Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine has been called “reprehensible” for proudly announcing that “gender-affirming” treatment of transgender kids is supported “at the highest levels” of President Biden’s administration.
Levine, the highest-ranking transgender official in US history, made the claim at a talk in Connecticut last month when asked about criticism of health centers treating children with the likes of puberty blockers and hormones.
She maintained the attacks are “ideologically and politically motivated,” calling them “unconscionable.”
“I can say that the children, their families and you all as their providers have support at the highest levels of the federal government,” Levine told the Pediatric Grand Rounds session in Hartford.
“President Biden supports you … Vice President Harris supports you. Across the administration, the departments support you,” she said, saying that she talks “about this topic everywhere I go.”
Levine maintained that treatments like hormone and puberty blockers are “medically necessary, safe and effective” and crucial for trans youth suffering depression and “attempting suicide at an alarming rate.”
“It is the bullying, harassment, discrimination of transgender youth that leads to these conditions” whereas those who get support “actually have excellent mental health outcomes,” she maintained.
Levine blamed the “bullying, harassment, discrimination” of trans kids for “alarming” suicide rates.
AP
“Gender-affirming care is medical care. Gender-affirming care is mental health care. And literally, gender-affirming care is suicide prevention care,” Levine said, vowing to “try everything we can legally” to block states from implementing laws blocking treatments.
“But I am positive and optimistic and hopeful that the wheel will turn” and “this issue won’t be as politically and socially such a minefield,” she said.
Levine stated: “President Biden supports you … Vice President Harris supports you.”
However, her newly unearthed comments faced fierce pushback.
Rep. Andy Harris, a physician and member of the House Doctors Caucus, told Fox News that it is “reprehensible for a government official — let alone the Assistant US Secretary of HHS — to promote the genital mutilation of minors as becoming a standard practice.”
“Many pediatricians … have expressed serious concerns about the use of puberty blockers, hormone blockers, and sex transition surgeries in minors.
Levine was ripped for her comments, with critics saying the treatments are harming children.
“These doctors know that these medications and procedures can impact children’s bone growth, fertility, and risk of breast and prostate cancer.
“Meanwhile, HHS has pressured providers to provide this care or else face discrimination lawsuits. We must protect our children,” said Harris, stating he was “proud” to co-sponsor the ‘Protect Children’s Innocence Act’ which would prohibit such treatments.
Other experts challenged Levine’s hope that the US would soon come to support the treatments.
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb of the Do No Harm organization — a body of medical professionals combating “woke” activism in healthcare — also told Fox News that Levine’s claims that such treatment will soon be fully embraced “is wrong and must be countered.”
“There is no good evidence that children treated with gender-altering hormones or puberty blockers have improved mental health assessments,” Goldfarb said.
“There can be irrevocable harm being done to children by those pushing for these radical, ideologically driven, treatments. Treatment for minors needs to be based on rigorous scientific inquiry, not on dubious, agenda-driven studies or the demands of activists.”
As Levine stated, Biden supports such treatments — calling Florida’s push to ban them “close to sinful.”
“It’s just terrible what they’re doing,” Biden told The Daily Show.
“It’s not like, you know, a kid wakes up one morning and says, you know, I decided I wanted to become a man, or I want to become a woman …. I mean, what are they thinking about here?
“It’s cruel,” he said.
* Article from: The New York Post
