Detransitioners Lead Fight Against Youth Surgeries

Piron Guillaume, Unsplash

A significant shift is happening in the medical and legal fields concerning gender transition procedures for children and teenagers. Major medical groups are changing their positions, and individuals who regret their transitions are winning important legal battles. This movement is forcing a national conversation about the well-being of our children and the irreversible nature of these medical interventions.

For years, the conversation has been dominated by a single narrative, but now, a change is underway as more people speak out. Dr. Richard Bosshardt, a senior fellow at Do No Harm, believes that the more than two dozen pending lawsuits from detransitioners have a strong chance of success. He predicts a wave of judgments favoring those who were harmed by these procedures, citing poor informed consent as a major issue.

Many of these young people had serious underlying mental and emotional health problems that were not properly addressed. Instead, they were led to believe that changing their gender would solve their issues. This approach fails to provide true healing and wholeness, pushing vulnerable children toward life-altering surgeries without considering the deeper spiritual and psychological needs they have.

The argument that these surgeries are necessary to prevent suicide is also being challenged. During a recent detransitioner trial in New York, a president-elect of WPATH testified that these procedures are not a form of suicide prevention. This admission is critical, as many parents have felt pressured into consenting to these treatments for their children with the false choice of having “a dead daughter or a live son.”

Medical Organizations Re-evaluate Their Stance

This growing wave of concern is causing major medical organizations to reconsider their previous endorsements of so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) recently made a groundbreaking announcement. It became the first major U.S. medical association to formally oppose such procedures for patients under 19.

In a position statement sent to its members, the ASPS advised surgeons to delay gender-related surgeries on the chest, genitals, and face until a patient is an adult. The organization cited the lack of long-term evidence and the irreversible nature of the surgeries as reasons for this cautious approach. The guidance acknowledges that for many young people, feelings of gender confusion resolve on their own without medical intervention.

The Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services praised the move, with officials stating that the ASPS was helping to protect children from irreversible harm. Similarly, the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest medical group, now states that the evidence for these surgeries in minors is insufficient and agrees that they should generally be deferred until adulthood. This marks a significant retreat from their previous positions and signals that the tide is turning toward protecting our children.

However, not all medical groups are following this trend. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has doubled down on its support for these procedures. The AAP continues to claim that puberty blockers are “reversible” and that cross-sex hormones are “partially reversible,” despite growing evidence to the contrary. Their stance puts them at odds with other major medical bodies and the clear direction of the evidence.

Legal Victories and the Call for Accountability

The legal system is also responding to the voices of those who have been harmed. The first detransitioner case to go to trial resulted in a $2 million judgment for Fox Varian, a young woman who had her healthy breasts removed at the age of 16. This landmark verdict sends a powerful message to the medical professionals and institutions that perform these procedures.

Activist Chloe Cole, another well-known detransitioner, is suing Kaiser Permanente for the procedures she underwent starting at just 13 years old. These cases are bringing much-needed accountability to a field that has often operated without sufficient oversight. They highlight the failure of medical professionals to provide ethical care that prioritizes the long-term well-being of young patients.

These legal and medical shifts are not just about policy; they are about protecting the most vulnerable among us. Children are a gift from God, and we have a responsibility to safeguard their innocence and guide them with truth and love. The push for irreversible surgeries on minors is a direct assault on the family and the created order of male and female.

As believers, we must stand for truth in a culture that is increasingly confused. Your voice is needed to defend the hearts, minds, and bodies of our children. We must continue to pray and act to ensure that our laws and medical practices reflect a commitment to protecting life and upholding the sanctity of the family. The future of our nation depends on our courage to speak out against this “darkest period of our medical history.”

Contacting your representatives should be easy, but there are myriad ways they can ignore your messages. That’s where we come in. 

Yes, Million Voices helps you with voter guides. Yes, we send letters from YOU directly to your elected officials because it’s the only way to guarantee they’ll listen to you. Yes, we publish data, articles, text messages, and help bridge the gap between education and civic action. But what do you want? Tell us today.

We want to make YOU the hero of our American story by giving you the tools you need to make a difference, from your local, state, all the way up to the federal level.

Join us in our mission to advocate for religious freedom, support fair and secure elections, and uphold the values that this great nation was built upon. Tell us what you want from the next four years, and we will fight to make it a reality … again!