{"id":1508596,"date":"2022-06-09T07:21:13","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T11:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1508596"},"modified":"2022-06-09T10:34:05","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T14:34:05","slug":"gender-affirmation-for-minors-is-child-abuse-not-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gender-affirmation-for-minors-is-child-abuse-not-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Gender Affirmation\u2019 For Minors Is Child Abuse, Not Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgender-affirmation-for-minors-is-child-abuse-not-treatment%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1508596&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Screen-Shot-2022-06-08-at-9.38.10-PM.png\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p>On June 1, the Ohio House of Representatives followed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2021\/04\/06\/politics\/arkansas-transgender-health-care-veto-override\/index.html\">Arkansas\u2019s lead<\/a> in passing a bill that<a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2022\/06\/02\/ohio-pediatric-doctors-decry-government-control-of-gender-affirming-care\/\"> blocks medical gender transition<\/a> for minors, protects parental rights, and prevents biological males from competing in women\u2019s sports. While critics of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/download?key=18384&#038;format=pdf\">House Bill 454<\/a> claim its passage will<a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2022\/06\/02\/ohio-pediatric-doctors-decry-government-control-of-gender-affirming-care\/\"> \u201cthreaten\u201d the mental health<\/a> of Ohio\u2019s youth, there is reason to doubt these \u201cexperts\u201d are considering all the facts.<\/p>\n<p>Ohio\u2019s vote preceded the release of the \u201cLet Kids Be Kids\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahca.myflorida.com\/letkidsbekids\/docs\/AHCA_GAPMS_June_2022_Report.pdf\">report<\/a> issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida\u2019s Agency for Healthcare Administration on June 2. The report summarizes the scientific research about the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahca.myflorida.com\/Executive\/Communications\/Press_Releases\/pdf\/6-2-22_AHCA_GAPMS_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf\">effectiveness of treatment<\/a> for gender dysphoria in children, or rather, lack thereof, and has been met with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/business\/story\/2022-06-03\/column-desantis-launches-new-attack-on-florida-transgender-citizens\">heavy criticism<\/a> from transgender activists who argue the report is motivated by bigotry.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/magazine\/archive\/2018\/07\/when-a-child-says-shes-trans\/561749\/\">explosive growth<\/a> of the population of young people who identify as transgender in recent years is unprecedented, as is the use of \u201cgender affirmation\u201d therapy and gender transition surgery. These continue to be experimental methods for treating a relatively new problem. Advocates of these \u201ctreatments\u201d speak adamantly about their necessity, but the fact is that we simply don\u2019t know enough to make those claims just yet. And as a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/videos\/what-is-a-woman-official-trailer?hsa_ver=3&#038;hsa_ad=601234755837&#038;hsa_acc=6411461344&#038;hsa_grp=132715401337&#038;hsa_cam=16641304732&#038;utm_campaign=wiaw&#038;utm_campaign=dw_conversions_subscriptions_wiaw_na&#038;utm_medium=paid&#038;utm_medium=ppc&#038;cid=wiaw&#038;hsa_src=g&#038;mid=g&#038;utm_term=what%20is%20a%20woman%20documentary&#038;hsa_mt=b&#038;gclid=CjwKCAjwv-GUBhAzEiwASUMm4ne7sMcV7dxoOetrDt7hPzLDUJ9knH6P2zIXyjx5QWB6Eh0vnX1rGhoCIbwQAvD_BwE&#038;utm_content=na_subscriptions&#038;hsa_tgt=kwd-1662524676850&#038;utm_source=googlesearch&#038;utm_source=adwords&#038;hsa_net=adwords&#038;hsa_kw=what%20is%20a%20woman%20documentary&#038;xid=0\">documentary by political commentator Matt Walsh<\/a> reveals, dissenting voices are simply being silenced.<\/p>\n<p>Interviewing therapists, academics, and transgender people in pursuit of the elusive answer to the question, \u201cWhat is a woman?\u201d Walsh uncovers a number of professionals whose objections to the trans party line have resulted in being cut out of the discussion altogether. As the documentary reveals, it is critical that their voices be heard and that the relevant data on the treatment of gender dysphoria come to light. If the facts about these \u201ctreatments\u201d remain suppressed, the consequences for the next generation of children could be devastating.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors and therapists often ask parents who object to gender affirmation, \u201cWould you rather have a dead son or a loving daughter?\u201d As one interviewee points out, this rhetoric is emotional blackmail. It is also deeply misguided.