Gender non-conformity has become a hot-button issue for many people. It often arises from what’s medically known as gender dysphoria, a feeling of discomfort or distress when a person’s gender identity doesn’t match their gender assigned at birth.

Children with this feeling can be prescribed “puberty blockers,” also called pubertal blockers or (synthetic pituitary) hormone blockers, to put off puberty and “give them more time to decide” whether to fully transition to their experienced gender, says Jakob Maske, spokesman for the Cologne-based Professional Association of Paediatricians (BVKJ).

Detractors of the drugs, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, see them as the outgrowth of a dangerous new trend, and their supporters as a legitimate way to spare gender-nonconforming kids the intense stress often caused by the physical changes of puberty.

GnRH analogues are synthetic drugs modelled after GnRH, which acts upon its receptors on cells in the pituitary gland, stimulating the release of hormones that, in turn, stimulate the production and release of sex hormones by the testicles in men and ovaries in women. They bind to the receptors, thereby blocking them.

According to the BVKJ, GnRH analogues are “very rarely” prescribed. Specific numbers aren’t available.

Maske contradicts critics who say doctors prescribe the drugs too liberally. “I think they’re prescribed very conscientiously,” he tells dpa. “The decision is made by a team that includes the child, the parents and at least two doctors from different disciplines. I don’t think it’s taken lightly.”

He says the drugs aren’t harmless, and that stunted bone growth is one side effect. While the effects of puberty blockers are reversible – when kids stop taking them, their body goes through puberty normally – “the [lost] growth may not be recuperable,” Maske points out.

The drugs can also affect mood, circulation and, in particular, libido, he notes, calling the last-named effect “counterproductive” if the aim is to pause puberty while the child decides whether to accept their biological gender. Feeling no sexual desire for the opposite sex, he says, tends to bolster their belief that their assigned gender isn’t right.

Adolescents who interrupt puberty with GnRH analogues but later decide to stick to their biological gender appear to be the exception. In a Dutch study published in October in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, 704 of 720 young people who had started taking the drugs in adolescence went on to transgender hormone therapy.

Does this mean that only those who really needed the drugs got them, or that the drugs paved the way to a gender transition that the patients otherwise wouldn’t have made?

Study co-author Dr Marianne van der Loos, an internal medicine physician at the Centre of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria at Amsterdam University Medical Centres (UMC), is quoted by The Lancet as saying the findings are “reassuring in the context of recent increased public concern regarding regret of transitioning.”

In 1998, The Lancet says, the Netherlands introduced a new treatment protocol for young people under 18 diagnosed with gender dysphoria. After a “thorough diagnostic evaluation,” they’re offered puberty blockers to pause physical changes that can be stressful to them, giving them time to “explore their gender identity.”

Those who continue to desire to transition medically can subsequently begin transgender hormone treatment after age 15–16.

Puberty blockers for young people under 18 have recently become a subject of public debate, and in some countries, such as the US and Britain, legal measures have been taken to ban or limit their use, The Lancet notes. It concedes that “although short-term studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of puberty-suppression treatment for adolescents’ mental and physical health, long-term follow-up data are lacking.”

Maske is non-committal on whether increased gender change is merely a passing fashion or that more people who truly have a gender-identity conflict are now unwilling to “live the rest of their lives in the wrong body.” What’s important, he says, is that “every child needs individual counselling before beginning [puberty-suppression] treatment and must then be closely monitored.”

Twitter is about to implode. Or maybe not? It’s anything but clear what fate awaits Twitter in the coming weeks and months. In any case, the company is in a rough spot after it lost numerous critical employees in a mass cull.

Twitter’s sales revenue meanwhile appears to be at risk after Elon Musk’s blue tick policy backfired and prompted a shower of “verified” fake accounts, such as a genuine-looking Pepsi account tweeting that Coke is better.

Many users, fearing that Twitter will soon become a safe haven for far-right trolls and misinformation under Musk’s free speech policy, have since found their way onto Mastodon.

Mastowhat? Mastodon, once a lesser-known social media platform used mostly by tech nerds, has been put in the spotlight during Musk’s chaotic takeover of Twitter.

