An open letter from Dr Neil MacFarlane BA MBBS MA MRCPsych to the police harassing Kellie-Jay Keene:

I write to express my concern at what appears to be the oppressive pursuit of Ms Keen by Sussex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, aided by yourselves. If Ms Keen is charged with any offence it is my intention to offer to provide a supportive pro bono expert witness statement, and to give evidence in person at any trial. I will also offer to provide similar support for any complaint that Ms Keen makes against Police and/or the CPS.

I have been a GMC registered medical practitioner since 1986, and a registered specialist in psychiatry since 2002. I have been an NHS consultant and worked in private practice. I have specialist training and experience in developmental psychiatry, which is directly relevant to Ms Keen’s campaigning against poorly evidenced “transgender” medical interventions. I also have experience in working with personality disordered and offender patients (including sex offenders for whom I was clinically responsible), and was an approved specialist under the Mental Health Act: that experience is relevant to Ms Keen’s campaigning for women’s dignity and safety.

I represent (because I was elected to a position within the Royal College of Psychiatrists on an election statement critical of transgenderism) the substantial number of psychiatrists who dissent from the official “transgender” policy of our professional body.

I have followed Ms Keen’s campaigning and studied several hours of her Youtube videos, including footage of what I understand to be her words spoken in Brighton last September, which have attracted complaints. I have had dialogues with individuals who have worked with her, and I have studied the objections of her critics.

In my opinion Ms Keen’s views and opinions have a strong basis in fact, and are substantially based on her own direct experience of interactions with trans identified people, particularly men. Her views are also informed by the opinions of respected professionals and academics such as the pioneering Canadian psychologist Ray Blanchard.

Ms Keen’s campaigning is reasonable and responsible, and it has been a substantial part of and influence on wider “gender-critical” campaigning of recent years, which has led to a major government review on “gender dysphoria” services for children and young people (and the closure of the leading NHS clinic), as well as the recent changes in prison policy in Scotland. Her use of language such as “men in dresses” and “fetishists” has been a proportionate means to create public interest in these issues. She does not “hate” trans-identified people: she believes their lives would be better if they desisted from such behaviours. I and many other mental health professionals substantially agree. I also agree that she is right to be concerned about links between transgenderism and child abuse.

In the context of the Wayne Couzens and David Carrick cases, the oppressive pursuit of Ms Keen risks further undermining trust in the police and the CPS, especially among women. Put simply, some of the decisions taken in her case may have been motivated by misogyny. In my opinion the belief, widespread among gender-critical campaigners, that Stonewall and many of its key supporters are substantially motivated by misogyny, is well founded. It seems very likely that Stonewall and related groups have played a key role in bringing forward the complaints against her.

This letter will be openly published. I intend to be part of the supportive protest outside Trowbridge Police Station, planned for 23^rd February.

Yours sincerely

Dr Neil MacFarlane

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