Brown University and PLoS ONE: Defend academic freedom and scientific inquiry

The publishing process allows for "letters to the editor", which is healthy. PLOS ONE is following a completely unacceptable path here.

Stop the censorship of research contrary to the ideological narrative of transgenderism.

it is not okay to stifle academic research

At last - it is not moral to put a child on hormone treatment and suggest top surgery after meeting him twice - without having made sure that child has been treated for co-existing issues. This at two Ivy institutions. There is a lack of Standard of Care and it is unethical.

No topic of investigation is ever, ever off-limits to informal questioning or to serious, rationally designed and correctly carried out research. No scientific conclusion, if arrived at by rational interpretation of experimental results supported by statistical results, is ever off-limits.

I believe ROGD is a new phenomenon. I have personal experience. I have looked at all the research available to help me understand transsexual diagnosis. The literaure of the past does not include this new uptake of trans identifying teens. It does not fit with expert opinion. This is why it is a new phenomen and why it needs to be recognised. It could be given a different name but that won’t change the surge in young people suddenly identifying as trans. If social media tells kids that if you have xyz then you’re trans, vulnerable kids will readily accept this as often they feel an outsider and want to belong somewhere. Listen to the parents. The parents know their child. The reason activists are shutting this down needs to be questioned. Do you really think they deserve to be heard over caring parents? Why are you giving the activists authority over kids they do not know? Are you saying the activists know these kids? Listen to the people who are giving first hand information. Lisa has and she is now being hounded for presenting a new perspective. Why can you not let this new perspective have credence? Even if it is wrong, why are you not giving this perspective merit? The truth is we do not know why this surge is happening. However, the testimonials of parents is surely a good way to start a discussion. Why would you stop this discussion from taking place. All theories need to be explored. Stop hindering academic enquiry.

Pressure from groups with an agenda should never be able to shut down and stifle debate and research.

Another Dean grovels.

It is disgusting that a legitimate peer-reviewed study should be treated in this fashion. Welcome to your fascist future, fully supported by Brown University. Feh!

I support this valuable, important and unbiased work.

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ROGD seems to be spreading like a vicious virus and no child needs dangerous hormones or surgeries to permanently make them sterile and sexually dysfunctional. More studies are needed and are important in understanding why ROGD has become such a contagion.

This is an interesting and important precedent ! We don't need qualitative studies to identify areas that warrant further research because a group of people already know the answer - which will indeed save a lot of $$ previously thrown into research of any kind. Thus Brown has identified a whole swath of academic majors that are, frankly, unnecessary; textbooks that delve into more than opinion and scientific studies are truly passe. Corporations can now proceed without the troublesome expense of researching their product to prove efficacy and safety - they already KNOW the answer; what an amazing cost savings for all ! Kudos to Brown - this'll be such a wonderful boon to the economy and society.

I'm a 44yo trans man who transitioned 11 years ago. I experienced dysphoria from a preschool age and was met with little surprise by my family when I finally came out. Some of us know all our lives, some can't grasp and admit what's going on until later in life. But the concept of "rapid onset" GID is scary to me and I have no doubt that many of those cases are due to other issues. We should be allowed to transition as needed, but it is an issue that requires guidance and thoughtful care, as well as time, if you want to avoid the possibility of making a terrible, lifelong mistake. And good research should never be hidden because somebody might get hurt feelings.

As a parent I am deeply concerned about this issue. Self harm and mental illness in the young is at epidemic levels. The rise in ROGD needs urgent further study. Not suppression of unfashionable research.

I am a parent of a recent Brown graduate. Regardless of the results of this study, Brown's failure to support its own researcher in the face of the howling mob is shameful. It not only reflects poorly on Brown, it diminishes the value and reputation of the degree my daughter recently received.

More research is needed not less. Studies should not be shouted down, if you think some results are not valid, go prove it.

To limit research & publication of results in science to what is deemed "comfortable" and acceptable is to limit science and human growth and understanding. If this becomes standard, science and progress will be held on a tight leash by whatever is deemed "acceptable" at the time.

I'm dismayed to see this reaction, ROGD is a very serious issue which requires research which will be judged by the usual standards of social science research methods. Attempts to shut down such research conducted in good faith by a reputable researcher are absolute totalitarianism.

Academic research should only be criticised or withdrawn if it is flawed or ill defined, not on the basis of pressure from biased interest groups. Academic research must resist these pressures or we will all get the poorer. I call on Brown University to retract their ill considered actions