Max Davie
@maxdavie.bsky.social
ADHD in every sense. Trustee and co-founder at ADHDUK. Paediatrician.
Writing about games and books at https://playandwords.substack.com/
He/him
Writing about games and books at https://playandwords.substack.com/
He/him
A good morning to repost my blog about the opacity of the Cass review. Until this is resolved, Dr Cass cannot be regarded as a neutral arbiter in the trans debate.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/13/w...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/13/w...
Why the opacity of the Cass review matters, and should concern us
When, last August, my colleague Lorna Hobbs and I published a piece critical of the Cass Review, I was accused of making a personal attack on Dr Cass. I was not doing anything of the kind, but I ha…
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com
February 15, 2026 at 12:03 PM
A good morning to repost my blog about the opacity of the Cass review. Until this is resolved, Dr Cass cannot be regarded as a neutral arbiter in the trans debate.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/13/w...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/13/w...
Reposted by Max Davie
A less transphobic press might start asking "How does driving a doctor out of Scotland help cut NHS wait times? Why is Scotland better with fewer doctors? Which other minority staff would you get rid of?"
Every single person involved in this hate campaign and everyone who has supported them - Anas Sarwar, for example - needs to be run out of public life the way they've run Dr Upton out the NHS. Being trans isn't a risk factor for people around you; this obsessive hate absolutely is.
Susan Smith of For Women Scotland is quoted in this piece saying that Dr Upton leaving the NHS will be "a relief to female patients."
The employment tribunal found that Upton had done nothing wrong! She was completely innocent of any kind of harassment!
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1592555...
The employment tribunal found that Upton had done nothing wrong! She was completely innocent of any kind of harassment!
www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/1592555...
February 15, 2026 at 10:29 AM
A less transphobic press might start asking "How does driving a doctor out of Scotland help cut NHS wait times? Why is Scotland better with fewer doctors? Which other minority staff would you get rid of?"
FFS the waiting list was closed for two years. At least acknowledge the impact you have had, Baroness
February 15, 2026 at 10:14 AM
FFS the waiting list was closed for two years. At least acknowledge the impact you have had, Baroness
Infuriating stuff from the Baroness here, who froze pro trans voices out of her review, adopted gender critical rhetoric, and closed down services for YEARS then bemoans a backlog.
BBC News - Children 'weaponised' by both sides of trans debate, Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Children 'weaponised' by both sides of trans debate, Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Children 'weaponised' in toxic trans debate, Cass says
Clinician Dr Hilary Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2026 at 8:45 AM
Infuriating stuff from the Baroness here, who froze pro trans voices out of her review, adopted gender critical rhetoric, and closed down services for YEARS then bemoans a backlog.
BBC News - Children 'weaponised' by both sides of trans debate, Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BBC News - Children 'weaponised' by both sides of trans debate, Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The more I look at the schools gender guidance the worse it looks.
Apart from the de facto ban on early transition, even Gillick competent young people aren't allowed to make ANY changes without parental consent, which seems a blatant breach of confidentiality to me.
Apart from the de facto ban on early transition, even Gillick competent young people aren't allowed to make ANY changes without parental consent, which seems a blatant breach of confidentiality to me.
February 13, 2026 at 2:21 PM
The more I look at the schools gender guidance the worse it looks.
Apart from the de facto ban on early transition, even Gillick competent young people aren't allowed to make ANY changes without parental consent, which seems a blatant breach of confidentiality to me.
Apart from the de facto ban on early transition, even Gillick competent young people aren't allowed to make ANY changes without parental consent, which seems a blatant breach of confidentiality to me.
Reposted by Max Davie
Hilary Cass remains profoundly mistaken about social transition, stubbornly maintaining the fiction that it's a health intervention requiring professional gatekeeping. In most cases, it's not.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
February 12, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Hilary Cass remains profoundly mistaken about social transition, stubbornly maintaining the fiction that it's a health intervention requiring professional gatekeeping. In most cases, it's not.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
Hilary Cass remains profoundly mistaken about social transition, stubbornly maintaining the fiction that it's a health intervention requiring professional gatekeeping. In most cases, it's not.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
February 12, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Hilary Cass remains profoundly mistaken about social transition, stubbornly maintaining the fiction that it's a health intervention requiring professional gatekeeping. In most cases, it's not.
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
paedspoliticsbiscuits.wordpress.com/2025/04/11/d...
I must admit I used to have the Londoner's sniffiness about Birmingham, but every time I go there I like it more. And the museum tearoom is tremendous.
February 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
I must admit I used to have the Londoner's sniffiness about Birmingham, but every time I go there I like it more. And the museum tearoom is tremendous.
This is EXACTLY what I've been saying for a couple of years now- the real Tavistock scandal was the unnecessary closure of an excellent service. As a service lead, less than 1 complaint a year is an absolute dream!
