Commentary
Do No Harm Submits FTC Comment Debunking Myths of Child Transgender Industry
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This month, Do No Harm submitted a comment to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) debunking several myths promoted by the child transgender industry.
The FTC had requested comments on how the child transgender industry’s practices harmed Americans, such as through a medical professional making false claims or failing to disclose the risks of sex change interventions.
The request followed a workshop hosted by the FTC in which multiple experts, including Do No Harm fellows, highlighted the misleading and deceptive practices employed by the child transgender industry.
Do No Harm’s comment takes on several of the most pervasive and pernicious myths employed by gender ideologues.
First, the comment explains how the myth that sex change interventions reduce the risk of suicide is completely unsupported by evidence.
“This emotional blackmail is completely unsupported by the evidence,” the comment states. “As admitted by a researcher for WPATH (one of the organizations that signed on to the previously cited amicus brief): ‘There is insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion about the effect of hormone therapy on death by suicide among transgender people.’”
Next, the comment debunks the notion that child sex change interventions are safe and effective, pointing to ample evidence, such as the Cass Review and other comprehensive reports, finding the opposite.
“All systematic reviews performed on this topic have concluded that the evidence underlying medical interventions for gender dysphoria in minors is weak; zero have come out the other way,” the comment notes.
The comment then points out that claims of puberty blockers being “reversible” is likewise a myth as “the effect of pubertal suppression on neurodevelopment is wholly unknown.” Finally, the comment debunks the claim that the rate of “regret” for minors who have undergone pediatric medical transition is low, pointing both to the paucity of evidence on the topic as well as studies that have found the rate to be significant.
