Presentation of the European Manifesto

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The Franco-Belgian collective of childhood professionals (doctors, psychologists, teachers, academics) from the Little Mermaid Observatory, took the initiative of publishing a Manifesto in the press of several European countries, in order to to alert the general public to the need to have access to impartial information in the media and public institutions on "gender dysphoria" among minors (feeling or suffering that can be expressed by people whose identity gender does not correspond to their biological sex and some of whom wish to change gender by making a social and possibly medical transition at too early an age). 

By creating the Observatory of ideological discourses on children and adolescents (www.observatoirepetitesirene.org) and by publishing La fabrique de l'enfant-transgenre (Caroline Eliacheff, Céline Masson, ed. de l'Observatoire, 2022) and Gender Dysphoria (Jean-Pierre Lebrun, Charles Melman, ed. Eres, 2022), the Little Mermaid Observatory has been warning for a year and a half about the possible abuses of too rapid medicalization that could give rise to irreversible bodily changes, especially in adolescents with some of the psychopathological problems that it is imperative to treat with a non-affirmative approach. 

This European Manifesto is signed by many intellectuals and scientists from France, Belgium, Germany, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, including Elisabeth Badinter, René Frydman, Arnold Munnich, Ghada Hattem-Gantzer, Didier Sicard, Pierre-André Taguieff in France, Jean-Yves Hayez, Jean-Louis Renchon in Belgium,  Alexander Korte, Uwe Steinhoff, Aglaja Valentina Stirn in Germany, David Bell, Marcus and Sue Evans in England to name but a few .

This Manifesto can be signed by all citizens of Europe who call for the same caution while respecting the rights of transgender people.

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Presentation of the European Manifesto

The Franco-Belgian team of childhood professionals (doctors, psychologists, teachers, academics) of the Observatoire de la Petite Sirène has taken the initiative to publish in the media of several European countries a Manifesto aimed at warning the public at large of a need for impartial information both in the media and in the public institutions about gender dysphoria among teenagers (a feeling or a suffering which can be expressed by individuals whose gender identity does not match their biological sex and who sometimes wish to change their gender by going through a social transition and possibly a medical one too early in their life). 

By creating the Observatory and through publishing The Factory of the Transgender Child (Caroline Eliacheff, Céline Masson, Paris, Observatoire, 2022) and Gender Dysphoria (Jean-Pierre Lebrun, Charles Melman, Paris, Eres, 2021), the Little Mermaid Observatory has been warning for a year and a half against a drift leading to an overly rapid medical response which can lead to irreversible body alterations, in particular among teenagers showing, for some of them, psychopathological problems which should be dealt with through a non-affirmative approach.

This Manifesto has been signed by a large number of intellectuals and scientists in France, Germany, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, among them Elisabeth Badinter, René Frydman, Arnold Munnich, Ghada Hattem-Gantzer, Didier Sicard, Pierre-André Taguieff in France; Jean-Yves Hayez, Jean-Louis Renchon in Belgium; Alexander Korte, Uwe Steinhoff, Aglaja Valentina Stirn in Germany; David Bell, Marcus and Sue Evans in England, to cite but a few.

This Manifesto can be signed by all the European citizens who call for the same caution, while respecting the rights of transgender persons. 

 

English and french version 

A European manifesto for an objective approach to the “gender dysphoria” of minors in the media

A european manifesto for objectivity in the media about childhood “gender dysphoria” 

We, scientists, doctors and scholars of the humanities and social sciences, call on the public service media and the private media in France, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other European countries to faithfully present serious studies and scientifically established facts concerning the “gender dysphoria” of children in programs intended for a large audience. Regarding sexuality education, we call for respect for the rhythm of children and adolescents in the recommendations of schools and educational platforms. 

