Agreed. The bulk paperwork is about protecting the confidentially of other patients and the staff, as well as acknowledging what you are about to do.

There's been several revisions of the in patient agreements from people I've known going there over the years.

The story I've heard from people is about a dozen years ago there was a more rigid version of paperwork but it still wasn't as strict as people make it out to be. Back then the clinic was also facing more hostility and not as much governmental protections. This was also a point in time where the Internet wasn't as prominent as it is today. And in fairness, I don't think a lot of people really understood what they were signing, they were a bit distracted... I know I was, but I still made sure to read the forms closely and ask a couple clarifying questions just for my own benefit.

This is nothing but an old wives tale, I'd put it on Snopes if I could!

There's a few links to previous discussions on this in the wiki

https://www.reddit.com/r/TransSurgeriesWiki/wiki/srs/canada#wiki_nda

This one from 2017 seems relevant

It's a clause in a vaginoplasty consent agreement: "I pledge myself not to take steps for and to refuse all offers concerning publicity and for publication relative to my antecedents, to this intervention and its results."

https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/comments/4d0ju6/ama_recent_brassard_mtf/d1n0e45/