Dr Jillian Spencer at Parliament House, Hobart 27.11.25

Dr Jillian Spencer’s presentation at the forum “Gender Youth Distress: Pathways to Holistic Care”, hosted at the Parliament Reception Room in Hobart, Tasmania.

Dr Jillian Spencer, a child and adolescent psychiatrist whose courage and integrity have made her a central figure in the national debate on gender medicine in Australia.

Dr Spencer was stood down in April 2023 from the Queensland Children’s Hospital simply for expressing the view—supported by evidence—that children should not automatically be affirmed in identities that may not reflect long-term reality. She has since lodged a Human Rights Commission complaint arguing that her employer discriminated against her by compelling her to affirm gender identities in breach of her political belief that sex cannot be changed. Her case is expected to be heard in mid-2026.

Her talk was one of the most moving moments of the afternoon. She spoke candidly about the professional risks, the institutional pressures, and the hostile climate clinicians face when they attempt to uphold evidence-based standards of care.

Key Quotes from Dr Spencer

“A powerful, well-funded political lobby is driving these interventions. Stopping the harm now requires decisive political action.”

“In my opinion, state-sanctioned harm to children has a stench that will permanently attach to any politician who supported gender clinics.”

“I encourage politicians to get it on the record—now—that they do not support the transitioning of children.”

Dr Spencer’s testimony offered a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the reality faced by clinicians who try to raise concerns from within the system—making her contribution both sobering and critically important.