At present, too many programs and reports unequivocally convey the unfounded claims of transaffirmative activists, often without objectivity. Children and adolescents are exhibited on TV shows with their parents to show how beneficial gender change (euphemism to talk about sex) is, without anyone ever expressing the slightest reservation or giving the data. scientists relativizing the benefits of these transformations in the medium and long term, or the risks of treatments. Scientists who would be critical have no place, or even worse are insulted before any debate. These repetitive programs have an effect of indoctrination on young people and which social networks accentuate.

These media pressures without nuance from television programs, relayed by a certain written press, normalize and trivialize the ideology which claims that one could choose one's gender at any age, in the name of "self-determination", if one does not does not feel in agreement with the "sex assigned at birth". Gender change is often presented as a miracle solution to resolve adolescent disorders. With the effect of increasing the number of young people who self-diagnose “trans” when it is doubtful that they are when requests have multiplied by twenty-five in less than ten years. At the same time, a “sex education” is developing, from primary school onwards, which takes no account of the psychic immaturity of children by exposing them to intrusive and restrictive content.

This soothing vision forgets that these young people are going to enter a process of medicalization which is little talked about. 

Scientific rationality and objectivity are absent from these presentations. Medicalization is spreading as the number of young detransitioners continues to grow and these very bruised young people bearing physical scars from their transition testify to the lightness with which they have been treated by doctors, psychiatrists and other professions. health.

As scientists, childhood professionals and academics, we strongly oppose the assertion that women and men are merely social constructs or felt identities. 

You don't choose your sex and there are only two. We are born a girl or a boy. Sex is recorded at birth and registered in the civil status and everyone builds an identity that is never fixed and which evolves over time, which is too often forgotten. You can change the appearance of your body but never its chromosomal registration. It is urgent to break with speeches using a vocabulary created from scratch to impose itself on all, while it is based on beliefs and puts scientific truths and opinions on the same level. There is a risk of confusion among young people. 

We call on the directors of television and radio stations, but also the written press, to represent not only the diversity of points of view, but also the proven knowledge concerning “gender dysphoria” among minors. Currently, when professionals support psychological care that takes into account the psychic temporality of children and adolescents in pain, they are notoriously disqualified or absent from the debates.

In the interest of all and especially the youngest, we also ask public institutions to ensure the requirement of impartiality in the presentation and transmission of knowledge on such an important subject.

French version

We, scientists, doctors and academics of the humanities and social sciences, call upon the public service and private media of France, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and other European countries to faithfully represent serious studies and scientifically established data concerning “gender dysphoria” of children in programs intended for a large audience. Regarding sex education in schools and educational platforms, we call for the respect of the fact that children and adolescents are involved in a dynamic developmental process.

Currently, too many programs and reports univocally convey the unfounded claims of trans-affirmative activists, often without any objective assessment. Children and teenagers are displayed on TV together with their parents in order to support the unsubstantiated claim as to the benefits of sexual reassignment. This is completely unsupported by any scientific data, for there is none that could support such false claims. 

We are witnessing the promulgation of a new vocabulary that has been created specifically to serve the function of clothing opinion with spurious scientific credibility. This is causing considerable confusion to young people.

 

Those scientists who would be likely to have a more critical perspective are given no voice or, worse, are repudiated without any right of response. 

These unchallenged repetitive pressures from television programs and other media normalize and trivialize the ideology that claims that one could choose one's gender at any age, in the name of "self-determination", if one does not feel in agreement with the "sex assigned at birth”.They have an indoctrination effect on young people, constantly amplified through social networks 

Gender reassignment is often presented as a miracle solution to the problems of adolescence. This has resulted in an increased number of young people who self-identify as "trans", -  the number of requests has increased twenty-fivefold in less than ten years. At the same time, under the guise of tolerance, a "sexual education" is being developed in schools from primary school onwards, which in no way takes into account the psychological immaturity of children, exposing them to intrusive and confusing content that serves this ideological diary.

This overlooks the fact that these young people are about to enter a process of medical/surgical intervention that is rarely properly discussed, in order that its true implications can be evaded or hidden behind soothing language. 

