A leading pediatrician has raised concerns that transgender ideology is seriously harming children.
In an op-ed at The Daily Signal, Michelle Cretella, M.D., the President of the American College of Pediatricians, writes that although it is an unpopular view, she believes acceptance of fluid gender identity, especially for children, is actually harmful to their wellbeing.
Cretella especially expressed concern over pediatric “gender clinics,” which are “centers for affirming children who are distressed by their biological sex” and suffer from “gender dysphoria.”
These clinics instruct parents to treat a child as the gender they desire to be and to put them on puberty blockers. If the child continues to insist on identifying with a gender that doesn’t correspond to their biology, parents are instructed to place the child on cross-sex hormones at the age of 16.
Although transgender ideology is becoming more accepted in our society, Cretella sees serious flaws.
She goes on to list and describe eight specific dangers to this ideology in regard to children.
She cites studies that document how many children experience confusion over their biological sex, but the vast majority grow out of this phase. She also notes that puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria have not been proven safe and that if they are given to children at such a young age as 11 or 12, this will likely determine the course of the rest of the child’s life.
To read Cretella’s other points and entire argument, click here.
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Publication date: July 6, 2017
