Commentary

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Subscribes to the “Gender-Affirming Care” Model

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • March 12, 2024

Even as European standards for so-called “gender-affirming care” are revised to follow science-based and common-sense guidelines, the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) is forging ahead with controversial practices for its youngest and most vulnerable patients.

At CHP, a part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) network, children as young as nine years old can seek questionable treatments through the hospital’s Gender and Sexual Development program. The center offers hormone blockers to prevent a child’s natural pubescent process in addition to cross-sex hormones to help a child “transition” to their chosen new gender. A child can also seek mental health counseling through the center that will affirm the child as the opposite gender.

CHP’s Gender and Sexual Development program discloses limited risks for children taking puberty blockers, such as a stalling of cognitive development and reduced bone density. However, many doctors and researchers warn of serious risk for children prescribed these medications, including mood disorders, blood clots, diabetes, cancer, and infertility.

The website for the Gender and Sexual Development program at CHP also offers resources geared towards children who want to learn more about “tucking,” “packing,” and “binding”. These controversial practices assist a trans-identifying child to appear as the opposite gender through the use of devices and techniques that alter the appearance of their chests and genital areas, despite the pain and possible injury associated with these practices. Children are encouraged to explore tucking, packing, and binding and suggestions are offered in these handouts on how to purchase products to help with this process.

Figure 1. “Transgender 101” Glossary of Terms on the UPMC CHP website.

Parental resources on their website warn that misgendering your child can be “dangerous.” Another graphic threatens parents with the possibility of their child experiencing low self-esteem, poor mental health, depression, homelessness, and suicidal ideation/ attempts if they do not support their children by allowing them to transition. According to the CHP, trans regret is a myth and all children should be supported by their parents and medical professional to socially and medically transition to their chosen gender.

Figure 2. From the UPMC CHP parental resources website.

Parents who are seeking resources to help their trans-identifying child must seek assistance through credible sources. Our Parent Resource helps parents learn the facts about gender dysphoria, and how to find evidence-based information to help their children. While instilling fear in parents is a common tactic of activists who support children’s hospitals that offer so-called “gender affirming care,” Do No Harm equips parents with the actual evidence as they navigate the pitfalls and myths associated with gender ideology.