On Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services released a troubling report titled “Wolves in White Coats.” It detailed three unsettling stories of minors who reportedly fell victim to opportunistic hospitals and medical professionals who encouraged them to pursue gender treatments.
Here’s a closer look at their experiences.
Clementine Breen
Clementine was just 12, feeling vulnerable about her changing body and dealing with unresolved trauma from past abuse. Looking for an escape, she stumbled upon the concept of gender transition online and thought it might help her navigate the struggles of adolescence.
After confiding in her school guidance counselor, her parents were quickly involved. Soon, they set up a meeting about transitioning, explaining transgender concepts to her classmates, according to the report.
During her first appointment at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the doctors reportedly labeled her “100% transgender” and warned her parents that she was at high risk of suicide without immediate medical action.
Her parents, understandably alarmed, consented to the proposed interventions. Consequently, she began taking puberty blockers a month later, started testosterone at 13, and underwent a double mastectomy at 14.
However, her mental health began to decline, leading to psychotic episodes, insomnia, eating disorders, and intense anger. Strangely, none of her doctors linked her worsening condition to the hormone therapy. Instead, they prescribed various psychiatric medications without much consideration of her overall treatment plan.
It wasn’t until she received comprehensive therapy for her mental health that she recognized her gender confusion was largely connected to her past abuse. At 18, she decided to stop taking testosterone, but by then, her body had suffered significant damage, resulting in irregular cycles and ongoing pain that required estrogen treatments.
While seeking breast reconstruction, she encountered skepticism from medical professionals who questioned her judgment, even though the barriers weren’t as stringent when she sought a mastectomy years earlier. A therapist’s note in her records inaccurately claimed she had experienced gender dysphoria throughout her life.
Now studying theater at UCLA, Clementine feels she’s doing relatively well, though the scars from her past remain. She questioned, “How can a child truly consent when no one ensures they understand the irrevocable consequences of losing the ability to bear children or breastfeed?”
Soren Aldako
Soren also faced confusion about her gender during her teenage years. Like many others, she turned to the internet and found a community that promoted gender transition as a solution to her struggles.
When she finally sought help, her doctor treated her for gender dysphoria, primarily offering testosterone and steering her towards various medical professionals without presenting any alternatives outside the transition model.
After starting testosterone and undergoing a double mastectomy, Soren soon found herself suffering from severe complications post-surgery. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that,” she reflected.
The report notes that despite her worsening situation, her healthcare providers didn’t reevaluate her treatment plan adequately. The post-operative support was nearly nonexistent compared to the robust system that facilitated her transition.
The report highlighted the discrepancies in care, indicating that while Soren faced extensive measures for her transition, there wasn’t an equivalent support system as she tried to step back from that path.
Luke Healy
Luke began delving into anime and fantasy online at the age of 10 but found himself caught up in discussions about transgender issues among adults in online spaces. In just three years, he was convinced he was a girl and talked to his parents about it, prompting them to seek counseling.
As per the report, his parents were among the few who genuinely questioned the roots of his distress. Institutional figures moved quickly to validate his new identity without much inquiry.
Eventually, Luke’s parents refused to allow hormone treatments while he was still a minor, which he later described as one of the bravest decisions they could make.
However, upon turning 18, Luke still felt he was a girl and began transition therapy, starting estrogen and talking to doctors about surgical options. Yet, he gradually realized that the treatments weren’t alleviating his emotional pain.
The report suggested that each medical intervention only intensified the need for further procedures, indicating a troubling escalation model rather than offering genuine solutions.
Luke began to have doubts about the intentions of medical providers, especially when one doctor estimated the costs of facial surgery at around $200,000, likening it to a sales pitch rather than a healthcare consultation.
Rather than continuing down the path of transition, Luke chose to tackle the substance abuse issues he faced, recognizing unsettling similarities between the compulsive nature of his addiction and the patterns he experienced in seeking validation through gender ideology.
