“Gender-affirming care” for youth, a far-left euphemism for child mutilation, is “lifesaving” and a medical necessity, according to President Joe Biden’s Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, who is transgender. Levine faced backlash online for these comments.
Speaking at a DNC pride month event on Friday, Rachel Levine — formerly Richard Levine — pushed for gender transitions for young people.
“Gender affirming care is lifesaving, medically necessary, age-appropriate, and a critical tool for health care providers,” Levine said.
“As a pediatrician, when it comes to making sure kids are healthy and happy, I know how important care that affirmed someone’s true identity can be,” Levine added.
The Biden administration has been openly promoting “gender-affirming” health care, particularly for young people, deeming hormone therapy appropriate for teens, as well as gender-affirming surgeries on a “case-by-case” basis.
A new report from the Heritage Foundation revealed that making puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones easier for minors to access has increased youth suicide rates, a finding that directly challenges claims from pro-transgender clinical organizations, activists, and the Biden administration.
In response to the clip posted by the RNC Research Twitter account of Levine speaking during a Pride Month Town Hall live-streamed by the Democratic National Committee — which has received over 1 million views — many took to Twitter to criticize the remarks.
“Parents, you don’t have to pretend this is normal. It’s not,” tweeted CatholicVote.org, a national faith-based advocacy group.
“Protect your kids. And vote,” the organization added.
“Actually, in states where access to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones were more readily available to minors, the suicide rates INCREASED,” wrote Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), who is also a medical doctor, attaching a link to an essay confirming that lowering legal barriers for minors to undergo cross-sex medical interventions without parental consent leads to higher rates of suicide among young people in the states that have adopted these changes.
“What’s ‘medically necessary’ is for this man to stop pushing his perverted agenda around,” wrote actor Chris Ashworth. “The last thing he should have any say in is what’s good for kids.”
“Biden Administration aggressively promoting irreversible chemical sterilization and castration of healthy young boys and girls,” wrote Stephen Miller, who served as a top aide to President Donald Trump.
“Vote accordingly in November,” he added.
“If an 18 year old isn’t mature enough to own a gun, then a 5 year old isn’t mature enough too decide which gender they are,” wrote one Twitter user.
“This is dangerous ideology,” wrote another. “Shout it from a street corner or a padded cell but not from a government podium for all the world to see.”
“Some day, hopefully in the very near future, we will look back on this time in medical history and regard puberty blockers and surgically affirming a child’s ‘true’ identity, much the same way we now view lobotomies and bloodlettings,” another user wrote.
“Ah, no. It’s child abuse,” wrote yet another Twitter user.
Levine’s remarks come as pro-LGBTQ sentiment and transgender propaganda are marketed to children, especially during “Pride Month.”
Earlier this month, Danish toy giant LEGO launched a campaign to “raise awareness” and “celebrate inclusivity and embrace self-expression” as it introduced fans to stories and creations of members of the “LGBTQIA+ community” while pledging to arrange “Drag Queen Story Time” at its offices and donate $1 million to its LGBTQIA+ charity partners.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.