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The American Academy of Pediatrics declares that denying gender reassignment procedures to children amounts to "emotional abuse"

The AAP stated that not providing trans treatment to children "negatively affects their mental health and endangers their safety."

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Verónica Silveri Pazos

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published an article stating that " denying gender-affirming care" to minors "is tantamount to medical neglect and emotional abuse."

According to the doctors who wrote the text, Emily Georges, Emily CB Brown and Rachel Silliman Cohen, denying minors these procedures "negatively affects the mental health of TGD children and endangers their safety":

In recent years, we have witnessed a dangerous trend of transphobia and prejudice towards transgender and gender diverse (TGD) children. In 2023 alone, more than 495 anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning bills have been introduced, many of which have become laws. These legislative efforts operate under the guise of protecting children. In reality, they punish caregivers and doctors when they decide to support children. They deny children access to routine health care that has been shown to dramatically reduce the high rates of suicide and depression among TGD youth. They fuel discriminatory rhetoric, which negatively affects the mental health of TGD children and endangers their safety.

These statements have been widely rejected by some health professional organizations. Last year, the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) stated in a press release that "there is no scientifically sound evidence to support transgender interventions in minors" and argued that "existing evidence reveals harms, not benefits, of such interventions."

In the statement, the ACPeds presented the cases of several European countries that have banned surgeries due to the long-term damage they cause. They noted that there is "growing scientific evidence against transgender interventions in minors which has led some countries, including the United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden, to withdraw their support for such interventions."

The AAP and its "systematic review" of gendered treatments for children

However, this is not the first time that the AAP has supported the performance of gender reassignment procedures on minors. In a statement published in August 2023, the academy reported that it would expand its guidelines on gender reassignment treatments for minors due to concerns about "prohibitions on gender-affirming care in more than 20 states." in the nation.

Despite the academy's "systematic review," in the text, the doctors also expressed their support for these interventions continuing to be performed on minors:

The AAP Board of Directors voted to reaffirm the 2018 AAP policy statement on gender-affirming care and authorized expanded guidance for pediatricians based on a systematic review of the evidence.

Mark Del Monte, CEO and executive vice president of AAP, stated:

We will continue to ensure that young people receive the reproductive care and gender affirming treatments they need.

These statements were already rejected at the time by the ACPeds, which declared it was "disappointed" that the AAP reaffirmed its support for gender reassignment procedures in minors:

ACPeds is disappointed that the AAP has reaffirmed its support for transgender interventions in minors.
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