Sex, Lies, and Children Protecting the Vulnerable from Irreversible Harm

Sex, Lies, and Children

Protecting the VULNERABLE from Irreversible Harm

Read these gut-wrenching personal testimonies of real people who have been permanently damaged by a political ideology that is attempting to erase biological sex.

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Purchase: 60-page book $15.00

Americans are seeing an unprecedented assault on parental rights as transgender activists have succeeded in passing legislation that interferes with parents protecting their children in crisis. Eagle Forum will fight to pass legislation in all states to prohibit cross-sex hormones from being administered and sex-change surgeries from being performed on children under the age of 18. For your state, order our how-to handbook: Sex, Lies, and Children.

Listed below are the citations and references as provided by the witnesses in their testimonies.

Peter Sprigg

Senior Fellow for Policy Studies, Family Research Council. Expert on human sexuality.

American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition: DSM-5 (Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013), 455.
A. de Vries, T. Steensma, T Doreleijers, P. Cohen-Kettenis, “Puberty Suppression in Adolescents With Gender Identity Disorder: A Prospective Follow-Up Study,” Journal of Sexual Medicine, 2010.
Jack L. Turban, et al., “Pubertal Suppression for Transgender Youth and Risk of Suicidal Ideation,” Pediatrics 145, no. 2 (February 2020).
Peter Sprigg, “Do Puberty-Blocking Drugs Make Transgender Kids Less Likely to Commit Suicide, or More?” FRC Blog, February 13, 2020.
W. Hembree, P. Cohen-Kettenis, et al., “Endocrine Treatment of Gender-Dysphoric/Gender-Incongruent Persons: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline,” Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 102(11), November 2017, p. 3886.
J. Olson-Kennedy, J. Warus, V. Okonta, M. Belzer, and L.Clark, “Chest Reconstruction and Chest Dysphoria in Transmasculine Minors and Young Adults: Comparisons of Nonsurgical and Postsurgical Cohorts,” JAMA Pediatrics 172(5) 2018 May, 431-436.
Katie Muldowney, et al., “Transgender teen and ‘I Am Jazz’ star Jazz Jennings on sharing the final steps of her transition journey: her gender confirmation surgery,” ABC News, October 15, 2018.
Hembree, et al.
Peter Sprigg, “The Evidence Suggests Gender Transition Procedures for Minors are Experimental,” FRC Blog, February 13, 2020.

Susan L. Field, MD

Pediatrician, Huntsville, AL. Treatment of gender-dysphoric child with therapeutic counseling.

Jason Rafferty, Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Adolescence and Section on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health and Wellness. “Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents.” Pediatrics October 2018, 142 (4) e20182162.
James M. Cantor (2019) “Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents: Fact-Checking of AAP Policy,” Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
Lupron Depot package insert
Wiephes CM, Nota NM, deBlok CJM, et al. “The Amsterdam Cohort of Gender Dysphoria Study (1972–2015): Trends in Prevalence, Treatment, and Regrets.” J Sex Med. 2018;15:582-590.
Wierckx K, Elaut E, Declercq E, et al. “Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and cancer during cross-sex hormone therapy in a large cohort of trans persons: a case-control study.” European Journal of Endocrinology 2013; 169:471-478.
Alzahrani T, Nguyen T, Ryan A, et al. “Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Myocardial Infarction in the Transgender Population.” Circulation 2019;12:e005597.
Getahun D, Nash R, Flanders WD, et al. “Cross-sex Hormones and Acute Cardiovascular Events in Transgender Persons: A Cohort Study.” Annals of Internal Medicine 2018;169(4):205-213.
Steensma TD, McGuire JK, Kreukels BP, et al. “Factors Associated With Desistence and Persistence of Childhood Gender Dysphoria: A Quantitative Follow-Up Study.” J Am Acad Child & Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013;52:582-590.
Dhejne C, Lichtenstein P, Boman M, Johansson ALV, Langstrom N, Landen M. “Long-term follow-up of transsexual persons undergoing sex reassignment surgery: cohort study in Sweden.” PLOS One. 2011;6(2):e16885.
Turban JL, King D, Carswell JM, Keuroghlian AS. “Pubertal Suppression for Transgender Youth and Risk of Suicidal Ideation.” Pediatrics. 2020;145(2):e20191725.

Suicide Thoughts and Actions in Self-Identified “Transsexuals”

Data from: Turban JL, King D, Carswell JM Keuroghlian AS. “Pubertal Suppression for Transgender Youth and Risk of Suicidal Ideation.” Pediatrics 2020;145(2):e20191725 (Journal of the AAP)

Derived from a 2015 online survey conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, participants recruited through “community outreach in collaboration with >400 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations.”