Scientific rationality and objectivity are absent from these presentations. Medicalized “solutions” to these young people’s problems are growing rapidly whilst the number of young people detransitioning continues to grow. They have been seriously physically damaged by their ‘transition’, and they testify to the superficiality with which they have been treated by doctors, psychiatrists and other health professionals.

As scientists, childcare professionals and academics, we strongly disagree with the assertion that women and men are merely social constructs or perceived identities.  

We do not choose our sex. One is born a girl or a boy. One's sex is established at birth and registered and each person constructs an identity that is never fixed and that evolves over time, something which is too often ignored. One can change the appearance of one's body but never its chromosomal basis. 

We call on the directors of television and radio stations, as well as the written press, and other media to represent not only the diversity of points of view, but also real knowledge concerning gender dysphoria in children and young people. Professionals who support a model of psychological care that takes into account the psychic temporality of suffering children and adolescents must not be excluded or absent from the debate.

In the common interest of all, and particularly of the youngest, we also ask public institutions to ensure impartiality in the presentation and transmission of knowledge on such an important subject.

In the common interest, and especially in the interest of the youngest, we also ask the public institutions to be wary of the need for impartiality when discussing and conveying knowledge regarding such an important issue.

 

Contact: observatoirelapetitesirene@gmail.com

 

First signatures from France, Belgium, Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland 

 

France

Nicole Athéa, Gynecologist-endocrinologist, member of the management board of the Observatoire La Petite Sirène. She was a medical referent at CRIPS, the Regional Center for AIDS Information and Prevention.

Elisabeth Badinter, Philosopher, feminist. 

Martine Benoit, Germanist, University Professor, member of the "Literary Analysis and History of Language" laboratory at the University of Lille

Jacqueline Schaeffer, psychoanalyst, honorary member of the Psychoanalytical Society of Paris (SPP)

Marie Myriam Blondel, Deputy Head of School

Marie-Jo Bonnet, historian, writer, feminist

Rémi Brague, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne and at the Louis and Maximilian University of Munich, member of the Institut de France.

Jean-François Braunstein, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary Philosophy at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Anna Cognet, clinical psychologist, Temporary Teaching and Research Attaché at the University of Picardie Jules Verne, co-director of the Little Mermaid Observatory

Dominique Crestinu, Gynecologist-endocrinologist.

Daniel Dayan, sociologist of culture and media. Director of Research, National Center for Scientific Research.

Chantal Delsol, Philosopher, member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences

Gilles Denis, Lecturer-HDR, History and epistemology of life sciences, University of Lille

Bernard Devauchelle, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the Picardie Jules Verne University, Member of the Academy of Surgery, Corresponding Member of the Academy of Medicine.

Catherine Dolto, Doctor, haptotherapist, essayist

Xavier Emmanuelli, French doctor and politician, founder of the SAMU social de la ville de Paris.

Caroline Eliacheff, child psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, co-director of the Little Mermaid Observatory

François Farges, Gynecologist-Obstetrician, sonographer, Hôpital des Diaconesses, Paris

René Frydman, former Professor of Medicine specializing in gynecology-obstetrics, specialist in reproduction. 

Francis Galibert, Professor of Medicine, UMR 6290 CNRS/Faculty of Medicine, University of Rennes 1, member of the National Academy of Medicine

Bernard Golse, Child Psychiatrist-Psychoanalyst, Emeritus Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Paris-Cité University.

Claude Habib, Emeritus Professor of Literature at the Sorbonne Nouvelle.

Ghada Hatem-Gantzer, former head of the Saint-Denis maternity unit, created the Maison des Femmes in Saint-Denis in 2016. Doctor committed against violence against women, female circumcision in particular. 

