I have retired but having worked in academic children's hospitals my whole career over 40 years, I have lamented how woke these institutions and their leaders have become. Pediatrics has celebrated the specialty of adolescent medicine and have often elevated the independence of the adolescent over against the parents, especially in sexu…
I have retired but having worked in academic children's hospitals my whole career over 40 years, I have lamented how woke these institutions and their leaders have become. Pediatrics has celebrated the specialty of adolescent medicine and have often elevated the independence of the adolescent over against the parents, especially in sexual matters with a little help from progressive judges. I think that this is how the thinking goes: this sincere 12 year old patient with female organs confesses to the physician (often with the parents outside the exam room) that she/he really feels that a masculine identity is the true identity. The pediatrician immediately affirms the sincerity and the distress of the young person (good) and indicates that as physician, the pediatrician will play the role of advocate for the child. The gender clinic has a policy of affirmation and psychological support (good) for such patients. Now the clinic has an array of medical, surgical and psychological support for this young patient. Patient, non-judgmental listening with no affirmation of any "permanent" gender decision is NOT offered. The entire agenda, per American Academy of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology Society, is to affirm the young child's initial feelings and she/he enters a curriculum, the goal of which is full transition to the CHOSEN gender identity. It is all sincere and has the aroma and feel of a courageous act by troubled patient and heroic pediatricians over against the harsh, judgmental perspectives of the corrupt paternalistic, counter-revolutionary establishment. This approach ignores the anecdotes and data that shows a health percentage of these 12 year olds will regret their "decision" and eventually detransition. The mushrooming of these numbers out of proportion to historic incidence in the midst of a troubled era of mental health for young people should have led wise pediatricians to take a much less intrusive and affirming role.
I have retired but having worked in academic children's hospitals my whole career over 40 years, I have lamented how woke these institutions and their leaders have become. Pediatrics has celebrated the specialty of adolescent medicine and have often elevated the independence of the adolescent over against the parents, especially in sexual matters with a little help from progressive judges. I think that this is how the thinking goes: this sincere 12 year old patient with female organs confesses to the physician (often with the parents outside the exam room) that she/he really feels that a masculine identity is the true identity. The pediatrician immediately affirms the sincerity and the distress of the young person (good) and indicates that as physician, the pediatrician will play the role of advocate for the child. The gender clinic has a policy of affirmation and psychological support (good) for such patients. Now the clinic has an array of medical, surgical and psychological support for this young patient. Patient, non-judgmental listening with no affirmation of any "permanent" gender decision is NOT offered. The entire agenda, per American Academy of Pediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology Society, is to affirm the young child's initial feelings and she/he enters a curriculum, the goal of which is full transition to the CHOSEN gender identity. It is all sincere and has the aroma and feel of a courageous act by troubled patient and heroic pediatricians over against the harsh, judgmental perspectives of the corrupt paternalistic, counter-revolutionary establishment. This approach ignores the anecdotes and data that shows a health percentage of these 12 year olds will regret their "decision" and eventually detransition. The mushrooming of these numbers out of proportion to historic incidence in the midst of a troubled era of mental health for young people should have led wise pediatricians to take a much less intrusive and affirming role.