WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, responded to Sec. Kennedy’s so-called “comprehensive review” of youth gender-affirming care, a politically-motivated document filled with outright lies and misinformation. This report had a predetermined outcome dictated by an Executive Order that deliberately mischaracterized health care for transgender people despite the uniform conclusion of the American medical and mental health experts to the contrary. Instead of assessing the actual evidence supporting the provision of gender-affirming care, this report instead attempts to lay the groundwork to replace that best-practice medical care for transgender and non-binary people with “gender exploratory therapy,” a focus-tested and innocuous-sounding name for the debunked, destructive, and dangerous practice of anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy that is advocated for by fringe, far-right groups rejected by mainstream medical and mental health organizations. 

Trans people’s health care is delivered in age-appropriate, evidence-based ways, and decisions to provide care are made in consultation with doctors and parents, just like health care for all other people. Every major medical and mental health organization - including the AMA and APA - recognize that it is medically necessary to support people in affirming their gender identity. For more information, visit HRC’s resource page ‘Get the Facts on Gender-Affirming Care’

So-called “gender exploratory therapy”, like "reparative therapy," or "conversion therapy" is a dangerous practice that targets LGBTQ+ youth and seeks to change their sexual or gender identities. Such practices have been rejected by every mainstream medical and mental health organization for decades, but due to continuing discrimination and societal bias against LGBTQ+ people, some practitioners continue to conduct conversion therapy. Minors are especially vulnerable, and conversion therapy can lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, homelessness, and suicide. To learn more, visit HRC’s resource page, ‘The Lies and Dangers of Efforts to Change Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.’

Conversion therapy is universally opposed as harmful by major medical organizations, including (but not limited to) the American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American Medical Association(AMA), American Psychiatric Association,  American Psychological Association (APA), and the American School Health Association.