Yana Grinshpun, Linguist, Lecturer at the Sorbonne Nouvelle

Claudine Junien, Emeritus Professor of Medical Genetics at the Faculty of Paris-Ouest, former director of Inserm unit U383, corresponding member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Jean-Marie Lacroix, University Professor, Resp. Genetics of Bacterial Envelopes group, UGSF UMR CNRS8576, Faculty of Science and Technology-University of Lille

Jean-Daniel Lalau, Professor of nutrition, head of the endocrinology-diabetology-nutrition department at the University Hospital of Amiens

Manuel Maidenberg, Pediatrician.

Céline Masson, Psychoanalyst, University Professor, member of the Center for the History of Societies, Sciences and Conflicts at the University of Picardie Jules Verne. Co-director of the Little Mermaid Observatory

Jean-François Mattéi, Doctor, former Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Genetics and Former Minister of Health from 2002 to 2004.

Isabelle de Mecquenem, philosopher, University of Reims Champagne Ardenne (URCA)

Olga Megalakaki, Professor in cognitive psychology, University of Picardie Jules Verne

Vannina Micheli-Rechtman, Psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, philosopher, President of Analytical Space

Jacques-Alain Miller, psychoanalyst, member of the School of the Freudian Cause, former president of the World Association of Psychoanalysis, former director of the department of psychoanalysis at the University of Paris 8.

Arnold Munnich, Professor of Genetics at the University of Paris V, Head of Department at the Necker Hospital - Children Sick, where he directs the INSERM U 781 Genetics Unit.

Israel Nisand, Professor of Obstetrics Gynecology, he was President of the National College of French Gynecologists-Obstetricians

Jean-Robert Pitte, Geographer, Permanent Secretary of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences

Véronique Quaglino, Professor of Neuropsychology, University of Picardie Jules Verne

Sylvie Quesemand Zucca, psychiatrist, member of the management board of the Little Mermaid Observatory

Gérard Rabinovitch, philosopher, sociologist, essayist.

François Rastier, linguist, Research Director at the CNRS.

Caroline Rey-Salmon, Hospital Pediatrician, forensic pathologist, she is coordinator of medico-legal emergencies at the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris (AP-HP).

Hélène Romano, doctor in psychopathology-habilitated to direct research, doctor in private law and criminal sciences.

Didier Sicard, Professor of Medicine, former President of the National Consultative Ethics Committee from 1999 to 2008.

Claire Squires, Psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, Emeritus lecturer at Paris-Cite University and director of research

Julien Taïeb, Professor of Medicine at the European Georges Pompidou Hospital.

Pierre André Taguieff, philosopher and historian of ideas, Research Director at the CNRS

Sonia Timsit Taïeb, psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, associate member of the Freudian Psychoanalysis Society.

Jean-Pierre Winter, psychoanalyst, essayist. President of the Freudian Cost movement.

Éric Zuliani, psychoanalyst, President of the School of the Freudian Cause

belgium

Marc Crommelinck, Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Louvain.

Sophie Dechêne, child psychiatrist, TCC, co-director of the Belgian branch of the Little Mermaid Observatory

Xavier de Muylder, Gynecologist, Doctor in Family and Sexuality Sciences, Teacher at the Catholic University of Louvain 

Diane Drory, psychologist, psychoanalyst

Jean Florence, psychoanalyst and professor emeritus at the Faculties St Louis, Brussels

Nadia Geerts, Lecturer in philosophy and morals at the Haute École Bruxelles-Brabant, secular activist

Jean Giot, Full Professor Emeritus, Department of French and Romance Languages and Literature, University of Namur, Belgium.

Jean-Yves Hayez, child psychiatrist, professor emeritus at the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University of Louvain

Beryl Koener, child psychiatrist, doctor of medical sciences (Institute of Neurosciences, UCL)

Joël Kotek, Professor of Political Science at the Free University of Brussels

Jean-Pierre Lebrun, child psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, co-director of the Belgian branch of the Little Mermaid Observatory

Patrick De Neuter, Professor Emeritus in psychopathology of the couple, family and sexuality at the University of Louvain

Jean-Louis Renchon, Emeritus Professor of Personal and Family Law at the Catholic University of Louvain and at the Saint-Louis University – Brussels 

Jean-Paul Roussaux, Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Louvain psychiatrist, honorary head of the psychiatry department of the University of Louvain. 

