Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has expressed her ongoing commitment to addressing the issue of stopping children’s surgeries related to “gender affirmations” on a national scale. She feels quite troubled by these developments.
Pelosi shared her thoughts this week while discussing recent legislative attempts to curtail such procedures, particularly in California. For instance, Kaiser Permanente, a significant healthcare provider in the state, announced that from August 29th, they would cease transgender surgeries for those under 19.
“After extensive discussions with both internal and external experts, including medical professionals, we have reached the difficult decision to suspend surgical treatment for these patients,” the organization noted in a statement. “However, all other forms of gender-affirming care will continue to be available.”
Another major healthcare institution, Stanford Medicine, has also declared it will suspend sex exchange surgeries for patients under 19.
“I am working on this at the national level, and I truly hope we can provide gender-affirming care for transgender youth,” said the 85-year-old representative. She described the situation as “a sad challenge for us.”
“I can’t quite grasp how actions taken in the White House and Congress might create a nationwide impact,” she added.
Pelosi’s concerns about adults in the U.S. attempting to halt children’s surgeries disguised as “gender affirmation” echo sentiments expressed by the Biden administration from 2021 to 2024. President Biden has frequently criticized conservative measures aimed at protecting children from these surgeries, labeling them as “dangerous and hateful.”
Republicans have denounced such restrictions as “immoral.” Meanwhile, Rachel Levine, an official from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who identifies as a transgender woman, has promoted these procedures for minors, predicting a backlash against those who oppose them.
Related Videos – Levine advocates for doctors and pediatricians to adopt a proactive stance on this issue.
During his presidency, Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at safeguarding children from “chemical and surgical amputations” shortly after beginning his second term.
Part of the order stated:
Many children come to regret undergoing surgeries and realize the devastating consequences, such as being unable to conceive or breastfeed. Furthermore, these vulnerable youth may face health complications throughout their lives due to long-term medical issues, often feeling trapped in bodies they struggle to accept.
Thus, it is U.S. policy to refrain from funding or promoting these so-called “transitions” for minors and to enforce laws prohibiting such life-altering procedures.
Pelosi’s comments follow a Supreme Court decision in June that upheld a Tennessee law banning sex change procedures for minors.
