Children’s National Hospital Denies Providing ‘Gender-Affirming’ Surgery for Minors Despite Audio Indicating Otherwise

Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, is following in lockstep with Boston Children’s Hospital via coverup and denial, claiming that it does not provide “gender-affirming” surgeries for minors, despite audio clearly indicating otherwise.

Workers at the hospital admitted in audio, which has since gone viral on social media, that it will perform a “gender-affirming” hysterectomy on a 16-year-old child. When pressed further, a hospital worker stated that she has seen the procedures done on children even younger than 15.

When asked the youngest age they would perform that surgery, the woman said, “I’m not sure, but I have seen younger kids. And I’m not, you know, due to HIPAA, I’m not allowed to say that, but I have seen younger kids.” 

Further, the hospital’s website originally stated that it offered “gender-affirming medical care and gender-affirming” hysterectomies for children and teens. It later removed that from the website and on Thursday posted a statement following the viral status of the audio.

“We are aware of the audio recording circulating on Twitter,” the hospital said before offering the “facts.”

“We foster welcoming and inclusive environment for all, serving our LGBTQ+ patients and families in the full spectrum of their care,” the hospital stated, claiming that it does “not” provide “gender-affirming” surgery to anyone under the age of 18 — despite the audio and the now-deleted statement on the website suggesting otherwise.

The hospital also denied providing hormone therapy to prepubescent children:

The hospital’s move is reminiscent of Boston Children’s Hospital, which brags of offering a “full suite of surgical options for transgender teens and young adults.”

It played victim, updating its website after it came into the national spotlight over its Center for Gender Surgery. The hospital now claims it does not offer those for people under 18, but a previous version of the hospital’s eligibility webpage stated that an individual had to be “at least 17 years old for vaginoplasty.” Additionally, the hospital is willing to perform chest surgery for qualifying individuals as young as 15 years old. That age still remains on the current version of the website.