‘gender reassignment operations’.
James Caspian, a psychotherapist who has worked with transgender and transsexual people for over ten years, wanted to conduct research for a Master’s degree in counselling and psychotherapy at Bath Spa University. His research proposal was influenced by a conversation with Dr Miro Djordjevic of the Belgrade Centre for Genital Reconstructive Surgery who in 2014 conducted an unprecedented seven reversals at his clinic.
Bath Spa initially agreed to fund the research on those who were de-transitioning, but then told Caspian that he needed to resubmit his proposal to the ethics committee of the university for perusal.
Care vs capitulation
In a letter to Caspian, Bath Spa said they may receive criticism of the research on social media. ‘Engaging in a potentially politically incorrect piece of research carries a risk to the university’, it said. Caspian explained that research in this area is tricky to undertake for several reasons. Studies are often picked up by those opposed to trans-gender issues and who wish to cause hurt. This makes people very wary of engaging with research, as they fear the political undercurrents. He believed this research was necessary to really help the people with whom he works.
Current research is also very out of date as the field of study has changed dramatically in the last few years. Anecdotal evidence shows there is a disproportionate group of young women who are de-transitioning a short while after having surgery. Many are too traumatised to talk. He found a group of young US women who have not had corrective surgery, but are living as women again. A study within the last ten years, found that 20% of people regretted their operation.
Caspian engaged in some online crowd funding to raise the money to cover his legal fees as he engaged a barrister to undertake a judicial review of the situation. Caspian felt that university exists to encourage discussion, research, dissent and the challenging of out of date ideas.
