During a campaign rally in Wisconsin, former President Donald Trump made an unsubstantiated claim about gender-affirming care for children, suggesting that children could go to school and come back with operations without parental consent. This claim was also made at an event hosted by Moms for Liberty, a far-right group, earlier in the month. Trump’s claims were refuted by fact-checkers and there is no evidence to support the idea that schools in the U.S. are sending children for gender-affirming surgeries without parental consent. Gender-affirming care is considered crucial and lifesaving by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and surgeries such as genital surgery and mastectomies are rarely performed on minors.
Critics on social media were quick to respond to Trump’s comments, highlighting the issue of gun violence in schools as a real and pressing concern compared to the unfounded claims about gender-affirming care. Just days before Trump’s remarks, a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers. Critics pointed out the disconnect between fears of children receiving gender-affirming surgery at school versus the very real danger of school shootings that communities face.
The falsehood of Trump’s claims about children undergoing gender-affirming surgeries without parental consent was underscored by the fact that even his own campaign could not provide any evidence to support the assertion. Despite this lack of evidence, Trump repeated the claim at multiple events, stoking fears and misinformation about gender-affirming care for children. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled Moms for Liberty as an “anti-government extremist group,” highlighting the extreme nature of the organizations spreading this misinformation.
Trump’s comments were met with criticism and mockery online, with many pointing out the absurdity of his claims. Some commentators drew attention to the real threats facing children in schools, such as gun violence, and criticized the former president for focusing on invented fears rather than addressing actual issues. The broader conversation around gender-affirming care and the rights of transgender individuals has been a contentious topic in recent years, with misinformation and fear-mongering contributing to the stigmatization of transgender individuals.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has emphasized the importance of gender-affirming care for children and adolescents who may be transgender, emphasizing the positive impact it can have on mental health and well-being. By spreading misinformation about gender-affirming care, individuals like Trump contribute to harmful stereotypes and misinformation that can further marginalize transgender individuals. It is important to critically evaluate claims made by public figures and to rely on evidence-based sources for information about important issues such as healthcare and LGBTQ rights. Tragically, the continual spread of misinformation can have real-world consequences for marginalized communities.
