On Friday, June 28, the Biden Administration announced that it does not support so-called “gender affirming” surgeries for minors. This is quite a surprising development, given that the administration (especially Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel (Richard) Levine) has been arguing for years that surgeons should be able to operate on healthy children and remove healthy organs. It has consistently argued that it would be immoral to prevent young people from accessing this supposed “care” and manipulated society into believing that if young people cannot have their healthy body parts removed, they will kill themselves. This move comes after it was revealed that Levine pressured the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to eliminate all age limits in its guidelines regarding the administration of all forms of “gender affirming care” for minors.
The U.S. chapter of Women’s Declaration International (WDI USA) welcomes this development, which is consistent with Article IX of the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights concerning the rights of children. However, removing support for this most heinous manifestation of gender identity ideology does not go far enough to protect children, and it may be an empty gesture in any event.
It is WDI USA’s position that not only surgeries, but also puberty blockers and opposite-sex hormones, should be completely banned for minors. These drugs are known to cause permanent medical problems including loss of sexual function, sterility, disease, and premature death. It is especially unconscionable to give these drugs to children, who lack the capacity to consent to their long-term impacts. We explained our position that the provision of puberty blockers and opposite-sex hormones in minors violates international human rights norms in our amicus brief before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in the matter of L.W. v. Skrmetti.
Moreover, the Biden Administration’s recent announcement may be nothing more than an empty shell. As of this writing, the website of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH – Levine’s office) contains a page titled “Adolescent Health”, which includes a document titled “Gender-Affirming Care and Young People.” This document states:
Gender-affirming care is a supportive form of healthcare. It consists of an array of services that may include medical, surgical, mental health, and non-medical services for transgender and nonbinary people. [emphasis added]
For transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents, early gender-affirming care is crucial to overall health and well-being as it allows the child or adolescent to focus on social transitions and can increase their confidence while navigating the healthcare system. [emphasis added]
The document also contains a table listing the various forms of “care,” with the column headings “Affirming Care,” “What is it?” “When is it used?” and “Reversible or not.” The last listed category of “care” is “Gender-Affirming Surgeries.” Under “What is it?” the document states:
“Top” surgery – to create male-typical chest shape or enhance breasts
“Bottom” surgery – surgery on genitals or reproductive organs
Facial feminization or other procedures
By “male-typical chest shape,” it means a double mastectomy.
Under “When is it used?” the document states that such surgeries are “Typically used in adulthood or case-by-case in adolescence.” It acknowledges that the surgeries are not reversible.
The ongoing promotion of this document leads us to conclude that the administration will take no action to actually protect children from these surgeries that are known to cause irreversible harm. In addition,we are disappointed (but not surprised) that the administration still supports the provision of drugs that permanently alter children’s healthy bodies.
The group Do No Harm has created a petition calling for the ouster of Assistant Secretary Levine. It states:
Rachel Levine has deliberately endangered America’s children—putting politics ahead of children’s health.
That’s the conclusion of newly unsealed court documents. They show that as one of President Biden’s top health officials, Levine pressured an international organization [WPATH] to drop age restrictions for transgender medical treatments. The group opened the door to invasive, irreversible, and harmful surgeries and drugs for the youngest children.
We agree with this petition and urge Declaration signatories to sign it.
This man is quilty of crimes against humanity! A dirty old man destrying children’s health and lifes to justify his own fetish meaning something other than sexual paraphilia. It doesn’t. He’s a man with autogynephilia and needs to be kept away from harming more children!
Watch your ageism, there.
There are plenty of dirty young men out there but somehow their youth is never an issue.
La continua promoción de este documento nos lleva a concluir que la administración no tomará ninguna medida para proteger realmente a los niños de estas cirugías que se sabe que causan daños irreversibles. Además, estamos decepcionados (pero no sorprendidos) de que la administración todavía apoye el suministro de medicamentos que alteran permanentemente los cuerpos sanos de los niños.
El grupo Do No Harm ha creado una petición pidiendo la destitución del Secretario Adjunto Levine. En ella se afirma:
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Rachel Levine ha puesto deliberadamente en peligro a los niños de Estados Unidos, poniendo la política por delante de la salud de los niños.
