Twenty state AGs challenge gender dysphoria guidance and methodology

(The Center Square) — Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill joined a 20-state coalition to question the American Academy of Pediatrics practices with child gender dysphoria.

In a letter, originally written by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, the AGs put the organization on notice for possible violations of state consumer protection statutes over its standards on gender dysphoria care for minors.

“It is shameful the most basic tenet of medicine – do no harm – has been abandoned by professional associations when politically pressured,” Labrador said in a news release. “These organizations are sacrificing the health and well-being of children with medically unproven treatments that leave a wake of permanent damage.

“Children with gender dysphoria need and deserve love, support, and medical care rooted in biological reality. Parents should be able to trust that a doctor’s medical guidance isn’t just the latest talking point from a dangerous and discredited activist agenda.”

The attorneys general believe the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidance is based more on political pressure and agendas rather than medical efficacy and sound medical judgement.

As a result, the letter requests detailed evidence from American Academy of Pediatrics for substantiated evidence as to why it continues to recommend puberty blockers for gender dysphoria-diagnosed youth despite widespread repudiations of the practice.

The organization claims that the use of puberty blockers on children is safe and reversible, which the letter also rejects. If this assertion is not grounded in evidence it may be a violation of consumer protection laws in most states.

Murrill had her own words on why she backed this letter.

“Child mutilation is barbaric – it’s against Louisiana law, science, and common sense,” Murrill said in a news release. “It is abusive to experiment on a child with biologically altering drugs that have an unknown physiological trajectory and end point. Pediatricians should protect children from this abuse, not commit them to a lifetime of it.”

The letter says, “When used to suppress hormones below normal ranges during or before puberty, puberty blockers: may interfere with neurocognitive development; compromise bone density and may negatively affect metabolic health and weight; and block normal pubertal experience and experimentation.”

It went on to say when puberty blockers are followed directly by cross-sex hormone use, infertility and sterility is a known consequence, at least for those who began puberty blockers in early puberty.

They also said the majority of children initially diagnosed with gender dysphoria desist and “grow out” of the condition by the time they are adolescents or adults.

The other state attorneys generals joining Louisiana and Idaho in this letter are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Arizona.

By Jacob Mathews | The Center Square