WASHINGTON D.C. — An explosive new report released today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reinforces what Independent Women and countless medical experts and researchers have warned for years: surgical and chemical mutilation—from puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to surgical operations—is dangerous and built on zero long-term evidence. The medicalization of gender-confused children is the largest medical scandal of our time.
Independent Women applauds HHS for producing the most comprehensive federal review to date on the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria and the irreversible damage it does to vulnerable children.
The report, which was released earlier this year in draft form, and has since been peer-reviewed, is a damning indictment of the entire gender medicine industry. It outlines the critical gaps in tracking long-term side effects and harms that puberty blockers, sex-trait modification surgeries, and cross-sex hormones have on children’s bodies. This misconduct has been aided and abetted by the medical establishment, which has profiteered from the mutilation of countless gender-confused children. The report additionally doubles down on the Make America Healthy Again Commission’s findings that overmedicalization of children is having lasting effects on everything from mental health to fertility.
“The emperor of pediatric gender medicine has no clothes, and never did. Thanks to Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, as well as the brave researchers who wrote and contributed to this report, we can now admit that—with peer-reviewed, government-endorsed science on our side,” said Neeraja Deshpande, policy analyst for Independent Women. “Today’s report, in addition to creating a more transparent system, confirms once and for all what never should have been up for debate to begin with: that so-called surgical and chemical body alteration in the name of ‘gender transition’ is a medical danger to children.”
“From a legal perspective, the government has a clear duty to safeguard children from irreversible medical harm, especially when the long-term risks are significantly life-altering,” said Beth Parlato, senior legal advisor for Independent Women. “HHS’s exhaustive, peer-reviewed review exposes the extremely weak foundation for cross-sex interventions, and the refusal of advocates to even defend these practices when given the chance only underscores the legal and scientific indefensibility of subjecting minors to such irreversible procedures.”
LEFT: Prisha Mosley, Independent Women ambassador and detransitioner
RIGHT: Mosley joined by other detransitioners for the FTC workshop, “The Dangers of ‘Gender-Affirming Care’ for Minors”
Prisha Mosely, an Independent Women ambassador and detransitioner, said, “The HHS’s updated report finally validates what my fellow detransitioners and I have been saying for years—we were sold harmful lies in exchange for the permanent mutilation of our healthy bodies. It is encouraging to see HHS acknowledge the long-term damage inflicted by so-called ‘medical professionals’ through chemical and surgical interventions, finally recognizing that these practices constitute medical abuse. It takes detransitioners an average of 5 to 10 years to recognize the long-term damage and harm that has come from a medicalized transition. It is encouraging to see how diligently the Trump administration has worked to uncover the lies and untangle the fraud and deception. I’m hoping that we are united by the fight for justice. I was harmed, and so are many others in my generation. We deserve justice. The butchers need to be held accountable.”
Since 2022, Independent Women’s Features (IW Features), the grassroots storytelling and original journalism arm of Independent Women, has worked to expose the irreversible harm of so-called “gender affirming care” through its “Identity Crisis: Real Stories About Escaping Gender Ideology” series. Reporting from these stories has been used in previous HHS reports.
Today, IW Features released its latest installment in the “Identity Crisis” series, with part two of its documentary on the Amaya Price family. After releasing Simon Amaya Price’s story last month, part two of this exclusive documentary offers the first-hand account of his father, Gareth Amaya Price, regarding the medical, political, and social machinery that tried to funnel his confused teenage son toward hormones and irreversible procedures.
From “top surgery,” nipples peeling off, clitoral growth, trapped milk ducts, and hairy bodies, Identity Crisis documentaries bring to light the graphic stories of young adults now reckoning with the physical and emotional scars of gender ideology:
- Prisha Mosley’s Story Pt. 1 | Mentally Ill Teen Betrayed by Health Professionals Who Recommended Testosterone and ‘Top Surgery’
- Prisha Mosley’s Story Pt. 2 | A Detransitioner’s Pregnancy Journey
- Soren Aldaco’s Story | How One Detransitioner Found Peace Outside of Medicalization
- Claire and Carrie Abernathy’s Story Pt. 1 | Detransitioner and Mother Were Sold the Lie of Gender Transition — Now They’re Exposing the Real Costs
- Luke Healy Was Groomed to Transition. His Mom Refused to Play Along
Direct media inquiries and booking requests to [email protected]
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