The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy group, has claimed responsibility for pressuring the Biden administration into modifying its stance on transgender surgeries for minors.
This comes after the White House was criticized for its initial statement, which was perceived as opposing such procedures.
According to The Blaze, the controversy began when reports emerged that Rachel Levine, the transgender assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, was advocating for the removal of age restrictions on sex change surgeries. The White House responded to these reports with a brief statement, asserting, "The Administration does not support surgery for minors."
However, a subsequent, more detailed statement from the administration indicated support for "gender-affirming care" for minors, including mental health care. "These are deeply personal decisions, and we believe these surgeries should be limited to adults. We continue to support gender-affirming care for minors like mental health care and respect the role of parents, families, and doctors in these decisions," the statement read.
This stance was met with immediate backlash from transgender activists, who accused the Biden administration of failing to support a key policy of the LGBTQ+ movement. HRC president Kelley Robinson was particularly vocal, stating, The Biden administration is flat wrong on this. Its wrong on the science and wrong on the substance. Its also inconsistent with other steps the administration has taken to support transgender youth.
In response to the mounting pressure, the administration issued a clarification, as reported by transgender activist Erin Reed. The revised statement reiterated the administration's belief that such surgeries should be limited to adults but emphasized its support for a "continuum of care" for minors, rather than just mental health care.
The HRC has since taken credit for this change, with Robinson declaring in an email, "This is progress, but need to keep pushing. Pressure is working. This would not have happened without all of us." However, Reed argued that the revised statement still falls short, warning that it could lead Democrats in swing states to target transgender care.
Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas seized upon the controversy, calling for Democrats to clarify their position on the contentious issue. "The White House now says they oppose gender transition surgeries on minors. Which is the opposite of what their Administration has been doing. Its time to put Democrats on the record. Theyre supporting pseudoscience and now even their own Administration is backing away. We have to debate this on the House Floor so that America knows if their member of Congress supports child mutilation," said Crenshaw.
Crenshaw, who has already passed legislation prohibiting funding to childrens hospitals that perform gender transition procedures on minors, challenged his Democratic colleagues, asking, "What will they do on the House Floor?"
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