PATHWAYS Research in the UK

Host: Bette (she/they), and Ez (he/him)

This week Bette (she/they) and Ez (he/him) pull apart the tangled mess that is the UK’s PATHWAYS (Puberty suppression And Transitional Healthcare With Adaptive Youth Services) program, a group of five studies apparently intended to help young people, parents, carers, and health professionals “make informed choices about the care and support options that are most likely to be helpful”. But could that really be the intention of an aggressive, prolonged interrogation of young people that asks them if anyone has fondled their genitals lately and equates reductions in gender dysphoria with curing transness?

CW for institutionalised transphobia at its worst. Please skip this one if you struggle with stories of children suffering.

For Queensland listeners, the PATHWAYS trial is the RCT that our government is waiting on before it will consider offering hormone treatments to young people through the public system again.

🔗 If you'd like to listen back to the unedited episode - with the music - head to our On Demand website. And don't forget to follow our socials at Facebook and Instagram.

Timestamps and Links:

• 00:00 - Content Warning: Institutionalised Transphobia
• 00:18 - Acknowledgement of Country
• 00:36 - Welcome to Tranzmission
• 01:38 - Community News and Events - Links in Notes
• 07:00 - PATHWAYS: What is it? - Dr Cal Horton and their writing
• 11:14 - PATHWAYS: Voices - Emily Simonoff and Michael Absoud
• 17:22 - WPATH, EPATH, and USPATH Statement
• 22:28 - PATHWAYS: KIDSCREEN-10 Index
• 25:12 - PATHWAYS: Secondary Outcome Measures - UGDS-GS, Romantic Relations ALSPAC, CBCL/6-18, ASQ, RCADS, BIS-GS, and PAGES-P
• 41:28 - PATHWAYS: Tim Nicholls Statement
• 42:14 - PATHWAYS: Inbuilt Bias and RCT Disadvantages
• 45:38 - Dr Cal Horton: Qualitative Research
• 57:30 - GET INVOLVED - Links in Notes
• 59:22 - Parents: Converstions

Community News and Events Links:

• Scene Magazine: New research shows trans women have NO athletic advantage over cisgender women by Graham Robson
• Good Law Project: New data shows surge in trans kids’ suicides following healthcare rollbacks
• Them: Exclusive: Lilly Wachowski Joins Geena Rocero’s Sci-Fi Thriller Dolls as Executive Producer by Quispe López
• Them: Australian Metal Singer Josie Scott Comes Out as Trans: “Liberating to Finally Live as Myself” by Samantha Riedel
• Attitude: Paris Hilton sends epic message of support to trans people: ‘Keep shining, slaying, sliving – you’re beautiful’ (EXCLUSIVE) by Jamie Tabberer
• pinkNOISE Valentines @The Cave Inn Sat, 14 Feb, 2026 - 6-10pm AEST

Further Reading Links

• EPATH, WPATH, and US PATH joint statement
• Dr Simona Giordano testifies
• Council of Europe expert committee say puberty blocker trial may violate rights of the patient
• Kings College PATHWAYS page
• PATHWAYS trial protocol
• Emily Simonoff explains why she thinks PATHWAYS trial is necessary
• Cal Horton: Questioning trans kids, Why I won’t be engaging with the UK’s puberty blocker study, and “The worst thing I’ve ever experienced” - comparing experiences of affirmative and non-affirmative healthcare provision for trans adolescents in the UK

Support Services

• QLife - 1800 184 527
• QC LGBT Mental Health Services
• Open Doors Youth Services Inc.
• LifeLine - 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636
• How to Support Transgender & Gender-questioning Youth
• Transgender Map

Get Involved

• Trans Justice Project
• Meanjin Peoples Pride
• Parents of Trans Kids Speak Out
• Protect Trans Kids QLD

4ZZZ's community lives and creates on Turrbal, Yuggera, and Jagera land. Sovereignty was never ceded.

Produced and recorded by Bette and Ez at 4zzz in Fortitude Valley, Meanjin/Brisbane Australia on Turrabul and Jaggera Country and audio and cover image edited by Tobi for podcast distribution for Creative Broadcasters Limited.