The new data released by Stop the Harm Database highlights a deeply concerning trend: hospitals across the country, including prominent facilities in California, are performing sex change treatments on minors. The report calls the 12 worst-offending children’s hospitals promoting sex change treatments for minors the “Dirty Dozen.” Three of the 12 are in California. The public should be outraged by these findings, as they expose a troubling surge in hospitals offering sterilizing and irreversible treatments to minors, with California leading the way.
Nationwide Concerns Over Treatments on Minors
In many hospitals across the United States, sex change treatments — which include cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and surgeries — are being provided to minors. This often involves significant medical interventions that can have lasting consequences on young patients. While proponents argue that these treatments are necessary for the well-being of transgender youth, there is growing concern among parents, medical professionals, and faith-based organizations about the physical and psychological impact on minors.
These treatments often include puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and in some cases, surgeries that permanently alter a young person’s body. There is limited data on the long-term effects of these treatments, especially when administered to individuals in their formative years. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that many of these children may have underlying mental health issues that contribute to their feelings of gender dysphoria, and some professionals argue that these issues are not adequately addressed before treatment begins.
The California Connection: Leading the Way in Controversial Treatments
California is one of the states leading the charge in providing sex change treatments for minors. Three prominent hospitals, including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland are part of the “Dirty Dozen,” a list of the country’s worst offenders in minors transitioning. But other hospitals across the state are offering these services, often with little transparency or oversight from the broader public. (See the list of California offenders here.)
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles: A Case in Point
Among the hospitals listed, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) stands out as fifth on the “Dirty Dozen” list for its role in offering a comprehensive suite of services to minors seeking transgender drugs and surgeries including:
- Puberty Blockers: Administered to minors as young as 12, these medications halt natural puberty, preventing the development of secondary sex characteristics such as breast development or voice deepening.
- Cross-Sex Hormone Therapy: This treatment involves giving estrogen to biological males or testosterone to biological females.
- Transgender Surgeries: CHLA is listed as providing gender surgeries, which include double mastectomies for teen girls, on 165 patients.
CHLA’s approach includes the support of mental health professionals and counselors, yet the rapid initiation of medical intervention raises concerns about whether sufficient time is given for young individuals to fully understand the ramifications of these treatments.
The hospital asserts that these services are provided in response to a critical need among transgender youth for supportive and affirming care. However, critics argue that the process can rush minors into irreversible decisions without fully exploring less invasive options or considering the high likelihood of desisting from gender dysphoria as they mature.
The Role of Informed Consent and Parental Rights
One of the most pressing issues in this debate is the concept of informed consent. Minors, by definition, may not fully grasp the long-term implications of such profound medical interventions. California law allows minors over the age of 12 to receive certain types of care without parental consent, a policy that has been broadened over recent years and now includes transgender-affirming counseling. This has sparked significant backlash from parental rights advocates, who argue that parents should be involved in every aspect of their child’s healthcare, especially when it involves life-altering decisions.
The state’s policy on this matter is seen by many as part of a broader agenda that prioritizes the desires of young individuals over the wisdom and guidance of their parents. California’s state legislature recently passed into law SB 107, which allows the state to take temporary emergency jurisdiction over cases in which minors are brought to California for transgender drugs and surgeries, even by a non-parent, when these procedures are unavailable in their home state.
Moving Forward: A Call for Transparency and Ethical Standards
As this issue gains national attention, there is a growing call for transparency and a re-evaluation of the ethical standards surrounding sex change treatments for minors. “Children need guidance, not fast-tracked medical treatments that they may one day regret,” said California Family Council Vice President Greg Burt. “These hospitals are not helping these troubled children—but making them permanent medical patients, who will need a lifetime of drugs and treatment to facilitate their delusion that they are trapped in the wrong body.”
Historically, California has often been a testing ground for controversial medical practices. In the early 20th century, the state led the nation in forced sterilizations under eugenics policies — a dark period in history that many are now comparing to the current rush to administer irreversible treatments to minors. This parallel highlights the importance of careful consideration and ethical restraint in medical practices, especially when it involves vulnerable populations.
In the spirit of protecting life, family, and liberty, it is essential for Californians and Americans nationwide to stay informed and advocate for policies that prioritize the health and well-being of all children. The recent data from Stop the Harm Database should serve as a wake-up call, prompting an in-depth look into the practices of our healthcare institutions and a reassessment of the values we uphold as a society.
For more detailed information, including a list of California hospitals involved in these practices, visit Stop the Harm Database.