Red bars are percent yes answers from the 3,405 respondents who had ever wanted puberty suppression but did not receive any. Blue bars are percent yes answers from the 89 respondents who received puberty-blocking drugs. From left to right, questions included 1. Suicidal ideation alone, 2. Suicidal ideation with a plan, 3. Suicidal ideation with a plan and an attempt, and 4. Suicidal attempt resulting in inpatient care. (Data from Table 3 of article) One can see that while ideation alone was higher in the group that did not receive blockers, attempts serious enough to require hospital care were higher in the group that had received blockers, and both groups had high recent rates of suicidal thoughts and actions. What the authors called “lifetime suicidal ideation” meant that these participants, aged 18 to 36 years, had ever thought about committing suicide. While the treated group had ever considered (75%) or attempted (42%) suicide less compared to the ones who had not received puberty blockers (90% and 51% respectively), both groups had unacceptably high rates. Suicide rates are more than 3 times as high in “sexual minorities” as in heterosexuals, and sexual minority portions of the U.S. population have risen dramatically in recent years. (other article)

Den A. Trumbull, MD, FCP

Pediatrician, Montgomery, AL

Pustilnik AC, and Henry LM. “Adolescent Medical Decision Making and the Law of the Horse.” Journal of Health Care Law and Policy 2012; 15:1-14.
Cecilia Dhejne, et al., “Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery: Cohort Study in Sweden.” PLOS One 6(2):e16885 (2011); see also David Batty, “Sex Changes Are Not Effective, Say Researchers.” The Guardian (July 30, 2004); Annette Kuhn et al., “Quality of life 15 years after sex reassignment surgery for transsexualism,” Fertility and Sterility 92(5):1685-1689 (2009).
“Why did the NHS let me change sex? Star witness in court battle against clinic that fast-tracked her gender swap aged 16 reveals what happened when she made a cry for help.”

