Times Examiner Facebook Logo

Friday, October 4, 2024 - 07:17 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Transgender Treatments on Kids

As Halloween lurks around the corner, the federal government has an agenda that is straight out of a horror movie. The Biden administration is pushing Dr. Frankenstein-like experiments on our children that are reminiscent of the junk science of lobotomies. Unfortunately, the children who are coerced into these procedures won’t be able to take off the costume when they wake up from this nightmare. These treatments have damaging life-long effects that are largely irreversible.

The federal government’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced new insurance benefits should raise eyebrows. Federal employees who carry coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) will have expanded options for what they call “gender-affirming care” — a term in liberal-speak that means only affirming the misguided belief that one can change one’s biological sex. OPM has required that these plans not exclude any treatments for gender dysphoria, i.e. puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and radical surgeries. Our taxpayer money is being used to pressure individuals to destroy their bodies or their children’s bodies under the false claim that it is “healthcare”.

OPM is clearly ignoring the science. The National Institutes for Health has spent nearly $17 million to study the effects of hormone therapies and puberty blockers on children and adults. The studies have highlighted the fact that the effects of these procedures are far from benign. Some studies show negative effects on the vascular system and insulin resistance. Doctors have seen an increase in mental health issues, blood clots, cardiovascular disease, and strokes. Additionally, these hormone treatments significantly weaken the immune system specifically against sexually transmitted diseases. Transgender women are 49 times more likely to contract HIV. One study found that the effects of testosterone therapy on the reproductive system are only partially reversible — rendering most individuals who undergo this treatment sterile.  

To make matters worse, California is enticing children to run away from their home states to receive “affirmation”, transgender surgeries and hormone treatments in the Sunshine State. Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 107 which California to become a “Sanctuary State” for children from across the nation who desire sex change treatments. While Gov. Newsom is trying to message the bill as a “parental rights” initiative, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Alliance Defending Freedom’s Emilie Kao points out the lie by saying:

With this law, California is basically saying it can take temporary emergency jurisdiction over any child from anywhere if there’s a disagreement between a parent and the state of California over how to treat a child’s gender distress.

So it gives an incentive to bad actors, bad parents and ill-meaning relatives to take a child away from the custodial parents to California. It also creates a very dangerous incentive for children to run away from their homes and other states if they have a disagreement with their parents over the issue of gender distress.

Other states are taking the opposite approach and are attempting to protect children. This spring, Alabama passed the Vulnerable Child and Compassion Act (VCAP) which bans medical professionals from using puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and gender mutilation surgeries on children. Almost immediately, pro-trans activists sued the state which resulted in a judge enjoining (temporarily blocking) the ban on “transitioning medications” but allowing the ban on surgeries to go into effect. Because Eagle Forum of Alabama was a vocal advocate for the passage of this bill, the Department of Justice placed them in their crosshairs. The DOJ issued a subpoena to the organization seeking all materials related to the bill over a five-year period. This was blatant harassment. Fortunately, last week, a federal judge quashed the DOJ’s subpoena handing a victory to Alabama Eagle Forum. Judge Liles Burke smacked down the DOJ’s efforts by saying:

Administrations change every four years, or at least every eight. Is the new standard going to be that these kind of subpoenas go out in legislation to any advocacy organization, and they want emails to their members, they want social media posts, they want things that the group just considered in their advocacy?…Is that where you think the Department of Justice thinks we need to go in this country? Because I promise you this, at some point this will be aimed at the Southern Poverty Law [Center] and the ACLU, and their efforts, as well. Is this where we need to go?

The Left’s push for transgender policies is far from compassionate. They have bullied individuals, parents, organizations, and government entities who oppose this barbaric agenda. Minors are not mature enough to consent to these procedures and parents are grossly misinformed about the serious harms involved. We must continue to protect children around the nation by advocating for strong legislation like Alabama’s VCAP bill, educating parents, and electing officials who will fight against the evils of this agenda. You can find more information on our website.