Germany

Teacher. Dr. Matthias Amen, Professor für Betriebswirtschaftslehre, Spenge

Teacher. Dr. Monika Barz, Soziale Ungleichheit und Geschlecht Frauen und lesbenpolitische Aktivistin, Bundesverdienstkreuz

Teacher. Dr. Claus Belka, Lehrstuhl fur Strahlentherapie und Radioonkologie der LMU, München

Teacher. Dr. Andreas Dräger, Forschungsgruppenleiter Systembiologie der Infektionskrankheiten, Tübingen

Dr. W. Edelmann, Facharzt für innere Medizin, Dresden

Martina Haardt, Speaker of the LGB Alliance Deutschland

Dr.Med. Manfred Hanke, Facharzt für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Psychotherapie, heidelberg

Christiane Härdel, Sozialmedizinerin, Vorständin

Dipl.-Psych. Stefanie Heinrich, Psychologische  i. R., Berlin

Dr. Michael Heuser, Arzt und Zahnarzt

Dr. Martin Hicke, Ministerialrat a. D., Facharzt für Allgemein- und Arbeitsmedizin, München

Reinhard Hoffmann, Facharzt für Kinder-und Jugendmedizin, Berlin

Teacher. Em. Dr. Vinzenz Hombach, Direktor der Klinik für Innere Medizin II, Universtiätsklinik, Ulm

Dr. Robert Hörr, Bretten

Rieke Hümpel, Diplom Freie Texterin und Journalistin, Berlin

Dr. Michael Hümpel, Lübeck

Teacher. Dr. Ilse Jacobsen, Tierärztin und Professorin für Mikrobielle ImmunologieanderFriedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena

Cornelia Kaminski, Oberstudienrätin Wigbertschule, Hünfeld

Birgit Kelle, Journalist and Buchautorin, Düsseldorf

Dr. Brigitte Kohn, München

Dr. Oliver Körnig, Facharzt für Allgemeinmedizin, Pritzwalk

Dr. Alexander Korte, Oberarzt an der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München

Dr. Margot D. Kreuzer, Fachärztin für Psychosomatische Medizin, Psychotherapie, Psychoanalysis, Traumapsychotherapie, Sexualtherapie, Rosenheim

Dr. Helmut Loch, Kinderarzt und Arzt für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie, Psychotherapie und Psychoanalyse, heidelberg

Teacher. Dr. Alexandra Manzei-Gorsky, Professor für Soziologie mit Schwerpunkt Gesundheitsforschung, Universität Augsburg, Augsburg

Teacher. Dr. Xenia Matschke, Professorin für Internationale Wirtschaftspolitik, Universität Trier, Trier

Teacher. Dr. Manfred Jürgen Matschke, Emeritus, University Greifswald, Greifswald

Teacher. MSc Johannes Maurek, MA  Bildungswissenschaftler, Institutsleiter, Plainfeld

Teacher. Dr. Georg Meyer, Poliklinik für Zahnerhaltung, Greifswald, Greifswald

Teacher. Dr. Axel Meyer, Evolutionsbiologe an der Universität Konstanz, Konstanz

Dr. Jantine Nierop, Theologin an der Universität Heidelberg, heidelberg

Dr. Em. Heinz-Herbert Noll, ladenburg

Dr.Med. Anaesthesist Heinz Palla, Berlin

Simone Prommer, Sozialpädagogin, Ravensberg

Dr.Rer. Nat. Stefan Rauschen, Diplom-Biologe, Jülich

Heidi Reiser, Sozialpädagogin DBT, Körperpsychotherapeutin

Dr. Christoph Ritzmann, Facharzt für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, 

