Several medical organizations including the American Medial Association have become politicized over gender transition treatment according to Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox.
Appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday, Cox discussed his past efforts to ban or limit gender transition treatments such as surgeries for minors in his state. Host Margaret Brennan questioned these efforts, remarking that several medical organizations have defended their practices.
“The American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics said this kind of care, they’ve rejected the claims that it is harmful,” Brennan said.
Cox pushed back on the references to these groups, insisting that they have since become politicized.
“All very political groups. I don’t believe that they are… those groups are politicized,” Cox responded.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics?” Brennan questioned.
“Yes, I absolutely do,” Cox said. “On this issue it’s impossible to get unbiased information out of the United States right now on this issue. I don’t believe it.”
Delegates at the American Medical Association’s annual meeting recently backed a resolution co-sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other groups that renewed their support for treatments such as puberty blockers. Cox noted that European countries have recently discouraged both gender surgeries and hormone treatments for minors.
“It’s been impossible, I believe, to get good information here in the United States right now because half the country doesn’t want to touch it and the other half is convinced that they already know the answer. So I’ve really tried to look elsewhere at conversations that are happening in other countries, specifically in Europe, where it’s not quite as charged, looking at Sweden and Finland and France and the U.K.. Other countries where they don’t have the same culture war battles that we’re having here. They’re also pushing pause,” Cox said.
He added, “That’s what scientists in other countries are trying to figure out where in the United States we’re putting our head in the sand and saying we’re not even going to talk about this or look about this, you can’t even have a discussion about it. Other countries are saying, something is happening. Hundreds in my state, thousands all across the country that are making requests for this.”
Over the past few years, countries such as the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, and France have moved away from pushing medical or hormonal treatments for gender dysphoria in minors. Instead, they have encouraged psychotherapy treatments and further studies on the disorder.
Cox originally signed a bill to prohibit gender-affirming surgery on minors back in January. While opponents have blasted this law as a ban, Cox has referred to it as a “pause” until more information is available.
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“We don’t have an end date, but we do need more data and more information. This is such a charged topic,” Cox said.
“It is,” Brennan agreed.