RFK Jr. pivots on gender-affirming care for minors, says treatment should be ‘deferred till adulthood’

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be in favor of restricting access to gender-affirming care for transgender minors, saying that treatments including puberty blockers and hormone therapy are only available to people 18 and older. It should be reserved for individuals, it wrote in a social media post.

“The more I learned, the more I became concerned about giving young people substances that inhibit puberty. Minors can’t drive, vote, join the military, get tattoos,… They cannot smoke or drink alcohol because we know that children do not fully understand the lifelong consequences of their decisions,” Kennedy wrote late Monday. In the post of X.

The prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, is not fully formed until an individual reaches their early to mid-20s, the independent presidential candidate said, citing the idea that the area changes. he added. The brain typically plateaus around age 25. Although it varies from person to person, some research suggests that the prefrontal cortex continues to mature until the age of 30.

“I do not believe that children can wholeheartedly consent to the reuse of castration drugs (puberty blockers) or surgical amputations that have permanent and irreversible effects,” Kennedy wrote on Monday. “People with gender dysphoria or who wish to change their gender deserve compassion and respect, but these very serious procedures should be deferred until adulthood. We have to protect our children.”

Gender-affirming healthcare for transgender adults and minors considered safe and medically necessary However, not all transgender people choose to medically transition or have access to care.

Surgery on minors is rare and generally not recommended by standards of care set by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, a nonprofit professional organization. In rare cases, a minor may undergo gender reassignment surgery, but it is usually a double mastectomy, also known as top surgery. Genital surgery is never recommended for minors.

Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has spread medical misinformation, including a conspiracy theory that certain chemicals in drinking water are causing children to identify as gay or transgender. For this purpose, he has frequently taken advantage of the presidential election jackpot. He also suggested the use of drugs known as poppers. contributed to the AIDS epidemic.

President Kennedy told conservative political commentator Patrick Bett-David in December: on his podcast Minors probably should not be able to access gender-affirming care “without their parents’ permission.”

“I don’t know enough about this to say it should be completely illegal,” Kennedy said. “We don’t know enough. We need to see the data before making a decision.”

“My tendency is that it’s not good for anyone,” he said, but added, “In some rare cases it might save someone’s life.”

Kennedy also said in a media interview that he believes parents should have “the final say” on whether their children learn about gender identity in school. He has consistently advocated not allowing transgender women and girls to compete on competitive sports teams.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy campaign asked what new information might have influenced Mr. Kennedy to change his position on access to gender-affirming care for young people, and what new information might have influenced Mr. Kennedy to change his position on access to gender-affirming care for young people, and the He did not immediately respond to questions about whether he currently supports federal restrictions.