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

Ugh!!

Universities should be encouraging debate and research and the exchange of ideas, no suppressing them.

It is wrong to suppress this study. Social contagion exists as a phenomenon and vulnerable young people are putting themselves in harms way with drugs and surgeries- this should not be taken lightly. Thorough examination of all the facts around transgenderism is not bigotry.

Please let parents be heard. Their observat ions are vital to the treatment of their children, older adolescents and young adults. I participated in the study. It is real and is relevant.

The opposition to this reminds me of what early scientists went through when their findings countered the teachings of the church.

I am a parent in this situation with my child and our situation also confirms all the research that Dr. Littman did with ROGD.

Not a parent of a troubled teen, but the science here is good and well done. It should be supported

We need to search for the truth whether we like the outcomes or not.

Science should not be censored.

Johns Hopkins resumed sex change surgery after 38 year hiatus It stopped because suicide rate, high for transgenders, actually increased after the surgery

It is appalling that a university would apologize for research done by it's professors because the outcome displeased some people. This obscurantism and heresy hunting is the reason why so many of us who deeply value education believe that so much of the educational establishment has passed its time.

Academic freedom should not be suppressed by pressure groups

Please register my support for Dr. Littman and her study on rapid onset gender dysphoria. She deserves the support of Brown University and PLOS ONE.

What has happened to free speech and seeing actual statistics?

We are in serious need of this study.

Like others here our family has been going through this experience for the past two years with our now 17-year old "daighter" who gave and gives no/little sign of gender dysphoria until the focus on social media. If she has genuine gender dysphoria, we will go through the transition with her and love our child regardless. But as someone who has a combination of anxiety disorder and bipolarism, we have to go smart less we push her in directions that are not ones she would make absent social interaction. As I have read your study, you are in now way concluding the social component makes the recent spike in reports invalid. It may merely be providing safe space for sufferers to come forward. But to discount social influence is also to assume only biological links in these self-report cases. You suggest more research, which is wise. As a fellow-PhD but in a different field, I know step one in doing serious research is merely framing the issue and proposing areas for advance study. In so doing, you stand in the long tradition of scholars and scientists. The fact this study is at all controversial is mind-boggling and shows either that people didn't read the research or are following the well-work paths of allowing ideology to stifle genuine scientific research. When that happen, neither the ideology or science benefit long term. I want to see more study so we can better understand the phenomena and better serve our children. Regardless of what it shows, more information is always better. I hope Brown University and tr journal stand by your pursuit of scientific knowledge.

Stop the PC klan

Please allow this important research to be made available.

Research and education needs to form rights and responsibilities.

Academic institutions are supposed to be a place for learning, sharing ideas, discussion, honest research, etc. This constant caving to the mob and ideological agendas is dumbing down a generation that will have severe consequences. Please defend academic freedom!