SW News: The Catholic Medical Association (CMA) of America has issued a new report that says that gender ideology is causing harm to children. The Report entitled The Ideology of Gender Harms Children was issued at the 92nd annual conference of the Association held in Arizona’s Phoenix.

The report says that the so-called treatment of gender dysphoria (GD) is contrary to the nature of medicine “as it denies the essence of the human person who is an integrated entity of body and soul”. It says that the latest developments in addressing GD in children are raising concerns with regard to the violation of parental rights and upending long-standing jurisprudence. The report also says that policies that undermine the rights of parents or guardians in the public school systems are not to be encouraged.

CMA president Dr Craig Treptow said “Gender ideology is causing significant harm to children and adolescents. We speak again now to prevent further harm to these children and to give courage to those seeking a voice in medicine.” He alleged that the American medical establishment was speaking from a place of medicine based on eminence instead of evidence-based medicine.

The report says that the denial of the essence of the human being is perpetuated by language that uses gender-neutral pronouns and by encouraging certain modes of dressing and behavior. It says that children do not have the full decision-making capacity for such serious issues and have to depend on parents and guardians to give their consent or refuse life-changing psychological, medical or surgical interventions.

As per the report, the attempt to use surgery and hormone therapy for what should be dealt with psychologically with the aid of counseling is not authentic health care.

Experts also used the study to warn doctors not to affirm what is not true. They say that people suffering from GD benefit from treatment of depression and anxiety along with counseling and medication. Parents have to be informed of the risks and side effects of puberty-blocking medicines, cross-sex hormones and sex reassigning surgical procedures.