Esa es la conclusión de unos documentos judiciales recién revelados . Muestran que, como una de las principales funcionarias de salud del presidente Biden, Levine presionó a una organización internacional [WPATH] para que eliminara las restricciones de edad para los tratamientos médicos para personas transgénero. El grupo abrió la puerta a cirugías y medicamentos invasivos, irreversibles y dañinos para los niños más pequeños.
Estamos de acuerdo con esta petición e instamos a los firmantes de la Declaración a firmarla.
This man is dangerous
Let children have a childhood. Please stop the madness
Admiral Levine is a dangerous and mentally ill man. He is advocating for the sexualization, medicalization and mutilation of children under the guise of “gender affirming care.” He wants to allow life altering, irreversible mutilating surgery for children of any age. It is abhorrent. He needs to go!
He’s gotta go
Levine should resign or be fired. He is unfit to lead.
Get this activist out of government. Signed a Democrat. Also reinstate women’s rights and only women in Title IX.
Rachel Levine has deliberately endangered America’s children—putting politics ahead of children’s health. As one of President Biden’s top health officials, Levine pressured an international organization [WPATH] to drop age restrictions for transgender medical treatments. The group opened the door to invasive, irreversible, and harmful surgeries and drugs for the youngest children. The Biden administration has stated it does not support transgender medical treatments for minors. Therefore, it is necessary to remove Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel (Richard) Levine now.
It is based on this one issue that I will absolutely no longer vote for the democrat party. My family has been impacted by gender ideology- and the Biden administration has handicapped my ability to do anything about it as a parent. You have no idea the distraction you have caused loving families. I hate this administration.
Levine presents a clear and present danger to our children. He needs to go!
Levine should be criminally investigated.
This is an outrage. Levine should resign.
Levine should be fired. If he is not, the claim that Biden admin doesn’t support surgery for minors means nothing
Levine clearly does not have the interests of America’s children at heart. He needs to be replaced. He will be too busy testifying at victims’ trials.
Rachel Levine has promoted untested surgeries on minors who can’t consent. Remove him from Office
Rachel Levine has deliberately endangered America’s children—putting politics ahead of children’s health.
That’s the conclusion of newly unsealed court documents. They show that as one of President Biden’s top health officials, Levine pressured an international organization [WPATH] to drop age restrictions for transgender medical treatments. The group opened the door to invasive, irreversible, and harmful surgeries and drugs for the youngest children.
We need to end “gender affirming care.” No one can change sex. Let’s make sure Dr. Levine is removed from this office. He is a pure ideologue who cares not about true medicine.
I agree. Biden and Levinevare the tip of a nasty iceberg of men intent on sterilising and sexualising children and young people.
Come to your senses dems before you lose the next election. Enough with gender bs and the erasure of women! FIRE THAT MAN LEVINE
It’s not okay to medically and surgically alter children for an adult-created make believe gender ideology before they can buy beer or vote. Adult intact males do not belong in shower rooms with our adolescent girls. This damage to kids,. who would most likely have gone on to become gay, lesbian or are autistic or survivors of violence or CSA, all of these child harms need to stop,
Don’t just oust Richard Levine, arrest this dangerous pervert
Richard Rachel Levine’s full-throated support of gender ideology and the “transitioning” of vulnerable children and young adults shows that the Assistant Secretary for Health is unfit for duty.
Despite voluminous scientific evidence and the unbiased Cass Report, Levine continues to champion medical treatments and surgeries that not only leave patients permanently mutilated, but cause a host of serious health issues, including osteoporosis, early menopause, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and even impaired brain development.
While Europe has put the brakes on blockers and surgeries for minors, Levine continues to promote them, and misleads the public by insisting “gender affirming medicine” is safe.
It is clear that Levine is ideologically captured by a billion dollar movement and industry that places a higher value on profits and pseudoscience than on patients’ health.
Levine must be removed immediately and replaced with a competent professional who will prioritize the safety, science, and health of all Americans.
“However, removing support for this most heinous manifestation of gender identity ideology does not go far enough to protect children, and it may be an empty gesture in any event.”
I’m now leaning toward this as an empty gesture. They still support so-called “gender-affirming” care for minors and, in their words, represent a continuum of care. So, will these children be put on a path to these surgeries once they reach 18?