Respect Freedom

Two clear objectives are stated in Virginia's Board of Medicine proposal 85-7.

 1. Virginia’s Board of Medicine regulates doctors and nurses who do not generally provide therapeutic counseling, yet the Board of Medicine is looking to make a firm statement against ‘conversion therapy’ as it relates to sexual attraction, specifically unwanted same sex attraction. 

2. The Medical Board is also seeking to put in place a firm statement in favor of ‘gender affirming’ surgically body-altering medical solutions for those with gender confusion (gender identity disorder, now referred to as ‘gender dysphoria,’ ie. discomfort with one’s biology)

Many comments posted on this forum suggest that ‘conversion therapy’ is cruel or harms individuals. One should wonder what methods of which ‘conversion therapy’ is composed. I have found that ‘conversion therapy’ is a kitchen sink term to incorporate anything including horror stories from the 1960’s and 70's. In the proposed Board of Medicine document, any and all care that is not LGBT identity affirming is banned, regardless of method or mode. News stories  imply aversion methods, yet the American Psychological Association Task Force Report (2009) agreed that change allowing therapy today uses non-aversive methods.[i] No research studying negative outcomes has yet met the APA Task Force’s scientific standards.[ii]  Concurrently, the APA Task Force stated that it has no scientific evidence that gay-affirmative therapy is safe or effective.[iii] Research remains lacking about gay affirmative therapy.[iv] Please especially take note of what was agreed upon by both parties in the City of Tampa case and you will see many more arguments against banning change allowing talk therapy.[v]

So, what exactly is the Board of Medicine seeking to forbid as unethical? It is clear they are seeking to forbid change allowing talk therapy, not aversive techniques. What happens if a clinician is helping a client and they change as a result of dealing with what is causing the client unwanted shame, anxiety or depression? Could such a clinician be called a ‘conversion therapist’? After all, according to Dr. Lisa Diamond, sexual identity fluidity is rather common.[vi] A client is the only one who can dictate the goals of care as it relates to homosexuality. In this arena, it appears that the Virginia Board of Medicine would be telling adults and children that some goals cannot be pursued. The Board of Medicine appears to limit what options a person has to live and love according to their faith and beliefs. Instead, the Virginia Board of Medicine would be imposing its own beliefs upon medical professionals and patients. This policy does not respect the liberty of youth, nor freedoms of adults. Both groups’ views would be limited by an externally imposed ideological view that may be quite contrary to sincere religious belief. This seems highly un-American and may well violate 1^st Amendment rights of US Citizens. In the US Supreme Court case NIFLA v Becerra, the court ruled that professional speech is also protected speech and referenced Pickup v Brown which challenged the California 2012 teen counseling ban.[vii]

Secondly, on the matter of ‘gender affirmation’, the Board of Medicine has much authority. In this case, the Board of Medicine would be telling doctors and nurses that the only allowable effect would be medical interventions, rather than ‘watchful waiting’ as the proper course of treatment for gender confused individuals. Some of those medical interventions would be halting natural puberty, cross sex hormones, removal of healthy body parts and an attempt to manufacture similes of opposite sex body parts. These medical interventions have had shady pasts[viii] and the future for each individual patient includes sterility and loss of sexual function. These are the natural functions of removing healthy and functional body parts. What is horrific to me as a mom and former lesbian is that these ‘interventions’ are proposed for children who are not allowed to make many other significant decisions in their lives and need the care and oversight of those who have in mind their best interests—their parents.

This second objective of the statement by the Virginia Board of Medicine would likely lead to pressuring, based on bad science, insurance companies to fund such hatchet jobs on adults and children. And funding leads to more ‘gender clinics’ destroying bodies and create life-long medical patients who rely on cross sex hormones. Funds may be at the root of this proposal, not compassion, nor the directive, “Do no harm.” That medical directive is the exact opposite of this proposal.  This direction leads immediate to pressure exerted upon all doctors and nurses to participate in sexual mutilation of children or risk losing their license and have fines. Conscience rights matter for all, including doctors and nurses.

The fact is that gender confusion is being suggested to young children and may be driving many who would not otherwise have struggled against their bodies. This may explain the 4,400% increase in young UK natal girls identifying as trans in recent history[ix]. Natal boys identifying as trans in the UK have also risen by 1,151%. In fact, “The UK’s Government Equalities Office suspects the influence of social media and teaching of transgender philosophy by the educational system have fueled the striking increase in transgender children.”[x]

Many children on the autism spectrum, particularly natal females, are identifying as trans[xi]. Many of these precious ones also deal with co-morbid issues like anxiety or depression or bi-polar disorder. These health issues should be addressed which may resolve the individual’s gender confusion. Instead, this proposal by Virginia Board of Medicine suggest surgically modifying their bodies as if it were a solution to bi-polar disorder, for example. The old wisdom of the ages, ‘watchful waiting’ appears to be the best course of action for those under 18. Encouraging identification with their biological sex is a course of action that does not result in numerous surgeries and life-long medical support. Instead, the statement suggests that learning to identify with one’s biology is itself harmful. Rigorous studies have shown the opposite. Children given a chance to go through natural puberty can resolve their confusion in incredibly high numbers 80-98%. (Zucker[xii])

Arguing for surgical interventions, trans advocates claim that patients might otherwise commit suicide. The reality is that in trans-affirming Sweden those who are gender confused are 12 times more likely to complete suicide, including after surgery. (Dhejne C, et al, 2011)[xiii] That is a very sad story. Please do not be complicit in funneling kids or adults down a pathway that leads to self-destruction. All people are precious and deserve respect. I ask that you do not proceed with this ban as it imposes on individual’s rights—adults, children, parents, doctors and nurses.