{"id":2377357,"date":"2024-12-06T18:52:53","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T23:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/transgender-youth-doctor-faces-historic-lawsuit-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-12-06T18:56:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T23:56:06","slug":"transgender-youth-doctor-faces-historic-lawsuit-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/transgender-youth-doctor-faces-historic-lawsuit-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Transgender youth doctor faces historic lawsuit &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"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%2Ftransgender-youth-doctor-faces-historic-lawsuit-washington-examiner%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=2377357&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--><p>Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, a\u2063 prominent advocate for transgender medical treatments for\u200c minors, is facing a historic lawsuit filed by Clementine Breen, a 20-year-old from California\u200b who alleges that she suffered permanent harm from\u200d medical \u2062procedures initiated when she was only 12 years old. Breen underwent puberty blockers, testosterone therapy, and a double mastectomy before detransitioning around the age of 17. The lawsuit raises ethical concerns about the lack of thorough psychological evaluations for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-regurgitates-lies-about-trans-surgeries-at-scotus\/\" title=\"Biden Admin Regurgitates Lies About Trans Surgeries At SCOTUS\">minors seeking gender transition<\/a> and may have critically important implications\u2063 for medical \u2064practices \u2064in this \u2063area.<\/p>\n<p>Breen claims that\u200b Olson-Kennedy pressured her parents into consenting to\u200d these treatments, warning \u200dof suicidal risks\u200b that Breen disputes having ever\u2062 expressed. The\u2062 lawsuit highlights allegations of rushed treatment, \u2062asserting Olson-Kennedy \u2062misrepresented Breen&#8217;s history and failed to ensure adequate evaluation of her mental health \u2063before proceeding with medical interventions. Breen&#8217;s case reflects a broader debate about\u200d the appropriate medical care for \u2064transgender youth, as it comes amid discussions on regulatory measures and\u2062 the ethical implications of such treatments.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit has \u2063generated reactions from both detransition activists, who view it as a turning point in advocating for more cautious approaches to \u2064<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/60-minutes-runs-explosive-segment-featuring-young-transgender-individuals-who-decided-to-reverse-course\/\" title=\"60 Minutes Runs Explosive Segment Featuring Young Transgender Individuals Who Decided To Reverse Course\">treating transgender youth<\/a>, and supporters of transgender rights, who defend the medical standards and\u2063 practices promoted by\u200c Olson-Kennedy and similar practitioners.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Transgender youth doctor faces historic lawsuit: &lsquo;Damage has been done&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1905402\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Dr. Johanna Olson-Kennedy, a leading figure in the field of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/transgender\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">transgender<\/a> procedures for minors, is facing a landmark lawsuit filed by a female detransitioner who says she has been permanently harmed by treatment given to her before she even became a teenager.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The patient suing is Clementine Breen, a 20-year-old biological woman from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">California<\/a> who began intensive procedures aimed at helping her identify as a boy starting from the age of 12. Breen says she began to cease her testosterone treatment around the age of 17 and now claims that rushed medical interventions under Olson-Kennedy&rsquo;s advice caused irreversible harm.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&#129525; The public has actually already received a preview of Ms. Breen&rsquo;s story. The Canadian anti-gender-transition-treatment activist known as <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BillboardChris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@BillboardChris<\/a> posted a video on X on Oct. 22 documenting a candid recent exchange between the two of them on the UCLA campus.&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/nXxkL9ny6I\">pic.twitter.com\/nXxkL9ny6I<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Benjamin Ryan (@benryanwriter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/benryanwriter\/status\/1865066884263014833?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 6, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;She was a vulnerable child suffering from untreated PTSD from traumatic events in her childhood,&rdquo; her lawyers filed in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scribd.com\/document\/801601660\/Johanna-Olson-Kennedy-lawsuit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">29-page complaint<\/a> at the Los Angeles County Superior Court. &ldquo;Consequently, she detransitioned and no longer identifies as a male. But the damage has been done, and it is profound.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit, filed Thursday, raises questions about the ethics of transitioning minors without comprehensive psychological evaluations and could have significant implications for medical practitioners in this field. It also comes on the heels of Supreme Court arguments on Wednesday in <em>United States v. Skrmetti<\/em>, in which the Biden administration sought to preempt Tennessee from barring minors from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/studies-show-alarming-trend-in-heart-disease-for-people-using-transgender-hormones\/\" title=\"Alarming heart disease trend found in transgender hormone users.