Methodologically Robust

Hosts: Ez (he/him) and Bette (she/her) w/ Special Guest Dr Stuart Aitken (he/him)

This week on Tranzmission, Ez and Bette speak with specialist sexual health physician Dr Stuart Aitken, one of Queensland’s most experienced clinicians in gender‑affirming care. Stuart reflects on the origins of the Queensland Children’s Gender Service, how the first multidisciplinary gender clinic for trans youth was built, and what it took to shift a health system that had never been designed with trans young people in mind.

Stuart also discusses current research connected to the establishment of the gender clinic, including work from psychologist Olivia Donaghy’s PhD — a series of four studies developed alongside the clinic’s creation GeMS: Gender Mapping Study 2017–2021. Bette & Stuart explore how this research fits into the broader evidence base and why it matters for young people and families seeking care.

It’s a thoughtful, in‑depth discussion with one of the country's leading clinicians who helped shape the landscape of trans health in Queensland, and a look at what comes next for young people, families and the community.

🔗 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 - Acknowledgement of Country
• 00:20 - Welcome to Tranzmission: Where Trans Voices Are Welcome
• 02:01 - T.I.T. Together In Transition - There's Prizes!
• 03:24 - Community News and Events
• 08:29 - Dr Stuart Aitken: Introduction
• 11:12 - Dr Stuart Aitken: Origins of the Gender Clinic & Early Landscape
• 15:51 - Clinician Pathways: AusPath, Gender Affirming Network, GP's Down Under, and Other Local and Supportive Clinicians
• 17:40 - Dr Stuart Aitken: Career Journey, Motivation & Personal Commitment
• 21:45 - Dr Stuart Aitken: Ministerial Consent, Puberty Blockers, and Barriers to Care
• 30:59 - Research w/ Bette: 'Screening adolescent transgender-related distress: Gender preoccupation and stability questionnaire demonstrates excellent criterion validity with multi-disciplinary, pediatric gender specialist assessment' - Donaghy, Cobham, Lin (2024) and ARCTYC
• 49:47 - Dr Stuart Aitken and Olivia Donaghy's Partnership
• 52:44 - Dr Stuart Aitken: Activism, Advocacy, & the Future of Gender‑Affirming Care - 'Fostering Gender-IQ: Barriers and Enablers to Gender-affirming Behavior Amongst an Australian General Practitioner Cohort' - Franks, Nia et al. (2024)

Clinics Mentioned in Podcast

• Gender Health Australia
• Gladstone Road Medical Centre
• Stonewall Medical Centre and Sexual Health Clinic
• Holdsworth House Medical Brisbane Closure and future Stonewall Medical Centre in Windsor

Community News and Events Links

News:

• Star Observer: Amnesty Removes Anti-Rights Report After Backlash From JK Rowling And Gender-Critical Groups by Patrick Lenton
• Q News: {Hopes for new Tasmanian ban on conversion practices}(