Advocates of transgender medical interventions euphemistically referred to as “gender-affirming care” often seek to silence critics, rather than engaging in a debate on the science—and one of the authors of the Department of Health and Human Services’ report on the issue says he thinks he knows why.
HHS published a review of the evidence regarding medical transition for minors in May, finding “extremely weak evidence” for any benefits from “gender-affirming care.” HHS sought peer review, submitting its report to medical professionals and pro-transgender health associations. Yet two of the three pro-transgender groups HHS approached refused to engage, and the remaining organization appeared not to have read the full report.
The back-and-forth appears in a supplement to the final review, published Tuesday.