It looks like money talks when it comes to the ethics of gender affirming "care." A multimillion-dollar lawsuit seems to be what it takes for medical associations to stop endorsing harmful gender procedures.
Last week, a young New York woman who had her healthy breasts amputated in the name of "Gender Affirming Care" was awarded two million dollars because her doctor and psychologist were found to be negligent. This is the first detransitioner to be awarded money for medical malpractice from the gender industry.
While most of the mainstream media remains silent on this case, there is a cheering squad of outspoken "dissidents" for this outcome. Elon Musk, who has a son that identifies as "trans," posted, "There will be thousands of court cases of children who evil doctors, modern day Mengeles mutilated. The schools, psychologists/psychiatrists, and state officials who facilitated this will pay dearly too."
Elon is correct, and up until now, every primary medical and psychological association has made its support for sex-rejecting procedures on minors clear. They have endorsed hormones and surgeries for minors, despite a growing cohort of people who express regret and display medical harm. Groups like the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Endocrine Society, and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) have doubled down on the idea that gender affirming care is lifesaving care. At the same time, the studies they assertively cite to support their position have been quietly redacted. These institutions have created a stranglehold over the subject because they remain the primary drivers of medical and psychological practices.
However, suddenly this week, something changed. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) put out a statement stating that they no longer support gender surgeries on minors. They cite a recent HHS review and the UK CASS review.
The CASS review is the largest systematic review of gender procedures from the former UK gender clinic, Tavistock. It shows that there is no evidence that gender affirmation is helpful for minors with gender distress. The CASS review has existed since April 2024, but has been conveniently ignored by the ASPS and all other medical associations until this week.
A day after the ASPA made its announcement, the AMA president made this statement: "The evidence for gender-affirming surgical intervention in minors is insufficient for us to make a definitive statement …the AMA agrees with ASPS that surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood."
Why ever would these groups make this sudden shift? I'm confused. If it is medically necessary to affirm every child's declared gender identity, as they so firmly claimed all of these years, this is a profound and sudden change. If evidence doesn't support it now, did it ever? Countless doctors, therapists, and other professionals have lost their careers and reputations for speaking out against this. In June 2024, the FBI accosted Dr. Eithan Haim at his home and placed charges on him for calling attention to the Texas Children's Hospital's fraudulent use of medical codes to continue prescribing cross-sex hormones to healthy children.
Even former WPATH president Erica Anderson, a man who identifies as a woman, was forced to step down from his position for questioning these practices. He dared to challenge the high rates of children being medicalized for their gender identities and believed that there should be some safeguarding. For this, Erica was ostracized.
What changed? The flow of money changed. Every child who is put on puberty blockers and given surgery feeds a multi-billion-dollar industry.
Perhaps these so-called "experts" have ignored the real science to keep their cash cow flowing. Now, with this court decision in NY and more lawsuits coming, cash flow is changing, and these medical associations are acting like rats jumping from a sinking ship.
It seems that this New York detransitioner lawsuit represents the beginning of the end. These gender vultures know that their ability to profit from vulnerable children is ending soon. As more of these organizations begin to backtrack their positions and pretend that they just noticed the science changed, we must hold them accountable for the manipulation, lies, and irreparable harm they have inflicted upon thousands of innocent children.
Pamela Garfield-Jaeger is a licensed therapist and author of "A Practical Response to Gender Distress: Tips and Tools for Families", and a charming children's book about self-acceptance called "Froggy Girl". www.thetruthfultherapist.org.
