On June 1, the Ohio House of Representatives followed Arkansas’s lead in passing a bill that blocks medical gender transition for minors, protects parental rights, and prevents biological males from competing in women’s sports. While critics of House Bill 454 claim its passage will “threaten” the mental health of Ohio’s youth, there is reason to doubt these “experts” are considering all the facts.
Ohio’s vote preceded the release of the “Let Kids Be Kids” report issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida’s Agency for Healthcare Administration on June 2. The report summarizes the scientific research about the effectiveness of treatment for gender dysphoria in children, or rather, lack thereof, and has been met with heavy criticism from transgender activists who argue the report is motivated by bigotry.
The explosive growth of the population of young people who identify as transgender in recent years is unprecedented, as is the use of “gender affirmation” therapy and gender transition surgery. These continue to be experimental methods for treating a relatively new problem. Advocates of these “treatments” speak adamantly about their necessity, but the fact is that we simply don’t know enough to make those claims just yet. And as a new documentary by political commentator Matt Walsh reveals, dissenting voices are simply being silenced.
Interviewing therapists, academics, and transgender people in pursuit of the elusive answer to the question, “What is a woman?” Walsh uncovers a number of professionals whose objections to the trans party line have resulted in being cut out of the discussion altogether. As the documentary reveals, it is critical that their voices be heard and that the relevant data on the treatment of gender dysphoria come to light. If the facts about these “treatments” remain suppressed, the consequences for the next generation of children could be devastating.
Doctors and therapists often ask parents who object to gender affirmation, “Would you rather have a dead son or a living daughter?” As one interviewee points out, this rhetoric is emotional blackmail. It is also deeply misguided.
In actuality, the suicide risk is exponentially higher for trans people for seven to ten years following surgery – the highest, in fact, of any known group in recorded history. If parents are seeking to improve the mental health of their children, it appears to be imperative that they actively avoid gender transition surgery.