Rep. Chip Roy Sends Letter To AG Barr, ONDCP Director Carroll, And NIH Director Collins On Gender Dysphoria On Young Children
October 23, 2019
The Honorable William P. Barr The Honorable Dr. Francis S. Collins
Attorney General of the United States Director
Department of Justice National Institutes of Health
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW 9000 Rockville Pike
Washington, DC 20530 Bethesda, MD 20892
The Honorable James W. Carroll
Director
Office of National Drug Control Policy
750 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20503
Dear Attorney General Barr, Director Collins, and Director Carroll,
I write to share my concerns regarding the lack of research studying the long-term impacts of the experimental use of medical treatments for so-called gender dysphoria on young children, including hormones on children as young as 8 and double mastectomies on girls as young as 13. Courts throughout the country have taken jurisdiction over controversial issues and family disputes regarding the treatment of minors, despite the lack of legal guidelines or consensus in the medical community. As such, I urge the Department of Justice (DOJ), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to conduct a behavioral analysis study to determine the societal impacts of forced medical treatment of gender dysphoria in prepubescent children.
There is vigorous debate in the medical community about treatments for gender dysphoria. Some professionals do not think transition surgery is good medicine.[1] Yet, in 15 states, activists have succeeded in banning counseling that would allow parents and children to undergo a period of "watchful waiting" to allow children to grow mentally and physically before pumping them with drugs to change their gender. A government agency in Cincinnati charged parents of an alleged gender-dysphoric girl with child abuse when they pursued counseling and would not consent to testosterone treatments for their daughter.[2] A state judge then terminated their parental rights.[3] Illinois has mandated that prospective foster parents who prefer "watchful waiting" to medical treatment be disqualified despite the 17,920 children on the waiting list for families in their state.[4] And just this week, a jury ruled against a father attempting to save his 7 year-old son from chemical castration forced upon him by his mother.[5]
Many 7 year-olds think they can fly, they believe a fairy comes into their rooms at night to trade money for a lost tooth, and they often eat dirt. It is unthinkable that parents and medical professionals would act on the whimsy of a minor child to take life-changing, irreversible steps to alter his or her identity. Studies show that 80% to 95% of gender-dysphoric children eventually grow out of their dysphoria and become comfortable with their bodies after puberty if there is no hormonal or surgical intervention.[6] Furthermore, individuals who undergo sex-reassignment surgery are 19 times more likely to commit suicide.[7]
These limited studies and data points are deeply concerning and show how little we know about the long-term impact of forced medical treatments for gender dysphoria in young children. I urge you to conduct a federal study on individuals who undergo sex-reassignment surgery or hormone treatment before the age of 18 that includes any trends concerning:
- Suicide rates in such individuals;
- Substance abuse rates;
- Admittance into substance rehabilitation facilities and mental health clinics;
- Hospitalization rates related to substance abuse;
- School suspensions, expulsions, and law enforcement referrals;
- High school dropout rates; and
- Percentage of gender-dysphoric children who eventually grow out of their desire to change their genders.
Now is the time to conduct this important research, before more children are separated from one or both parents, foster children are denied a loving home that does not conform with activists' demands, and most importantly, children are given life-altering treatments that will cause them irreparable harm. Thank you in advance for your consideration and swift action on this serious matter.
Sincerely,