\">undergoing cross-sex hormone<\/a> and puberty-blocking treatments, as well as surgeries.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Demonstrators against transgender rights protest during a rally on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, as arguments begin in a case regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. (Graeme Jennings \/ Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Allegations of rushed treatment<\/h2>\n<p>Breen alleges that Olson-Kennedy fast-tracked her into medical transition at the age of 12, despite a lack of clarity about her identity. After a brief school counseling session in which Breen expressed confusion about her gender and sexuality, her parents were referred to Olson-Kennedy at Children&rsquo;s Hospital Los Angeles. Within three months, Breen was placed on puberty blockers. By 13, she was prescribed testosterone, and at 14, she underwent a double mastectomy.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit furthers that Olson-Kennedy pressured Breen&rsquo;s parents into consenting by warning them that Breen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3250557\/tennessee-attorney-general-claims-victory-in-admission-of-aclu-lawyer-in-trans-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"might commit suicide\">might die by suicide<\/a> without these interventions. Breen disputes this, stating she had never expressed suicidal ideation.<\/p>\n<p>According to court filings, Olson-Kennedy misrepresented Breen&rsquo;s history, asserting she had identified as transgender &ldquo;since childhood&rdquo; when, in fact, she had only begun exploring her identity a few months earlier.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Her voice has permanently deepened,&rdquo; according to the lawsuit. &ldquo;Her female body did not develop. &hellip; Her fertility is almost certainly destroyed. She would not be able to breastfeed because her healthy breasts were removed when she was only 14.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a short <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/clementine_fb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">statement<\/a> on X, Breen acknowledged, &ldquo;Yes I am suing,&rdquo; noting she could not previously discuss plans for the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>A spokesman for the Children&rsquo;s Hospital Los Angeles said the medical institution has &ldquo;provided high quality, age-appropriate, medically necessary care for more than 30 years,&rdquo; adding that it would not comment on pending litigation or specific current or former patients &ldquo;out of respect&rdquo; for privacy and compliance with state law.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Treatment is patient- and family-centered, following guidelines from professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, and Endocrine Society,&rdquo; said Lorenzo Benet, director of public relations at the hospital.<\/p>\n<p>Breen&rsquo;s suit does not specify the damages she seeks but indicates she is seeking &ldquo;general&rdquo; and &ldquo;special&rdquo; damages related to medical expenses, as well as damages related to past and future &ldquo;pain and suffering&rdquo; and the costs of the litigation.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A controversial figure in the transgender youth advocacy movement<\/h2>\n<p>Olson-Kennedy is one of the most visible advocates for transgender treatments for minors, frequently quoted in the media and praised for her work. However, her approach has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3202646\/house-republicans-probe-suppression-puberty-blocker-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">drawn criticism for eschewing psychological evaluations<\/a>, which she has dismissed as unnecessary &ldquo;gatekeeping.&rdquo; In a 2018 interview, she equated prescribing puberty blockers to insulin, stating, &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t send someone to a therapist when I&rsquo;m going to start them on insulin.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This philosophy came under fire in October when she admitted to withholding results from a $5.7 million National Institutes of Health-funded study on puberty blockers. The study, which began in 2015, aimed to assess the effects of these treatments on minors but reportedly failed to demonstrate significant benefits. &ldquo;I do not want our work to be weaponized,&rdquo; Olson-Kennedy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/10\/23\/science\/puberty-blockers-olson-kennedy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">told<\/a>&nbsp;the<em> New York Times<\/em> in October, defending her decision to withhold the data.<\/p>\n<p>At least six Republican senators this week <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3252049\/senators-demand-answers-regarding-unreleased-taxpayer-funded-study-on-transgender-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">demanded greater transparency<\/a> from the NIH, questioning the ethics of administering experimental treatments to minors and calling for the release of annual progress reports tied to the study.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A broader debate<\/h2>\n<p>Breen&rsquo;s lawsuit marks a significant shift in the conversation surrounding transgender procedures in just the short span of a few years.<\/p>\n<p>Critics of such treatments, including detransition activists such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3250280\/chloe-cole-trump-vance-not-falter-in-protecting-children\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Chloe Cole<\/a>, have hailed the legal action as a turning point. Cole, who also underwent a transition as a minor, celebrated the news on X, writing, &ldquo;Johanna Olson-Kennedy &hellip; will pay for her greed, for the destruction of so many lives.