Te Pāti Māori condemns the Government’s decision to halt new prescriptions of puberty blockers for young people with gender dysphoria. This is state-sanctioned harm against some of the most vulnerable rangatahi in Aotearoa.

“Gender- affirming healthcare saves lives. Health experts have been clear that puberty blockers, prescribed carefully and in line with clinical guidelines, are a safe and reversible part of gender-affirming care. Cutting off access will increase distress, depression, anxiety, and suicidality for trans and gender diverse young people and their whānau” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

“At a time when our rangatahi are already facing a mental health crisis, this Government has chosen to take away an essential tool that helps our young people survive. That is cruel, not “precautionary”.

“For months, health professionals and community organisations have been calling on the Government to release updated gender-affirming care guidelines developed by experts, including PATHA, and signed by hundreds of clinicians and organisations. Instead of listening to evidence and expertise, the Government has chosen to play imported culture-war politics with our kids’ lives” said Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader, Rawiri Waititi.

Te Pāti Māori stands with trans, takatāpui and rainbow communities, with health professionals, and with every whānau who will be hurt by this decision. We call on the Government to:

1. Immediately reverse the ban on new puberty blocker prescriptions for gender-affirming care, and

2. Direct Te Whatu Ora to publish the updated gender-affirming healthcare guidelines without further political interference.

“Our mokopuna deserve healthcare based on evidence, clinical expertise and manaakitanga - not ideology. Te Pāti Māori will fight this ban in Parliament, in our communities, and alongside those directly affected until it is overturned” concluded Ngarewa-Packer.

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