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/health/...
via @yorkshirebylines.co.uk
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/health/...
via @yorkshirebylines.co.uk
The real Tavistock Clinic scandal: 1,000 court cases that never materialised
A FoI request for the data behind the media hysteria over the Tavistock Clinic presents quite a different picture
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 3:05 PM
This is EXACTLY what I've been saying for a couple of years now- the real Tavistock scandal was the unnecessary closure of an excellent service. As a service lead, less than 1 complaint a year is an absolute dream!
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/health/...
via @yorkshirebylines.co.uk
yorkshirebylines.co.uk/news/health/...
via @yorkshirebylines.co.uk
I have a lot of time for Susie Dent, but there doesn't seem to be a shred of evidence provided either that children's language abilities are deteriorating, or that it's due to screen time.
It's commercialised moral panic.
share.google/zMqxCk4xCLzs...
It's commercialised moral panic.
share.google/zMqxCk4xCLzs...
Children’s vocabulary shrinking as reading loses out to screen time, says Susie Dent
Exclusive: Countdown lexicographer urges families to read, talk and play word games to help language development
share.google
February 12, 2026 at 2:43 PM
I have a lot of time for Susie Dent, but there doesn't seem to be a shred of evidence provided either that children's language abilities are deteriorating, or that it's due to screen time.
It's commercialised moral panic.
share.google/zMqxCk4xCLzs...
It's commercialised moral panic.
share.google/zMqxCk4xCLzs...
I think @malrempen.bsky.social is a really excellent designer. He's not a big poster, but really, this new project needs some noise!
I just backed his new, excellent looking game Almighty. Who doesn't want to smite mortals?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/mal...
I just backed his new, excellent looking game Almighty. Who doesn't want to smite mortals?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/mal...
Almighty ⚡️ The Godliest God Game
You are a powerful and moody ancient god! Create, manipulate, and smite puny mortals to earn their belief and glory
www.kickstarter.com
February 12, 2026 at 9:24 AM
I think @malrempen.bsky.social is a really excellent designer. He's not a big poster, but really, this new project needs some noise!
I just backed his new, excellent looking game Almighty. Who doesn't want to smite mortals?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/mal...
I just backed his new, excellent looking game Almighty. Who doesn't want to smite mortals?
www.kickstarter.com/projects/mal...
Just backed this, a reimplementation of my favourite TTRPG system into a super-cool 60s spy vibe... YESSSS
We're about 30 hours in and Blades '68 has had the strongest debut for any BackerKit project we've done
18 stretch goals unlocked, with more to come.
So grateful to our 2700+ backers for this outpouring of support. You've really exceeded our expectations.
Thank you.
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
18 stretch goals unlocked, with more to come.
So grateful to our 2700+ backers for this outpouring of support. You've really exceeded our expectations.
Thank you.
www.backerkit.com/c/projects/e...
February 12, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Just backed this, a reimplementation of my favourite TTRPG system into a super-cool 60s spy vibe... YESSSS
I wrote a post, with kind assistance from @danthurot.bsky.social himself, on why I find it hard to review board games, and specifically why I can't work out how much I rate Inis.
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
Reviewing board games is hard- the case of Inis
I can see how good Inis could be, if only people weren't so... people-y
open.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:29 AM
I wrote a post, with kind assistance from @danthurot.bsky.social himself, on why I find it hard to review board games, and specifically why I can't work out how much I rate Inis.
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
Reposted by Max Davie
I really hope people advocating to ban kids from SM read this. Some kids are isolated by disabilities or circumstances. Furthermore, some kids grow up in abusive households. “Ideally, a child’s exposure to online worlds should be moderated by their parents” isn’t a reassuring sentiment for everyone
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
‘I’ve lost my friends’: advocacy groups warn Australia’s social media ban risks isolating kids with disabilities
Despite the ban’s aim to protect young people, experts are concerned that those in marginalised communities or living with disabilities could lose vital support networks
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:06 AM
I really hope people advocating to ban kids from SM read this. Some kids are isolated by disabilities or circumstances. Furthermore, some kids grow up in abusive households. “Ideally, a child’s exposure to online worlds should be moderated by their parents” isn’t a reassuring sentiment for everyone
This is likely to be an unpopular view, but the more I see of other billionaires when they buy media power, the more Rupert Murdoch emerges as... nuanced?
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts | Washington Post | The Guardian share.google/8BaawaRfPzNt...
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts | Washington Post | The Guardian share.google/8BaawaRfPzNt...
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts
Bezos has not publicly responded to several letters sent by Post staffers urging him to curb potential layoffs
share.google
February 3, 2026 at 9:51 PM
This is likely to be an unpopular view, but the more I see of other billionaires when they buy media power, the more Rupert Murdoch emerges as... nuanced?