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The face of gender mutilation: <\/p>\n<p>Johanna Olson-Kennedy is being sued by multiple detransitioners right now.<\/p>\n<p>She will pay for her greed, for the destruction of so many lives, and for the body parts that have been taken from so many children. <\/p>\n<p>I cannot wait. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/EFsiOqJaxc\">pic.twitter.com\/EFsiOqJaxc<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Chloe Cole &#11088;&#65039; (@ChoooCole) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChoooCole\/status\/1865085675655114891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 6, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Supporters of transgender treatments, including parents involved in litigation to strike down Tennessee&rsquo;s law, argue that these treatments are critical for the well-being of their children.<\/p>\n<p>Brian Williams, the father of the 16-year-old who sued against Tennessee&rsquo;s law known as Senate Bill 1, argues that other patients who have expressed positive experiences undergoing such treatments should not be preempted from undergoing procedures before the age of 18.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are not expecting everyone to understand everything about our family or the needs of transgender young people like our daughter,&rdquo; Williams said in a statement Wednesday after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case. &ldquo;What we are asking for is for her freedom to be herself without fear.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, the nonprofit group Do No Harm, which raises awareness about the potential harms of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-gov-calls-for-investigations-into-transgender-procedures-on-minors\/\" title=\"Texas Gov Calls For Investigations Into Transgender Procedures On Minors\">gender transition treatments<\/a>, said the lawsuit comes as &ldquo;no surprise.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s no surprise yet another patient is speaking out against the irreparable harm she has caused. Minors struggling with mental health issues need compassionate counseling and support, not mutilation,&rdquo;&nbsp;said Dr. Jared Ross, a board-certified physician and senior fellow at DNH.<\/p>\n<p>The Supreme Court justices did not indicate directly how the justices might rule on the question of whether SB1 violates the 14th Amendment&rsquo;s equal protection clause. But a majority of the high court, which is composed of six Republican-appointed justices, raised questions that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3249659\/supreme-court-skeptical-tennessee-ban-transgender-procedures-minors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">appeared to show a willingness to uphold Tennessee&rsquo;s law.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A decision in the separate Supreme Court case is expected by June 2025, but could come earlier.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Demonstrators against transgender rights protest during a rally on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, outside of the Supreme Court in Washington, as arguments begin in a case regarding a Tennessee law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. (Graeme Jennings \/ Washington Examiner)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implications for medical practice<\/h2>\n<p>The lawsuit could set a precedent for a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">heightened risk medical practitioners face<\/a> if they fail to conduct thorough psychological evaluations before prescribing medical interventions.<\/p>\n<p>Breen&rsquo;s lawyers argue that proper mental healthcare at age 12 could have prevented her transition altogether, a claim that resonates with the growing public scrutiny of transgender procedures for minors.<\/p>\n<p>As the case progresses, it will likely fuel the already contentious debate over the medicalization of gender identity in minors and could shape the future of transgender treatments for minors in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Around 24 states have similar laws to Tennessee&rsquo;s, with the intent to protect children from irreversible treatments that could permanently alter their lives.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>reached out to Olson-Kennedy but did not immediately receive a response.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1905402\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1905402\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Transgender youth doctor sued for alleged harm to patient<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2377358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/120424_SCOTUS_GENDER-4-1024x683.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4606,4585,4019,5513],"class_list":["post-2377357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-healthcare","tag-lawsuit","tag-transgender","tag-youth"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/120424_SCOTUS_GENDER-4-1024x683.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377357","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\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2377357"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377357\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2377361,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2377357\/revisions\/2377361"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2377358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2377357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2377357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2377357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}