The Biden administration has reiterated its stance on transgender surgeries for minors amid controversy following remarks about opposing genital surgeries for children. This came after activist groups criticised the administration’s stance.
Late last month, federal officials informed The New York Times that the administration opposed transgender surgeries for minors. However, they did not clarify their position on other aspects of gender medicalisation for children, such as puberty blockers and opposite-sex hormones. The officials also did not comment on the scientific research or the involvement of HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine in the push to remove age restrictions on these procedures.
In June, The New York Times reported email excerpts from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) detailing interactions with HHS staff. Levine, who identifies as a woman, was reported to support removing age restrictions on transgender surgeries for minors.
An email from Neera Tanden, director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, obtained by The Advocate, indicated that the administration’s policies on transgender individuals have not changed. Tanden reassured the LGBT group Human Rights Campaign that the administration continues to support transgender surgeries for minors and opposes state and national bans on gender-affirming care.
“We continue to fight state and national bans on gender-affirming care, which represents a continuum of care, and respect the role of parents, families, and doctors — not politicians — in these decisions. Gender-affirming surgeries are typically reserved for adults, and we believe they should be,” Tanden stated. She emphasised that families should have the freedom to make medical decisions, which is why the administration opposes attempts to limit healthcare for transgender individuals through courts or legislation.
Brandon Showalter, a commentator for The Christian Post, criticised the Biden administration’s statements as a “PR clean-up move” following reports of Levine’s opposition to age restrictions. He pointed out that young teenagers have undergone significant surgeries in pursuit of gender transition, which he deems medically unnecessary and potentially one of the worst medical scandals in history.
In a statement on June 28, an HHS spokesperson defended Levine, stating that his opinion that age limits for trans surgeries are unsupported by science or research was shared with staff, adding that such limits could lead to “attacks on the transgender community.”
These discussions come as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to rule on the constitutionality of a Tennessee law prohibiting sex-change surgeries, puberty-blocking drugs, and cross-sex hormones for children, marking the first time the Court will address such laws.