Testimony delivered from individuals pressured as minors to undergo biological alteration for gender reassignment

Testifiers gathered to deliver testimony during a House Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare hearing about pressures they experienced as minors from the medical community to pursue gender reassignment treatments. Also testifying was a former transition case manager turned whistleblower who revealed unethical practices happening behind the scenes.

Rep. Luke Meerman, who chairs the committee, said he was deeply troubled to hear the firsthand accounts:

“I want to thank the brave people who came forth to share their experiences today after undergoing so much trauma and deceit – their commitment to fighting against the system so that other children do not suffer similar fates is selfless and admirable.

“Our responsibility is to listen to the people and ensure our policies prioritize the health and safety of every child in our state, as well as provide proper oversight over our health care system to ensure treatment and care practices are ethical and sound. Today’s testimony underscores the need for serious investigation of this violence against children.”

One man testified that at age 13 he was given unsolicited medical advice to undergo gender reassignment by a therapist. Hormone replacements later drove him to experience horrific side effects, including an ulcer at the age of 17. After pursuing de-transitioning in adulthood, he still has lasting health ramifications and struggles to find care or support from the medical community.

Parents of those testifying also shared a common theme in that they were told by medical professionals that if they didn’t support their child’s transition, that their child would likely commit suicide and in some cases even vaguely threatened to have the child taken away from the parent.

Several other testifiers shared about the psychological confusion and physical pain they experienced during their childhood transition, and the lasting health ramifications from their subsequent detransition, such as pain in chest tissue, leaking chest tissue, extra bone growth, incontinence, polycystic ovary syndrome, sexual disfunction, and more.

“My genitals were disfigured by chemicals before I [was old enough to] consent to sex as an adult,” said Prisha Mosley, a woman who was pressured to reassign her gender to male as a pre-teen.

“This isn’t health care – it’s mutilation,” Meerman said. “It goes without saying that I’m horrified for the victims of this childhood trauma, but as a father, my heart also breaks hearing about the coercion and gaslighting the parents of these individuals were put through by medical professionals they thought they could trust.”

Whistleblower Jamie Reid, a former case manager at the Pediatric Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, also testified. She shared that despite being a lifelong Democrat, she could no longer ignore the “morally and medically appalling” practices that were being inflicted on minors. She expressed deep regret, issued a public apology to every child she helped lead to transition, and stated that she has dedicated her life to helping prevent children from experiencing the same fate.

“I cannot undo these harms, but I can dedicate the rest of my life to telling the truth and protecting others,” Reid said.

“This is proof that this isn’t a partisan issue. Forcing children to make lifelong health decisions before they can fully understand the consequences isn’t just irresponsible, it’s child abuse,” Meerman said. “The people we heard from today live every day with physical and emotional burdens. We have a duty to protect children from this so-called ‘care.’ I hope today’s hearing will alter the discussion and highlight the injustice that has been committed against our children.”

Rep. Meerman thanked Rep. Brad Paquette, a Republican from Niles who also sits on the committee, for leading the charge in bringing the complex issue forward and expressed his intentions to further investigate.

The full committee hearing can be viewed here.