American College of Pediatricians issues fiery statement condemning child gender transition
Fox News
A coalition of pediatricians and conservative organizations is urging American medical professionals to stop promoting gender-affirming care for transgender youth.
"As physicians, together with nurses, psychotherapists and behavioral health clinicians, other health professionals, scientists, researchers, and public health and policy professionals, we have serious concerns about the physical and mental health effects of the current protocols promoted for the care of children and adolescents in the United States who express discomfort with their biological sex," the declaration states. Chris Pandolfo is a writer for Fox News Digital. Send tips to chris.pandolfo@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @ChrisCPandolfo.
Affirming that sex is a biological characteristic and that medical decisions "should not be based upon an individual's thoughts and feelings," including their self-professed "gender identity," the groups assert that what is currently accepted as best practice treatments for gender dysphoria is actually harmful for patients. Their view is disputed by the larger medical community, which has established that gender is a social construct, not an inborn biological realty, and that validation and affirmation of a person's internal self-identity are in their best interest.