Michelle Cretella, MD

Retired Pediatrician, Birmingham, AL

“Australia launches inquiry into safety and ethics of transgender medicine.” BioEdge.org, 18 Aug 2019.
“The role of the GP in caring for gender-questioning and transgender patients.”
“Letter to the Department for Social Affairs.”
“World-renowned child psychiatrist calls trans treatments ‘possibly one of the greatest scandals in medical history‘.”
Doctors back inquiry on kids’ trans care
James M. Cantor (2019) “Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents: Fact-Checking of AAP Policy,” Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy.
Jiska Ristori & Thomas D. Steensma, “Gender Dysphoria in Childhood” International Review of Psychiatry 28(1):13-20 (2016) at 15; Thomas D. Steensma, et al., “Desisting and persisting gender dysphoria after childhood: A qualitative follow-up study” Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry 16(4) 499-516 (2010) at 500; Devita Singh, “A Follow-Up Study of Boys with Gender Identity Disorder, Dissertation,” University of Toronto (2012); Thomas D. Steensma, et al., “Factors Associated With Desistence and Persistence of Childhood Gender Dysphoria: A Quantitative Follow-Up Study.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 52:582 (2013); Kenneth J. Zucker, “The Myth of Persistence” International Journal of Transgenderism 19(2):231-245 (2018).
Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino, et al., “Two years of gender identity service for minors: overrepresentation of natal girls with severe problems in adolescent development.” Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health 9:9 (2015) at 5; Lisa Littman, “Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria.” PLOS One 14(3):e0214157 (2018); Tracy A. Becerra-Culqui, et al., “Mental Health of Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth Compared With Their Peers.” Pediatrics 141(5):e20173845 (2018); Melanie Bechard, et al., “Psychosocial and Psychological Vulnerability in Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria: A ‘Proof of Principle’ Study.” Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy 43(7):678-688 (2017).
Clarke, A. & Spiliadis, A, “‘Taking the Lid Off the Box’: The Value of Extended Clinical Assessment for Adolescents Presenting With Gender Identity Difficulties,” Feb. 6, 2019; Kenneth J. Zucker, et al., “A Developmental, Biopsychosocial Model for the Treatment of Children with Gender Identity Disorder,” Journal of Homosexuality 59(2):369-397 (2012); Kelley D. Drummond et al., “A follow-up study of girls with gender identity disorder,” Developmental Psychology 44(1):34-45 (2008); Meyenburg B. “Gender identity disorder in adolescence: Outcomes of psychotherapy.” Adolescence. 1999;34:305-313; Kronberg J, Tyano S, Apter A, Wijsenbeek H. “Treatment of transsexualism in adolescence.” Journal of Adolescence. 1981; 4:177-185; Lothstein LM, Levine SB. “Expressive Psychotherapy With Gender Dysphoric Patients.” Archives of General Psychiatry. 1981; 38:924-929; Lothstein LM. “The adolescent gender dysphoric patient: an approach to treatment and management.” Journal of pediatric psychology. 1980; 5:93-109; Davenport CW, Harrison SI. Gender identity change in a female adolescent transsexual. Archives of sexual behavior. 1977; 6:327-340; Barlow DH, Reynolds EJ, Agras WS. Gender Identity Change in a Transsexual [male aged 17]. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1973; 28:569-576; Philippopoulos, G.S. A case of transvestism in a 17-year-old girl. Acta Psychother. 1964; 12: 29-37.
Lisa Nainggolan, “It’s Complicated: Docs Say Gender-Questioning Kids Need Better Science” Medscape (February 15, 2019).
Jane Mendle, et al., “Understanding Puberty and Its Measurement: Ideas for Research in a New Generation” J. Res. Adolesc. Volume29, Issue1, March 2019Pages 82-95 available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jora.12371; Pilar Vigil, et al., “Endocrine Modulation of the Adolescent Brain: A Review.” Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology 24(6):330-337 (December 2011).
[1] Lupron Depot-Ped Injection Label (August 2012) at 1 “Indications and Usage”, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/020263s036lbl.pdf (“LUPRON DEPOT-PED is indicated in the treatment of children with central precocious puberty (CPP).”); Priyanka Boghani, “When Transgender Kids Transition, Medical Risks are Both Known and Unknown.” Frontline (June 30, 2015), https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/when-transgender-kids-transition-medical-risks-are-both-known-and-unknown/.
Lupron Depot-Ped Injection Label (August 2012) at 12.1 “Mechanism of Action” https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/020263s036lbl.pdf; Christina Jewett, “Drug used to halt puberty in children may cause lasting health problems” Stat (February 2, 2017), https://www.statnews.com/2017/02/02/lupron-puberty-children-health-problems/; Andrea C. Wilson, et al., “Leuprolide acetate: a drug of diverse clinical applications” Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs 16(11):1851-63 (2007); Trine Tsouderos, “‘Miracle Drug’ Called Junk Science.” Chicago Tribune (May 21, 2009), https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/chi-autism-lupron-may21-story.html.
Jacqueline Ruttimann, “Blocking Puberty in Transgender Youth” Endocrine News (January 2013), https://endocrinenews.endocrine.org/blocking-puberty-in-transgender-youth/ (“Most transgenders become infertile as a result of the hormonal switching medications. Estrogens diminish sperm production in males, and testosterone’s cessation of menses can cause polycystic ovaries in women; these changes usually lead to infertility.”)
Lupron Depot Label (June 2014) at 6.5 “Postmarketing”, https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/020517s036_019732s041lbl.pdf; Priyanka Boghani, “When Transgender Kids Transition, Medical Risks are Both Known and Unknown” Frontline (June 30, 2015), https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/when-transgender-kids-transition-medical-risks-are-both-known-and-unknown/; Christina Jewett, “Drug used to halt puberty in children may cause lasting health problems.” Stat (February 2, 2017), https://www.statnews.com/2017/02/02/lupron-puberty-children-health-problems/.
Christopher Richards, Julie Maxwell, & Noel McCune, “Use of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria: a momentous step in the dark.” Archives of Disease in Childhood 104(6):611 (2019); Christian J. Nelson, et al., “Cognitive Effects of Hormone Therapy in Men With Prostate Cancer” Cancer 113(5):1097-1106 (2008); Denise Hough et al., “Spatial memory is impaired by peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment and testosterone replacement in sheep,” Psychoneuroendocrinology 75:173 (2017); Denise Hough et al., “A reduction in long-term spatial memory persists after discontinuation of peripubertal GnRH agonist treatment in sheep,” Psychoneuroendocrinology 77:1 (2017).
Michael Biggs. “Tavistock’s Experimentation with Puberty Blockers: Scrutinizing the Evidence”. Transgender Trend. March 2, 2019
Annelou L.C. de Vries, et al., “Puberty suppression in adolescents with gender identity disorder: A prospective follow-up study” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 8(8): 2276–2283 (2011).
Leena Nahata, et al., “Understudied and Under-Reported: Fertility Issues in Transgender Youth—A Narrative Review” Journal of Pediatrics 205:265-271 (February 2019); Jacqueline Ruttimann, “Blocking Puberty in Transgender Youth” Endocrine News (January 2013); Julie Compton, “Transgender men, eager to have biological kids, are freezing their eggs” NBC News (March 5, 2019).
Darios Getahun, et al., “Cross-sex Hormones and Acute Cardiovascular Events in Transgender Persons: A Cohort Study” Annals of Internal Medicine 169(4):205-213 (August 21, 2018); Talal Alzahrani, et al., “Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Myocardial Infarction in the Transgender Population” Circulation 12(4):e005597 (2019); Katrien Wierckx, et al., “Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and cancer during cross-sex hormone therapy in a large cohort of trans persons: a case-control study” European Journal of Endocrinology 169(4):471-478 (2013); Priyanka Boghani, “When Transgender Kids Transition, Medical Risks are Both Known and Unknown” Frontline (June 30, 2015).
Cecilia Dhejne, et al., “Long-Term Follow-Up of Transsexual Persons Undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery: Cohort Study in Sweden” PLOS One 6(2):e16885 (2011); see also David Batty, “Sex Changes Are Not Effective, Say Researchers” The Guardian (Jul 30, 2004).