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts | Washington Post | The Guardian share.google/8BaawaRfPzNt...
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts | Washington Post | The Guardian share.google/8BaawaRfPzNt...
Reposted by Max Davie
Added Yakety Sax to that video from Minneapolis
February 3, 2026 at 8:15 AM
Added Yakety Sax to that video from Minneapolis
Reposted by Max Davie
It’s so funny that this guy’s entire thing is “Oh are you triggered by what I have to say about marginalized people” but he loses it when someone more well-liked than he will ever be talks about an actual injustice
Ricky Gervais calls out Grammy winners for making political acceptance speeches: "You're in no position to lecture the public about anything"
Ricky Gervais calls out Grammy winners for making political acceptance speeches: "You're in no position to lecture the public about anything"
Gervais cited his own 2020 Golden Globes monologue, in which he urged winners not to use their acceptance speeches "as a platform to make a political speech."
decider.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:20 AM
It’s so funny that this guy’s entire thing is “Oh are you triggered by what I have to say about marginalized people” but he loses it when someone more well-liked than he will ever be talks about an actual injustice
Sorry to report that Hadley Freeman is back on her bullshit.
February 2, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Sorry to report that Hadley Freeman is back on her bullshit.
Reposted by Max Davie
Take me down to the Parallax city where the far moves slow and the near moves quickly
February 1, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Take me down to the Parallax city where the far moves slow and the near moves quickly
I don't know if this is a common reaction to the new Daredevil trailer but I hadn't watched the Jessica Jones series and the first episode is SO GOOD.
Does it keep this up?
Does it keep this up?
February 1, 2026 at 3:40 PM
I don't know if this is a common reaction to the new Daredevil trailer but I hadn't watched the Jessica Jones series and the first episode is SO GOOD.
Does it keep this up?
Does it keep this up?
Just returning this to the library and hadn't noticed the question on the back cover. A question the book is too intellectually lazy to actually answer.
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
January 29, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Just returning this to the library and hadn't noticed the question on the back cover. A question the book is too intellectually lazy to actually answer.
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
open.substack.com/pub/playandw...
I keep reading about a schools readiness crisis because smartphones. But the official measure of school readiness is attaining a good level of development at the end of reception, a stat that has been tracked since (I think) the late 90s. Here's the trend from 2012.
No room for complacency but...
No room for complacency but...
January 28, 2026 at 7:48 AM
I keep reading about a schools readiness crisis because smartphones. But the official measure of school readiness is attaining a good level of development at the end of reception, a stat that has been tracked since (I think) the late 90s. Here's the trend from 2012.
No room for complacency but...
No room for complacency but...
In a medical context it's more a gateway to rampant paternalism and a disregard for evidence in favour of vibes. But seamas's point stands
Calling transphobia a 'gateway drug' to the far right undersells it. It's pure accelerant. Grimly fascinating to guess what crankery becomes any famous transphobe's secondary obsession, cos they all have one: 15 minute cities are fascism! Grok noncing is cool! ICE are good! We should kill all dogs!
January 27, 2026 at 2:26 PM
In a medical context it's more a gateway to rampant paternalism and a disregard for evidence in favour of vibes. But seamas's point stands
Reposted by Max Davie
You’ve got to love how actress Kelly Marie Tran, one of the most harassed people ever to be on the internet, still leapt up to defend trans people in a recent interview. No one would blame her for keeping her head down and shutting up forever but she will NOT and I admire her for it ⭐
Star Wars actor says ‘trans rights are human rights’ when asked about Harry Potter
Kelly Marie Tran said ‘trans rights are human rights’ when the topic of JK Rowling's Harry Potter series was mentioned in an interview.
www.thepinknews.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:23 PM
You’ve got to love how actress Kelly Marie Tran, one of the most harassed people ever to be on the internet, still leapt up to defend trans people in a recent interview. No one would blame her for keeping her head down and shutting up forever but she will NOT and I admire her for it ⭐
Strongly recommend this: games are such a great portal to talking about social structures and niceties, as well as the politics of consumerism, she these folks are brilliant unpackers of all this.
Also funny!
Also funny!
The latest episode of But Why Vikings? features not only the wonderful @ava.foxfort.net and the dashing @timclare.bsky.social but also questions about etiquette from @semicoop.bsky.social and their thoughts on the role of BGA thanks to @maxdavie.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t...
The tyranny of structurelessness
Podcast Episode · But Why Vikings? · 23/01/2026 · 1h 4m
podcasts.apple.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Strongly recommend this: games are such a great portal to talking about social structures and niceties, as well as the politics of consumerism, she these folks are brilliant unpackers of all this.
Also funny!
Also funny!