Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report titled “Treatment for Pediatric Gender Dysphoria: Review of Evidence and Best Practices.” At best, it is an opinion piece cosplaying as research. At worst, it poses significant risks to the health and rights of transgender youth.
HHS engages in buzzword laundering, promoting harmful conversion therapy – which they now call “gender exploratory therapy” – as an alternative to established gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The agency also declined to name the authors, making it clear that peer-reviewed research wasn’t the only thing they buried.
The 409 pages of selective statistics and moral panic dressed as medicine has already drawn significant criticism from medical experts, who argue that it misrepresents scientific evidence and undermines the health and rights of transgender minors.
Misrepresentation of Medical Consensus
The HHS report challenges the efficacy of gender-affirming treatments, labeling them as “experimental” and lacking sufficient evidence. This stance contradicts the positions of major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, which support gender-affirming care as evidence-based and essential for the well-being of transgender youth.
Potential Harm to Transgender Youth
The report’s recommendations will increase mental health risks among transgender youth, including higher rates of depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. By promoting therapies aimed at altering a young person’s gender identity, the report contributes to environments that invalidate and stigmatize transgender individuals, exacerbating feelings of isolation and distress.
Lack of Transparency and Expertise
The report was introduced by NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who lacks a background in transgender healthcare. Furthermore, the authors of the report remain confidential, raising concerns about the transparency and credibility of the findings. The report also fails to provide clinical guidance or policy recommendations, limiting its practical utility for healthcare providers.
“Exploratory Therapy”
Major medical organizations have condemned conversion therapy practices, which the report’s promoted “gender exploratory therapy” closely resembles. Eight years ago, Connecticut’s legislature – with broad bipartisan support – recognized the harm done by this practice and banned it. Transgender youth participate in counseling as part of a thorough, evidence-based process of evaluation and care as required by established medical standards. Conversion therapy, on the other hand, is not therapy at all. It isolates young people, inflicts harm, blames parents, and fractures families through shame and rejection. Conversion therapy was used for years against gay youth—and now, the same playbook is targeting transgender youth and their families.
Promoting this over established, evidence-based gender-affirming care poses significant risks to the health and rights of transgender youth. By disregarding the consensus of medical experts and advocating for practices akin to conversion therapy, the report undermines efforts to provide compassionate and effective care for transgender individuals. It is imperative that healthcare policies be informed by rigorous scientific evidence and the lived experiences of those they affect.
The report is inspired by and draws from the Cass Review, which has been discredited by legitimate medical professionals and associations.
GLAAD published a list of statements by professional medical organizations in support of healthcare for transgender people.