Picture the exact same kind of platform as Twitter, only fewer ads, fewer algorithms, and, alas, much fewer users.

Once you get past a little jargon at the beginning, it’s not difficult to get up and running. Here’s how it works and what it can do.

What’s with the name?

Mastodons were primitive, elephant-like animals that became extinct around 10,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age. That’s why you won’t see phrases like “tweet” from the so-called “bird app”. On Mastodon, you “toot.”

The idea for the name came from Eugen Rochko, who founded Mastodon in 2016 and has been developing it ever since, free of advertising and tracking. The entire software development is financed by donations.

What can Mastodon do?

Mastodon shares the same basic features as Twitter. You can follow others and see their posts, which are called toots, not tweets.

Just like on Twitter, you post short texts with attached pictures, videos, audio or polls. You can also limit who can see your tweets – ahem, toots.

The same goes for direct messages, hashtags and trending topics. You can also retweet other toots, only that here it’s called “boosting”. Like on Twitter, you can secure your account by adding two-factor authentication to your login, meaning you need to confirm logins on new devices.

Is it better than Twitter?

You’ll have to decide that for yourself, of course, but advocates say there are two major benefits over Twitter – a timeline that isn’t reordered by algorithms like on Twitter and a decentralised network that isn’t controlled by one company.

First of all, your start page is where you can find posts from all the people or organisations you follow in chronological order. Mastodon strictly adheres to chronology.

That means there are real timelines, unlike Twitter’s re-ordering of tweets as determined by algorithms designed to increase your interaction.

“Your home feed should be filled with what matters to you most, not what a corporation thinks you should see,” reads the mission statement on the Mastodon page.

Secondly, Mastodon is also a decentralised social network, connected and powered by open source, free software. Whether it’s for an organisation or a private user, anyone who wants to can run an independent Mastodon server. These are called “instances” and each one exists independently of other instances.

That means that control is not in the hands of one company – or one “free speech absolutist” billionaire oligarch – but in the hands of those who wants to participate on running the server.

It helps to know this before you sign up, since you’ll need to pick an instance for your account. Many – but not all – instances focus on a topic of interest, be it LGBTQ+ issues, cloud computing or just a particular country or city.

Once you have signed up to an instance, you’ll be able to see a feed of what everyone on that instance is tooting in the “local” view.

The “federation” view, on the other hand, broadens your perspective to all toots from all servers. Like the start page, the local and federation views are also organised as timelines.

Those leaving Twitter, meanwhile, may argue that it’s biggest advantage is that it’s not Twitter, a company recently decimated by tech tycoon Elon Musk in an effort to secure profitability, measures that some fear have undermined the company’s long-term stability.

Meanwhile, Musk’s push for free speech and amnesty for banned users, combined with a chaotic roll-out of blue ticks for cash, followed by fake accounts spoofing companies and celebrities, has worried many long-time users about a surge in far-right content and fake posts.

And is anything worse than on Twitter?

There’s no denying that Mastodon doesn’t come anywhere close to the scale of Twitter, and the vast majority of major celebrities and media organizations on Twitter have yet to make the jump.

While Mastodon does have many of the same features, the switch feels somewhat like moving from a buzzing city like New York to a small town in a different country.

While the absence of algorithm-based feed of toots has its benefits, it can make for rather dull scrolling depending on what accounts you follow.

One media account tooting a dozen or so stories can quickly clog your feed and drown out other potentially interesting toots you may have missed earlier in the day.

At the same time, social media nerds and news junkies may find themselves missing Tweetdeck, the advanced version of Twitter.

Ok I’m interested. Which server/instance should I sign up to?

First of all, it’s important to know that no matter which one you choose, you’ll always be able to see content on all the other servers and interact with all the other users. That’s the purpose of the “federation” view.

However, every server operator can block other servers. And it can set rules that then apply to the users of its own server. So it makes sense to look for a community with which you can perhaps not only identify thematically, but whose moderation suits you overall.

Are there server directories?

