A psychotherapist has raised concerns about encouraging children who are confused over their gender to transition.
Stella O'Malley spoke out in the recent Channel 4 documentary Trans Kids: It's Time to Talk, in which she questioned the experts who are championing transitioning as a suitable treatment for gender dysphoria.
The married mother-of-two revealed that she had struggled with her gender as a child and was 'absolutely certain' that she would have transitioned if she had been growing up in today's society.
But she is worried about the long-term and irreversible effects for people who start transitioning at a young age.
She said more research needs to be done into the effects of transitioning and that young people need to be made fully aware about the medical implications, including a lifelong dependency on medication.
'For me, that doesn't feel liberating at all,' she said.
O'Malley, who is based in Offaly, Ireland, also suggested that there should be more debate on the mental health aspects of gender dysphoria, including the possibility of future regret.
'What if they've got this wrong? What if everything I had was what they're feeling, because it certainly sounds very, very, very like it,' she questioned.
Asked why she was upset by this prospect, she replied: 'Because I think they're being led. I think they're lost and I think they're being led.'
O'Malley claimed that she had reached out to transgender charities, lobby groups and the NHS, but they had refused to be part of the documentary.
'It's right to ask legitimate questions about people who may regret transitioning, or the lack of research into the drugs to make sure we are not doing harms to kids,' she said.
'Fundamentally you can't help but think they don't like the fact that I exist. They don't like the fact that I had gender dysphoria, I was that kid and I have grown up to be this woman. On some level that is threatening as far as I can say.'
She adds: 'I never realised quite how hard it would be to make a film about transgender kids.
'I feel it is so important as a society that we can have a real conversation about the best way to support kids like I was who are confused about their gender.'
