New Zealand bans puberty blockers for trans youth...

[Jessica_Rose ✅]

New Zealand bans puberty blockers for trans youth as far-right party claims victory in "war on woke"

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/11/new-zealand-bans-puberty-blockers-for-trans-youth/ 🔗

Greg Owen (23 Nov 2025)

A far-right party in New Zealand that is hostile to trans rights preempted a government announcement on Wednesday that the country will indefinitely ban the use of puberty blockers by trans youth.

The New Zealand First party, a minority member of Parliament's coalition government, made the announcement three hours ahead of the government's own health ministry, declaring a victory in its "war on woke," Erin in the Morning reports.

The preemptive declaration was one more indication of the politicization of healthcare for trans youth in New Zealand and around the world, and a clue to the party's intimate involvement in crafting the government's policy. The change adds New Zealand to a growing list of countries and U.S. states banning gender-affirming care for trans youth.   

While the policy announcement didn't mention the widely criticized Cass Report, the controversial document claiming a lack of evidence supporting gender-affirming care for young people that was released in the UK last year, it's the basis of the UK's own indefinite ban on puberty blockers, which New Zealand is following.

Both countries say they'll wait for the results of a UK government-sponsored clinical trial on the efficacy of puberty blockers for trans youth before making a final determination on their use. The prohibition won't affect trans kids currently taking the drugs.

[Jillian-TG]

I don't understand why conservatives see puberty blockers as a problem because it's simply DELAYING things until the youth is old enough to make an informed decision. Worst case scenario they grow up, change their mind and they stop the meds for puberty to start and let nature take its course. The debate of surgery for minors is being contaminated with puberty blockers. They are very different topics. Sigh.

[Lori Dee ✅]

I don't understand why conservatives see puberty blockers as a problem because it's simply DELAYING things until the youth is old enough to make an informed decision. Worst case scenario they grow up, change their mind and they stop the meds for puberty to start and let nature take its course. The debate of surgery for minors is being contaminated with puberty blockers. They are very different topics. Sigh.

Absolutely right, Jillian.

Their logic makes no sense. They don't want "men" in women's sports because testosterone makes them "dangerous". But they also won't allow them to take medication to block testosterone production.

It has nothing to do with health and welfare and has everything to do with power and control.

[Iztaccihuatl]

They want to lock in people in their gender assigned at birth as early as possible to make a transition as difficult as possible in the hopes that some folks won't pursue that path once puberty has set in. From that viewpoint their cruel aversion of puberty blockers makes sense. Plus, cruelty seems to be the point with modern conservatives.