Medical Associations’ Shift on Minor Sex Surgery
This week, two prominent medical organizations, the American Medical Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, acknowledged what many have been voicing for years: gender surgeries for minors should not be viewed as standard medical practice. The ASPS suggested that such procedures should not be performed until a patient turns 19. To me, these revisions in policy feel like a delayed admission—a recognition that comes too late for many, including myself, affected by these decisions in the name of “care.”
Childhood is fleeting and invaluable. Kids are innocent and often unaware of the world’s complexities. We choose our words with care around them, steering clear of topics that might confuse or scare them. We ensure they eat healthily, go to bed at a decent hour, and get to enjoy imaginative play with toys, like Mr. Potato Head.
Yet, for over a decade, we’ve treated our children as if they were customizable toys. I know this because I was once one of those kids.
Calls for Postponement of Minors’ Sex Surgery
As a teenager, I was exposed to transgender ideology, which drove me to make irreversible choices. Medical professionals and activists presented my body as a collection of replaceable parts, which led me to lose a healthy part of myself forever. The most jarring aspect? I believed this because a doctor said it was true.
Many activists and medical personnel exploit the vulnerable beliefs children absorb from video games, social media, and movies—creating a situation where young individuals enter into agreements leading to losses they may not comprehend.
Let’s be clear on this.
Health System Under Scrutiny for Child Gender Surgery
For years, I was told that my emotions stemmed from an identity crisis—not from pain or trauma. I was led to believe that the solution lay in hormones and surgeries, rather than seeking counseling or giving myself time to develop as a young woman. “Change your body,” they said, “and your mind will settle.”
Thousands of young people have started viewing their own bodies as malleable avatars, missing the reality that our bodies are integrated vessels. My mind and body work together, and you can’t simply alter one part without real consequences affecting the entire system.
End of Gender Reassignment Procedures at Children’s National Hospital
Instead of providing healing, my doctors removed healthy bodily functions while chasing unattainable mental health objectives. Merely altering appearance doesn’t resolve inner turmoil, yet I was convinced that losing parts of myself would somehow bring peace. Detransitioning was never a topic of discussion, so I was unaware of the potential regret that lay ahead.
Regret isn’t taken seriously enough. A well-known pediatrician and supporter of these medical interventions remarked that girls who have had mastectomies can “just go get them” back later. This statement blurs reality; implants come with a significant difference and don’t replicate natural functions or sensations. There’s a concerning level of misinformation being spread.
The healthcare system fosters the idea that nothing is lost. But what about the reality I face after having a baby? I now know I can’t breastfeed due to past irreversible surgeries. There’s a lack of warning about other aspects, like vaginal atrophy. It seems there’s a disconnect in acknowledging the repercussions of removing functional body parts.
These activist doctors continue to promote false hope while hiding the long-term outcomes of their practices.
However, change might be on the horizon. Recently, detransitioner Fox Varian was awarded $2 million in a landmark lawsuit against a psychologist and surgeon who misled her regarding surgery on a healthy breast. Experts testified that such surgeries don’t actually lower suicide risks. I resonate deeply with Varian’s experience—it mirrors my own journey of being misled and manipulated in my youth.
True compassion is about honesty. Our bodies are not broken; they aren’t toys we can modify at will. If we genuinely want to protect our children, we need to stop treating them as experiments and recognize that once a childhood is altered, it cannot be returned to its original form.
