The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report on Friday, coinciding with the “Transgender Day of Visibility.”
HHS titled the report “Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth.”
According to a press release, “The report finds that this crisis is most acute for transgender youth, whose mental health and wellbeing is put at risk by policies that seek to restrict their access to appropriate health care and inclusion at school.”
It continues on to say, “HHS is releasing this report today, on Transgender Day of Visibility, to uplift transgender youth and the parents, teachers and providers who support them.”
The report defends medical interventions aimed at altering a patient’s gender.
The report promotes the affirmative model of care, which allows minors with gender dysphoria to receive puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex-change surgeries like double mastectomies and phalloplasties.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra made the following statement, “On Transgender Day of Visibility, and every day, we celebrate the courage and resilience of transgender people across this country in the face of violence, hatred and bigotry.”
The release of the report coincides with recent efforts by several states to protect minors from irreversible medical interventions that aim to alter their biological sex.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) recently signed two pieces of legislation aimed at protecting minors. One law prohibits the use of sex change operations, cross-sex hormone treatment and puberty blockers on minors. The other law signed by the governor bans drag performances in the presence of children and on public property.
Iowa recently passed a bill preventing doctors from administering gender-affirming care to those under 18, and similar legislation was passed by Kentucky legislators. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (D) initially vetoed the legislation, but the legislature was able to override the veto.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey of Missouri issued an emergency regulation on medical interventions aimed at changing a minor’s sex, including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and sex change operations.
In addition, a hotline was set up for individuals to report instances of “gender-affirming care” being administered to minors in Missouri.
Missouri AG issues emergency regulation, tip line to report transgender procedures on minors: 'Child abuse' https://t.co/UoR7Dka3dh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 26, 2023