<\/p>\n<p>In actuality, the suicide risk is <a href=\"https:\/\/ajp.psychiatryonline.org\/doi\/10.1176\/appi.ajp.2019.19010080\">exponentially higher<\/a> for trans people for seven to ten years following surgery \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/videos\/what-is-a-woman-official-trailer?hsa_ver=3&#038;hsa_ad=589232817545&#038;hsa_acc=6411461344&#038;hsa_grp=132715401337&#038;hsa_cam=16641304732&#038;utm_campaign=wiaw&#038;utm_campaign=dw_conversions_subscriptions_wiaw_na&#038;utm_medium=paid&#038;utm_medium=ppc&#038;cid=wiaw&#038;hsa_src=g&#038;mid=g&#038;utm_term=what%20is%20a%20woman&#038;hsa_mt=e&#038;gclid=CjwKCAjwv-GUBhAzEiwASUMm4pSRvy7KiNX1hZwUZhCThdJm-fCYbRMnrmMWZswJ_jd_sx7qWja1fhoCffMQAvD_BwE&#038;utm_content=na_subscriptions&#038;hsa_tgt=kwd-316948161071&#038;utm_source=googlesearch&#038;utm_source=adwords&#038;hsa_net=adwords&#038;hsa_kw=what%20is%20a%20woman&#038;xid=0\">the highest<\/a>, in fact, of any known group in recorded history. If parents are seeking to improve the mental health of their children, it appears to be imperative that they actively <em>avoid <\/em>gender transition surgery.<\/p>\n<p>Even when concerns about suicide are off the table, studies indicate that in all likelihood, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medscape.com\/viewarticle\/958742#vp_4\">symptoms will resolve in 93 percent of these children<\/a> by the time they reach adulthood or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jamescantor.org\/uploads\/6\/2\/9\/3\/62939641\/cantor_fact-check_of_aap.pdf\">even earlier<\/a> \u2013 an outcome that is taken off the table for children subjected to experimental hormones with largely unknown effects, whose bodies are mutilated and fertility stolen.<\/p>\n<p>What we <em>do <\/em>know about the effects of hormonal treatments on children isn\u2019t promising, either. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6616494\/\">Loss of bone density<\/a>, increased risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medscape.com\/viewarticle\/946131?fbclid=IwAR1ddcY4cZ6E-GdeazpgFj_NItccDeOezhDHr14wnO2Xv9Br8d6aR9nCda4#vp_2\">blood clots<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2021\/03\/210325084537.htm\">premature brain aging and increased aggression<\/a>, reduced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/0092623X.2017.1405303\">capacity for sexual pleasure<\/a>, future <a href=\"https:\/\/transcare.ucsf.edu\/guidelines\/fertility\">infertility<\/a>, and increased risk of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heart.org\/en\/news\/2019\/04\/05\/transgender-men-and-women-may-have-higher-heart-attack-risk\">heart disease<\/a> are just some of the potential side effects of puberty blockers and hormones used for medical transition. As Walsh asks experts, are children truly capable of giving informed consent to risks of this magnitude?<\/p>\n<p>Outspoken critics of Ohio House Bill 454 can decry \u201cgovernment control\u201d interfering in family medical decisions all they like; the state has a vested interest in protecting its vulnerable children from dangerous and experimental \u201ctreatments.\u201d Sweden\u2019s National Board of Health and Welfare recognized this duty when it <a href=\"https:\/\/segm.org\/Sweden_ends_use_of_Dutch_protocol\">ended the use of puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n<p>With studies showing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/372\/bmj.n356#:~:text=News-,Puberty%20blockers%20do%20not%20alleviate%20negative%20thoughts,with%20gender%20dysphoria%2C%20finds%20study&#038;text=However%2C%20as%20expected%2C%20the%20children,their%20treatment%20at%20age%2016.\">little to no benefit<\/a> of hormonal treatments (and indeed <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s10508-020-01743-6\">increased mental health risks<\/a>), a high likelihood of the condition resolving on its own, and pervasive detrimental side effects, where is the push to medicate these children coming from?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFollow the money,\u201d Scott Nugent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/videos\/what-is-a-woman-official-trailer?hsa_ver=3&#038;hsa_ad=589232817545&#038;hsa_acc=6411461344&#038;hsa_grp=132715401337&#038;hsa_cam=16641304732&#038;utm_campaign=wiaw&#038;utm_campaign=dw_conversions_subscriptions_wiaw_na&#038;utm_medium=paid&#038;utm_medium=ppc&#038;cid=wiaw&#038;hsa_src=g&#038;mid=g&#038;utm_term=what%20is%20a%20woman%20documentary&#038;hsa_mt=b&#038;gclid=CjwKCAjwv-GUBhAzEiwASUMm4i5dFd_P793G9-M7TGzFGCJe5kaE9tNxhGhPcjtYnD7Et7TaEfPcaBoCNl4QAvD_BwE&#038;utm_content=na_subscriptions&#038;hsa_tgt=kwd-1662524676850&#038;utm_source=googlesearch&#038;utm_source=adwords&#038;hsa_net=adwords&#038;hsa_kw=what%20is%20a%20woman%20documentary&#038;xid=0\">speculates<\/a>. As a trans man and founder of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trevoices.org\/\">TreVoices<\/a>, an organization that seeks to educate in order to protect children from medical transition, Nugent reveals that the annual profits from prescribing puberty-blockers and cross-sex hormones for children are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trevoices.org\/education\">eight times<\/a> that of adult patients.<\/p>\n<p>When doctors are <a href=\"https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapediatrics\/article-abstract\/2674039\">removing the breasts of 13-year-old girls<\/a> and companies like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/lakenbrooks\/2022\/05\/16\/for-pride-month-target-is-selling-compression-tops-and-packing-underwear\/?sh=65121ce5f90c\">Target <\/a>marketing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statsforgender.org\/there-are-27-different-negative-health-effects-of-binding-which-can-develop-over-time-some-not-showing-for-years\/\">symptom-causing<\/a> chest binders to young women, one has to wonder why trans children are the only ones being told that yes, there is something wrong with their bodies, and no, they should not accept themselves the way they are?