The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has become the first major US medical association to publicly announce that it "has not endorsed any organization’s practice recommendations for the treatment of adolescents with gender dysphoria."
The 11K-member ASPS, representing about 90% of the field in the US and Canada, has now gone against the pro-medical treatment stance of other major medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Medical Association (AMA).
It's vital that prominent groups such as the ASPS confront the experimental transgender youth medical industry. The so-called doctors behind this movement take perfectly healthy children, some as young as six and often with autism or other mental issues, and perform risky and irreversible procedures without exploring alternative routes. Doctors and ordinary individuals alike must take a stand to protect the most vulnerable.
Despite claims from the anti-LGBTQ+ side, liberal-minded people are following the science on this issue as much as anyone. As more evidence emerges, public officials have decided to delay surgeries for minors while retaining their right to transition through other means. Such medical procedures are also very rare, which is why we shouldn't allow this debate to blur the lines between surgery and the myriad of other gender-affirming treatments.
While it's true that gender-affirming surgery for minors is rare, that doesn't mean it should be banned. This is a highly complex issue with unique circumstances affecting each case, which is why each treatment plan must be made on a case-by-case basis. Most nationally recognized medical associations still support all gender-affirming treatment, and they shouldn't cower in the face of right-wing attacks.