Why does it help to have both doctors and real people in these conversations?

Because the medical side only tells half the story. When someone like Shivone speaks about what it actually feels like to navigate gender identity, it grounds everything I say in reality. Clinical knowledge matters, but so does hearing from the people living it. That combination is what makes these discussions honest. Does hearing from someone who has been through it change how you think about this topic?

What did you and Dr Hilary actually talk about in the studio?

We talked about gender-affirming care in a way that felt measured and real, not sensationalised. The conversation was about what this kind of healthcare looks like in practice, why it matters, and how it supports people. Shivone's presence kept it anchored in lived experience rather than abstract debate. If you watch it, you'll hear all three perspectives together. What part of gender-affirming care do you find hardest to understand right now?

Helen Webberley and Dr Hilary Jones on gender identity

Substack 20 December 2025

Studio conversation with Dr Hilary Jones on gender identity

I recently sat down with Dr Hilary Jones in a filmed studio interview, joined by Shivone, a trans woman sharing her own lived experience. These conversations matter because they bring together medical perspective, professional dialogue, and the voices of those navigating gender identity in real life, and that combination is something I rarely get to do in quite this way.

I recently took part in a studio interview with Dr Hilary Jones, alongside Shivone, a trans woman sharing her own lived experience. These conversations matter because they bring together medical perspective, professional dialogue, and the voices of those navigating gender identity in real life.

Speaking with Dr Hilary offered an opportunity to discuss gender-affirming care in a thoughtful, grounded way. Having Shivone present added essential context: the human reality behind the clinical framework, the questions people actually ask, and the support they need.

If you'd like to watch the full interview and hear directly from all three of us, the piece is available to view in full on this site.

In response to: Dr Webberley and a conversation with Dr Hilary Jones (Substack)