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGender affirmation\u201d is a positive euphemism for an ideology that teaches children to reject their healthy, normal faculties in favor of rearranging their flesh into a more palatable configuration. Research tells us this will not serve to resolve but only deepen their anguish and dissatisfaction, feelings that are likely to resolve on their own with time <em>unless <\/em>we enter the equation to reinforce those feelings. In essence, what we \u201caffirm\u201d in our children is the notion that they have been formed incorrectly, and they must consume risky drugs and submit to irreversible mutilating surgeries to remake their bodies into more acceptable forms.<\/p>\n<p>Some argue that a genuinely conservative position on these issues calls for governmental restraint (exactly what we <em>aren\u2019t <\/em>seeing in cases where schools are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailysignal.com\/2022\/03\/22\/yes-schools-are-secretly-trying-to-gender-transition-kids-and-it-must-be-stopped\/\">secretly transitioning children<\/a> and hospitals <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2019\/02\/26\/doctors-insist-canadian-14-year-old-needs-no-parent-consent-trans-hormone-injections\/\">administering cross-sex hormones<\/a> without parental knowledge or consent), and that consistency requires conservatives to advocate for policies that prevent government interference in these types of medical decision-making. If parents wish to help their children transition, who is the government to interfere?<\/p>\n<p>Who has the best interests of the child at heart? This dilemma is best answered by the wisdom of Solomon, who was once presented with two mothers arguing for possession of the same child.\u00a0 Solomon\u2019s solution was, of course, to cut the child in half and divide the pieces among the mothers, revealing the true mother: the woman willing to give up her child to preserve his life. This is the unfortunate reality of many parents, usually fathers, willing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/marriage-and-family\/commentary\/pelosis-equality-act-could-lead-more-parents-losing-custody-kids-who\">lose custody<\/a> and even <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/b-c-father-arrested-held-in-jail-for-repeatedly-violating-court-orders-over-childs-gender-transition-therapy\">endure jail time<\/a> to prevent the literal hacking apart of their children\u2019s bodies and identities.<\/p>\n<p>Truly serving our children means guiding them into adulthood, not foisting absolute autonomy on them at a time they are not developmentally ready to grapple with the weight of the future consequences of their decisions. On issues of gender and sexuality, we ought to preserve their childhoods and allow them the space to grow, develop, and explore without rushing into irreversible changes with deeply damaging potential.<\/p>\n<p>As the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ahca.myflorida.com\/letkidsbekids\/docs\/AHCA_GAPMS_June_2022_Report.pdf\">map included in Florida\u2019s report<\/a> reveals, many European nations are protecting that space. We can only hope more politicians, physicians, and parents will garner the courage to speak the truth on behalf of our children, whatever personal or professional costs they may face. Our kids are worth it.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">Samantha Stephenson is host of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snstephenson.com\/brave-new-us-podcast-1%E2%80%9C\">Brave New Us<\/a><br \/>\npodcast and author of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Reclaiming-Motherhood-Culture-Gone-Mad\/dp\/1681927756?crid=1R92RABVT30QZ&#038;keywords=reclaiming+motherhood&#038;qid=1654205305&#038;sprefix=reclaiming+motherhoo,aps,444&#038;sr=8-1&#038;linkCode=sl1&#038;tag=stephenson0f-20&#038;linkId=ac125e9ed038e92e223ac62942dc1703&#038;language=en_US&#038;ref_=as_li_ss_tl%E2%80%9C\">Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad.<\/a><br \/>\nFollow her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faithandbioethics.com\/%E2%80%9C\">Faith + Bioethics newsletter <\/a><br \/>\nto receive the latest updates on medical research, technology, and culture.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On June 1, the Ohio House of Representatives followed Arkansas\u2019s lead in passing a bill that blocks medical gender transition for minors, protects parental rights, and prevents biological males from<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":913,"featured_media":1898334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"\u2018Gender Affirmation\u2019 For Minors Is Child Abuse, Not Treatment","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1508596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"\u2018Gender Affirmation\u2019 For Minors Is Child Abuse, Not Treatment","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1508596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/913"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1508596"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1508596\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1898334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1508596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1508596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1508596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}