Louisiana AG calls gender-affirming care ‘child mutilation’ in letter to US medical group

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill referred to gender-affirming care as child mutilation in a letter to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Last year, AAP reaffirmed its gender-affirming care policy , which was set in 2018 . They said, “the AAP opposes any laws or regulations that discriminate against transgender and gender-diverse individuals, or that interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.”

Louisiana’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors went into effect on Jan. 1. It was passed by an override of then-Gov. John Bel Edward’s veto.

Act 466 bans doctors from prescribing puberty blockers, hormones, or gender reassignment surgeries for anyone under the age of 18. If someone was already being treated, they have until the end of the year to stop. Soon after the bill was enacted, five Louisiana families filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana State Medical Board of Examiners. They called the state ban unconstitutional.

The attorney general said Louisiana is one of 20 states requesting information from the AAP.

Murrill said the attorneys general are requesting “information detailing the AAP’s evidence for its ongoing recommendations for puberty blockers for gender dysphoria-diagnosed youth despite widespread retractions of the practice.”

In the letter, AG Murrill said, “child mutilation is barbaric – it’s against Louisiana law, science, and common sense. It is abusive to experiment on a child with biologically altering drugs that have an unknown physiological trajectory and end point. Pediatricians should protect children from this abuse, not commit them to a lifetime of it. Glad to join my colleagues in protecting our kids.”

She cited the Cass Review , a study conducted for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom that was completed earlier this year. It makes recommendations around gender-affirming care for minors. Some researchers have called the accuracy of the information included in the 388-page document questionable.

According to Murrill, the “AAP claims that the use of puberty blockers on children is safe and reversible. This assertion is not grounded in evidence and therefore may run afoul of consumer protection laws in most states.”

AAP is among other health organizations that support gender-affirming care for minors, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the World Health Organization.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter .

Latest Posts

• Michigan GOP chair voices concern Democrats ‘will steal some votes’
• Another cool and pleasant night on the way
• Louisiana Red Cross sends volunteers to Florida for Hurricane Helene
• Motorcyclist dead following St. Tammany Parish crash
• Military warns short term spending bill undermines readiness

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.