Teacher. Dr. Habil. Roland Rollberg, Greifswald

Imogen Schäfer, Psychologische Psychotherapeutin, Berlin

Caroline Schenkenbach, Psychotherapeutin und Psychoanalytikerin, Heidelberg

Dr. Philipp Schult, Uniklinikum, Bonn

Gunda Schumann, Rechtsanwältin und Soziologin, Vorständin

Teacher. Dr. Uwe Steinhoff, Professor and Head of Department of Politics and Public Administration of the University, Hong Kong

Teacher. Dr. Margarete Tjaden-Steinhauer, Politikwissenschaftlerin, Kassel

Dr. G. Tschink-Enderlin, Berlin

Dr. Klaus Ueberreiter, Chefarzt und Leitung für Plastische Chirurgie anderPark-Klinik Birkenwerder, Birkenwerder

Teacher. Dr. Aglaja Valentina Stirn, Professorin für Psychosomatische Medizin und Sexualmedizin, Universität Kiel, Kiel

Montserrat Varela Navarro, Übersetzerin & Lektorat Spanisch/Katalanisch, 

Anna Weber, Vertretung für die Interessengemeinschaft Trans Teens Sorge Berechtigt Consultant, Köln

United Kingdom

David Bell, psychiatrist. He retired from his position as Consultant Psychiatrist at the Tavistock Clinic in London 2021, where he directed the Fitzjohn's Unit. Past President of the British Psychoanalytical Society.

Michael Biggs, Associate Professor of Sociology and Fellow of St Cross College, University of Oxford

Marcus Evans, psychoanalyst, member of the British Psychoanalytical Society. He worked in mental health services and as first a psychiatric nurse then adult psychotherapist in the NHS. Lead of the Adult and Adolescent Departments at the Tavistock & Portman Trustfor 5 years. 

Susan Evans, psychoanalytic psychotherapist. She worked or nearly 40 years in a variety of mental health services in the NHS, including the national gender identity service for children.

Sinead Helyar Nurse, UK

John Higgon, Clinical Neuropsychologist

Louise Irvine, MBChB, MSc, General Practitioner, London  

Tessa Katz, General Practitioner, U.K.

Antony Latham, Doctor, Chair of Scottish Council on Human Bioethics

Elaine Miller, Fellow of Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Juliet Singer, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Ex-governor at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust

Robert Withers, Jungian psychoanalyst and former senior lecturer in mind body medicine.  

Sweden 

Giedre Grigelioniene, Pediatrician and Clinical Geneticist, Associate Professor, Sweden

Sven Román, child and adolescent psychiatrist. 

norway

Marit Johanne Bruset, clinical psychologist, Western Norway

Anne Kalvig, Professor of religion, University of Stavanger, Norway

Avi Ring, (Retired) Chief Scientist, Professor Emeritus, Biophysics Molecular Neurophysiology, Norway.

Finland

Dr. Ali Ovissi, Senior Consultant in radiology at HUS-Kuvantaminen, Helsinki - Finland

Switzerland  

Pierre Conne, Dr med. MSc., Geneva

Bertrand Cramer, psychoanalyst, Honorary Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva

Jacques de Haller, family doctor, former President of the FMH

Daniel Halpérin, Pediatrician, former privat-docent at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Geneva

Laurent Jolissaint, PhD, astrophysicist, teaching the scientific methodology, University of Applied Science Western Switzerland 

Philippe Morel, physician, Formerly Chief Physician of the Department of Visceral Surgery at the University Hospitals of Geneva 

Irène Nigolian, Child psychiatrist and adult psychiatrist, Psychoanalyst, Trainer Member of the Swiss Society of Psychoanalysis, psychosomatician trained at IPSO Pierre Marty in Paris.

Charles Seller, Doctor, Geneva