Yes, a server directory can be found on the official Mastodon page. It only contains servers that consistently commit to moderating against racism, sexism and transphobia (https://joinmastodon.org/de/covenant).

Another possible starting point for your own Mastodon account is the page “Instances.social”, which currently lists more than 3,700 servers worldwide. If you answer a few questions, you will be shown a list of servers that might suit you.

Although you can register directly with many servers, there are also instances where you first have to request an invitation, which no longer accept new members or which are basically closed.

Wait, what if I later find a community I like better?

No problem. You can have several accounts on different Mastodon servers at the same time. You can also move an existing account with your followers to a new account on another server at any time. Instructions can be found directly in the account settings or in the Mastodon documentation.

In the settings under “Import and Export” you can also download the other data categories (except media) in CSV format, such as lists or bookmarks. And not only to import them into the new account when you plan to move.

Regular backups are also a good idea in case the instance on which you are logged in is unexpectedly switched off. All data categories including media storage can be downloaded once a week as an archive.

So I’ve found the right instance – now what?

Selecting the server was already half the battle. Now you have to hit “Create account” on the page of your preferred instance, accept the respective server rules, enter an email address and specify both a display name and profile name (preceded by @).

The user name is extended with the name of the community domain so that communication and searches are possible across server boundaries (example: @profilname@community-name.com).

What are my first steps as a new user?

After registering, you’ll need to complete your profile (picture, background, interests) and adjust notifications and privacy settings in the settings. For example, you can set it so that followers can only follow you after approval.

You can also specify that your own posts do not go into the public timeline by default. Nevertheless, when writing a post, you always have the option to make a different setting for this post individually using the lock symbol.

How can I find my Twitter contacts on Mastodon?

There are services like Fedifinder or Debirdify that can analyse your Twitter profile to see which contacts are also on Mastodon. This information is available as a list that can also be saved in CSV format and then imported into Mastodon.

If you plan on staying on Twitter for the time being, then it’s not a bad idea to change your username to your Mastodon profile name. That way, every time you tweet, your followers see that you’re on Mastodon and know how to find you.

For it to work, you need to enter the profile name and community domain, eg. “@profilname@community-name.org”, not just “@profilname”.

Are there also apps?

Yes. In addition to the web app and the official apps for Android and iOS, which have been available since April 2022, there are various third-party apps for different platforms and operating systems.

Elon Musk says Apple has “mostly stopped advertising on Twitter”.

The Tesla billionaire, 51, also asked on the platform: “Do they hate free speech in America?” after a string of big-name bands pulled out of their partnerships with the company after he acquired it for $44 billion.

According to non-profit watchdog Media Matters, 50 of Twitter’s top 100 advertisers, which have spent around $2 billion since the start of 2020, have halted advertising on the site in recent weeks, including Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep, Kraft, Coca Cola, Chanel, CNN, Heineken, and Kellogg’s.

It comes amid worries over Elon’s plans to give users increased “free speech”, which has seen ex-US president Donald Trump’s banned account restored.

In the first full week under Elon’s ownership of Twitter, the Center for Countering Digital Hate claimed the use of racist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-Semitic slurs soared after he took over on October 27.

There is also controversy after Elon fired around 50 per cent of Twitter’s 7,500-strong workforce after he bought up the firm in October.

And he has sparked concern by warning remaining workers they must be willing to work “long hours at high intensity”.

A spokesperson for Kellogg’s said earlier this month it was halting its ads as it wanted to “monitor this new direction and evaluate our marketing spend”.

Sir Elton John will support his sons if they follow him into the music industry.

The 75-year-old singer has Zachary, 11 and Elijah, nine, with his husband David Furnish, and Elton has promised to support his kids in whatever careers they choose.

He told E! News: “They are still so young, so not entirely sure [what they want to do]. But of course, whatever their dreams and ambitions are, my husband David and I will fully support them.”

Elton recently finished the American leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, and he’s now looking forward to spending more time with his kids.

He said: “I am of course looking forward to spending more time with my sons.

“I am also looking forward to being able to dedicate more of my time to other projects, like the Elton John AIDS Foundation.”

