Levine asked doctors if they knew of literature to support the surgery for kids.
QUICK FACTS:
- Assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Rachel Levine was found to have questioned if there was scientific literature supporting “bottom” surgeries for minors in a 2017 email exchange.
- The transgender-identifying health official, nominated by President Joe Biden in early 2021, was looking for justification for the life-altering surgery for children while in his role as part of the state Pennsylvania department of health.
- Emails obtained by activist Megan Brock showed that Levine was told by Dr. Nadia Dowshen of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia that she was “not aware of existing literature.”
LEVINE’S INQUIRY:
- “I know that we had discussed at US PATH the possibility of gender confirmation surgery for young people under 18 years of age. This could include top surgery for trans young men and top and bottom surgery for trans young women,” Levine said in an email to Dowshen dated May 4, 2017. “Is there any literature to support this protocol? Please let me know if you have any references.”
- The doctor replied that she was “not aware of existing literature but it is certainly happening” and went on to say, “I think we’ve had more than 10 patients who have had chest surgery under 18 (as young as 15) and 1 bottom surgery (17). We are trying to work with HUP and Drs Rumer, McGinn to start to try to get some pre-post data for top surgeries for youth under 18. I can also have one of my RAs do a lit search to make sure not missing anything and would be interested if you find anything since a lot of our youth are being denied coverage for top surgery if under 18.”
BACKGROUND:
- The majority of Americans believe that the transgender movement has gone “too far” by targeting minors, a recent poll indicated.
- The state of Arkansas has put into place a law that prohibits, but does not criminalize, conducting transgender procedures on minors, American Faith previously reported.
- “This is about protecting children,” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said. “Nothing about this law prohibits someone after the age of 18 from making this decision. What we’re doing in Arkansas is protecting children from life-altering, permanent decisions.”
- Spain has adopted the most extreme pro-transgender law to date, allowing minors to change their gender without parental consent.
