Biden Administration Opposes Gender-Affirming Surgeries for Transgender Kids

The Biden administration has declared its opposition to gender-affirming surgeries for minors. The announcement was made following a New York Times report revealing that the staff of Adm. Rachel Levine, an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), had previously suggested removing age minimums from treatment guidelines for transgender minors as recommended by an influential international health organization.

The draft guidelines proposed ages 14 for hormonal treatments, 15 for mastectomies, 16 for breast augmentation or facial surgeries, and 17 for genital surgeries or hysterectomies. However, the final guidelines released in 2022 removed these age-based recommendations.

A spokesman for HHS highlighted that Adm. Levine believed lowering the age minimums was not scientifically supported and could provoke significant backlash against the transgender community. Despite this statement, federal officials did not expand on the scientific stance or Adm. Levine’s influence on removing age thresholds.

Medical care for transgender adolescents, especially surgeries, has become a hotly debated topic in several states. The Texas Supreme Court recently upheld a law banning nearly all gender-affirming medical treatments for minors. This follows a broader trend among GOP-led states enacting similar restrictions. Critics argue that such bans disregard medical consensus and impede parental rights, whereas supporters claim they protect minors from irreversible decisions.

While gender-affirming surgeries for minors are rare, with procedures like breast reductions being the most common, the Biden administration continues to advocate for other types of gender-affirming care and has denounced state legislation targeting the transgender community.

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