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Elton revealed that he was stopped from adopting a Ukrainian orphan because of his sexuality.

The award-winning star and his husband tried to adopt a child from an orphanage that they visited.

The ‘Rocket Man’ hitmaker shared: “I was carrying this little boy around for hours. We had a press conference at the end and they said ‘You seem very fond of this little boy. Would you think of adopting him?’ and I went ‘I’d actually love to!’

“Of course, not thinking about social media, it went around the world straight away. It was ‘Elton John wants to adopt two children.'”

But ultimately, Elton and David weren’t allowed to adopt the boy.

He said: “Because I was gay I wasn’t allowed to anyway.

“After that happened, David said, ‘Well, what do you think about having kids?’ I always said no but this little boy was telling me something. He was saying ‘C’mon you can be a dad,’ and that’s when we decided to have children, because of this little boy in Ukraine.”

Cara Delevingne’s struggles with her sexuality left her feeling suicidal.

The 30-year-old model-and-actress – who identifies as queer and gender fluid – worried she was “abnormal” when she was questioning her own identity but is “so glad” she didn’t take her own life because she’s now in a position to help and support other young people who are in the same state of confusion as she was.

She said: “I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I had a lot of internalised homophobia and shame. I thought that I was abnormal.

“I thought about ending my life, like I had multiple times, and I’m so glad I didn’t because if I can help any other kid that means the world to me.

“It means the world to that little queer kid I was. Or I am.”

The ‘Suicide Squad’ actress previously declared herself to be bisexual, and then pansexual, but she’s now settled on queer.

Speaking on her new documentary ‘Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne’, she said: “I kind of started as bisexual, and then I was pansexual. I felt like ‘I don’t know what letter I am!

“Queer felt fluid and free. It didn’t put too much pressure on anything I was deciding to be…

Sexuality is definitely a spectrum, and I feel like mine wavers, but I’m definitely more on the side of women. I like having sex with men, I just don’t date them.”

While Cara is “proud to be a woman”, she doesn’t want to “sit in a box” and admitted she enjoys “dressing up as a man and being a ‘he'” too.

She said on the show: “I am a ‘she’ right now. But I also like dressing up as a man and being a ‘he’. You don’t have to put so much pressure on yourself about what you are, who you are. Whether it’s masculine and feminine, it’s just who I am…

“The constructs and binaries that are given are stupid. I’m proud to be a woman, but I don’t have to sit in a box.

“I’m definitely genderfluid. I love playing with what we’ve been given as those gender constructs. Being super femme, being super masc, mixing it all up in one big cauldron.”

Will Young has slammed David Beckham for promoting the Qatar World Cup.

The 47-year-old former soccer star has signed a lucrative deal to promote the ongoing World Cup – but Will has now described his ambassadorial role as “odious”.

He said on Instagram: “Qatar is of course not the only country in the world with appalling records on human rights. The argument that sport is not political is duplicitous and two faced.

“Look at South Africa during apartheid, look at Russia now. Who decides the yays and the nays?

“What is undoubtedly clear however is a star like you @davidbeckham who I once sang for (not for any money I hasten to add) at your birthday has disappointed me more than I can say. (sic)”

Beckham, 47, has previously been outspoken in his support for the LGBTQ community.

But Will has now blasted him for promoting Qatar, where homosexuality remains illegal under the country’s laws.

The pop star – who came out as gay in 2002 – said on the photo-sharing platform: “Here is what irks me the most – not a WHISPER from yourself David to show solidarity, not a WHISPER from yourself to show support for the practical massacre of migrant workers, not a WHISPER David to help LGBTQIA+ communities living under constant danger.

“The decision to take the alleged £150 million over 15 years is greedy enough, the burying of your head in the sand from you, your team and your advisers is repellent and cowardice personified.

“So here is what I suggest if you won’t change your mind: give £1million to LGBTQIA+ charities in Qatar every year that you get your £10million a year. Can something be salvaged from this odious deal?

“Perhaps those funds can help provide much needed safety to those living in terror whilst your posters smile down on the people of Qatar. (sic)”