Boston Children’s Hospital denied accusations that it was promoting underage transgender operations after it scrubbed videos from YouTube over the online criticism.
The hospital has come under scrutiny after the content of the videos was circulated by the popular Libs of TikTok account and others on the right.
On Tuesday, the hospital issued a statement saying it had received threats over the claims.
“In response to commentary last week critical of our Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) Program, Boston Children’s Hospital has been the target of a large volume of hostile internet activity, phone calls, and harassing emails including threats of violence towards our clinicians and staff,” read the statement from the hospital.
“We are deeply concerned by these attacks on our clinicians and staff fueled by misinformation and a lack of understanding and respect for our transgender community,” the statement added.
It specifically denied the claims that it had offered hysterectomies and other genital operations to underage children.
“The article and the online attention that followed was based on the on the incorrect statement that Boston Children’s performs genital surgeries on minors in connection with transgender care,” the statement said. “For hysterectomies and other genital surgeries performed as part of gender-affirming care, Boston Children’s requires a patient to be capable of consenting for themselves. Age 18 is used to reflect the standard age of majority for medical decision-making. Boston Children’s does not perform genital surgeries as part of gender-affirming care on a patient under the age of 18.”
The hospital went on to condemn the “attacks” and said it was working with law enforcement officials to protect its staff.
“Boston Children’s is proud to be home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States,” it concluded.
The report from the Associated Press about the threats to the hospital called the accusations false but then admitted that the hospital had posted on its website that it would treat persons under the age of 18.
Some of the online critics pointed to information that once appeared on the hospital’s website that said to qualify for vaginoplasty at Boston Children’s, one must be at least 17 and meet certain criteria, as well as language for chest reconstruction and breast augmentation that remains on the website that says patients must be at least 15 and meet certain criteria.
It also noted that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health reduced its minimum age guidance to 14 years old for hormone treatment and 15 or 17 years old for some gender operations.
Here’s more about the transgender controversy:
Boston Children’s Hospital staff reports threats prompted by “misinformation” about transgender proc
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