Trump officials have subpoenaed confidential data from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia about children seeking medical treatment for the purpose of disguising their sex. Because Article 9 of the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights protects the rights of children, and because most girls receiving the harmful medical services aimed at disguising sex are lesbians, the WDI USA Lesbian Caucus is concerned with the reasons behind this subpoena.
Women’s Declaration International, including the US chapter, has consistently opposed such medicalization to disguise girls’ sex. The Lesbian Bill Of Rights (LBOR), which we wrote, provides in pertinent parts:
WHEREAS, lesbians have historically been specifically targeted for so-called “conversion therapy” and other abuse by the institutions of psychotherapy and religion . . . therefore be it . . . RESOLVED, that lesbians have the right to be free from conversion therapy . . . .
We consider that medical personnel who attempt to disguise the sex of lesbians are also performing ‘conversion therapy’ by convincing them that they can become heterosexual men. Because WDI is politically nonpartisan, we have sometimes collaborated with Republicans to end these harmful medical practices, albeit for different reasons. This subpoena highlights our differing agendas in this area.
The demand from the Trump administration for sensitive personal data, including data unrelated to the medical procedures, is concerning. These are children who have already been targeted by proponents of gender identity ideology, and they are not well served by further political targeting. Going forward, they should be left in peace to develop as normally as possible.
We are also concerned about the disclosure of their personal medical information. Any necessary investigations into the industry that medicalizes children to disguise their sex can be accomplished by investigating the actions of medical personnel and opening the floor to voluntary testimony from those who wish to give it; there is no shortage of such past and present patients.
If the administration wants to help these children, we suggest funding research on restorative care for detransitioned children harmed by gender procedures — something that so-called gender clinics have so far refused to do voluntarily.
But we cannot see any utility in government tracking them unless it is to continue interfering with their normal development, most likely into lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults. And that would constitute ‘conversion therapy.’ These past and present patients should be permitted to develop without political pressure from either the “trans” lobby or the Republican administration.
The Lesbian Caucus
Lauren Levey, coordinator
KC Bianco
Mary Ellen Kelleher
Katherine Kinney
