Insight from Dr Helen Webberley

My child just told me they're trans: what now? When your child tells you they are trans, the most important thing you can offer is belief and love. Families who accept their trans children early see a transformation: a struggling child becomes a…

Talking to your doctor about trans care You do not have to come out to your doctor to get good care. You can describe your symptoms, your body, and what you need in plain terms, without labels or a prepared speech. What matters is that…

Parenting a trans child: what parents really go through Parenting a trans child means navigating feelings that nobody prepared you for: grief for the child you thought you knew, fear about their safety, and uncertainty about how to get it right. Those…

Labour's anti-trans policy package: what it means for you Labour has pursued a systematic set of anti-trans policies since taking office, including school guidance restricting trans young people's social transition, continued healthcare access limits for…

Menopause after transition when HRT isn't working When HRT delivery methods fail after gender-affirming transition, the approach is the same as for any menopausal person: try a different route, a different hormone, a different dose. Trans men and…

Finding your authentic identity after years of performing Authentic identity is who you are when you stop performing for other people's expectations. After years of living inside roles you did not choose, finding it means learning to tell the difference…

Trans rights wins: legal progress around the world Trans rights are advancing through courts and legislatures around the world, even as political resistance intensifies in some places. Bulgaria's Supreme Court has ruled in favour of legal gender…

HRT and health monitoring: what trans women need to know HRT for trans women involves oestrogen and usually an anti-androgen, and it is safe when properly monitored. The checks that matter most go beyond hormone levels: blood pressure, haematocrit, liver…

Trans healthcare has no before or after, only a gap Trans healthcare systems are built around the intervention itself, with almost nothing structured before it or after it. Pre-care, the period when someone is preparing for hormones, surgery, or other…

Can a brain scan prove that you're trans? No medical test can prove that someone is trans. Brain scans, chromosomes, hormones, and blood tests tell you nothing reliable about gender identity. The clinical definition is straightforward: if…

Why is the NHS failing trans people, and how can it do better? The NHS is failing trans people because gender-affirming care was classified as highly specialised medicine when fewer than 500 people a year sought it. Since 2010, demand has grown enormously, but…

HRT and heart conditions: what trans people need to know HRT is not automatically ruled out for trans people with heart conditions or atrial fibrillation. Cardiovascular risk is assessed individually, taking into account the type of heart condition, the…