This story contains reference to suicide
Advocates for transgender equality have accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of spreading "alarmist views" and "misinformation" following comments he made about gender-affirming surgery.
In a joint statement, Equality Australia, Transcend Australia, and the Australian Professional Association for Trans Health (AusPath) expressed disappointment at Mr Morrison's comments in which he described “gender reversal surgery for young adolescents” as a "troubling issue", and invited the prime minister to "meet with trans and gender diverse people to educate himself about the challenges they face".
“This is a concerning issue, it is a troubling issue and for us to pretend that it's a minor procedure — it’s not,” Mr Morrison told reporters on Tuesday, when pressed about handpicked Liberal candidate for describing transgender children as "surgically mutilated" and "sterilised".
“What we are talking about here is gender reversal surgery for young adolescents and we can’t pretend this is not a very significant, serious issue. It is, it's complicated," he said.
Mr Morrison was then challenged by journalists who said gender affirmation surgery was only available to adults and not children, as he seemed to initially imply.
International guidelines accepted in Australia require that a person must be over 18 and able to make a fully informed decision and give consent to undergo the surgery.
Jeremy Wiggins, executive officer of Transcend Australia, said it was “deeply concerning to see the prime minister spreading these alarmist views when the reality is that young transgender people struggle to access the care that they need, when they need it".
“These are personal decisions about healthcare that should be left to young people and the doctors and parents that support them, rather than debated by politicians in the middle of a federal election campaign," Mr Wiggins said.
“The real key issues impacting trans young people and their families include the lack of appropriately funded health and support services, and the high rates of harassment and abuse, which are actually driving poor mental health rates for our community, resulting in higher rates of self-harm and suicidality.
“If the Morrison government is serious about reducing suicide, then these debates need to be held sensitively with key experts including transgender people and their families. We invite the prime minister to meet with us, to better understand the challenges we face.”
'This needs to stop'
AusPATH president Fiona Bisshop said "decisions about medical care should be made between the patient and their treating team, rather than being the subject of political debate".
“Genital surgery is only performed on adults. In rare cases, older trans teenage boys undergo surgery on their upper bodies. These treatments help young people to be able to leave the house, go to school and live their lives rather than stay at home crippled by anxiety and dysphoria. The difficulties experienced by trans young people are made all the worse by politicians with no expertise attacking their care. This needs to stop," Dr Bisshop said.
Transgender advocate Chris McAllister told SBS News that "there's already a struggle to get gender-affirming care ... So when you hear words like mutilation used by someone who's running for government, it doesn't bode well for the future", referring to Ms Deves' now-deleted social media posts in which she described transgender children as "surgically mutilated and sterilised".
While Ms Deves apologised for the posts in mid April, on Monday she walked back her apology in an interview with Sky News, arguing that the description was the “correct terminology”.
Since then the prime minister has stood by Ms Deves saying it's a "complicated" matter.
Mr Morrison said the issues needed to be discussed “sensitively” and that these processes began when issues of gender were being discussed by adolescents.
“The only thing that matters here is their welfare and the choices that they're seeking to make and understanding the serious consequences of those changes,” he said.
“Ensuring that they have the right support and that their families have the right support so they can work through these difficult issues.”
But Chris McAllister labelled the prime minister's comments as "misinformation".
"There's no gender affirming surgery for under-18-year-olds in Australia, so even bringing that up as a point is complete nonsense. And it's misinformation," they said.
On Monday, Ms Deves said in an interview with Sky News said that her description of transgender people as “surgically mutilated and sterilised” was accurate.
"When you look at medical negligence cases, that is the terminology that they use. It is also contained in the Crimes Act of NSW," she said.
"I'm apologising for how people might have perceived it and the fact that it is confronting and it is ugly, and I certainly don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but that is the correct terminology."
Asked directly about these comments on Tuesday, Mr Morrison said: “That's not a phrase I would use that I would use and in a phrase any prime minister would use.”
Mr Morrison said he intended to speak with Ms Deves but would not go into the detail of what he intended to say.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he didn't believe Ms Deves's comments were "appropriate" and called for "vulnerable people" to be "respected".
“What we need to look for from our national political leaders is ways to unify the country and bring people together - not play politics in order to divide people,” he told reporters.
LGBTIQ+ groups have said the debate around transgender issues in the election campaign has further contributed to stigma against the community.
Last week, key women’s safety and equality organisations issued a statement condemning ongoing rhetoric against transgender women, warning it could lead to greater violence and hostility.
Ms Deves is contesting the seat of Warringah in Sydney's north, currently held by Independent MP Zali Steggall, which before her election had been considered a Liberal stronghold.
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit . also has a list of support services.
Intersex Australians seeking support can visit Intersex Peer Support Australia at isupport.org.au.
Readers seeking crisis support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged up to 25). More information and support with mental health is available at and on 1300 22 4636.
