Oregon Allows Government-funded Sex Change Operations for 15-year-olds
. . . shocking news to Oregon voters
With transgender issues in the spotlight following the recent revelation by Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner, it’s unsurprising to learn that a state like Oregon would support state-subsidized sex change operations.
What is surprising to many, including to Oregon voters who did not get a chance to vote on this measure, is that these subsidized sex change operations are now available to 15-year-olds . . . without parental knowledge or consent.
The list of things 15-year-olds are not legally allowed to do in Oregon is long: Drive, smoke, donate blood, get a tattoo — even go to a tanning bed.
But, under a first-in-the-nation policy quietly enacted in January that many parents are only now finding out about, 15-year-olds are now allowed to get a sex-change operation. Many residents are stunned to learn they can do it without parental notification — and the state will even pay for it through its Medicaid program, the Oregon Health Plan.
“It is trespassing on the hearts, the minds, the bodies of our children,” said Lori Porter of Parents’ Rights in Education. “They’re our children. And for a decision, a life-altering decision like that to be done unbeknownst to a parent or guardian, it’s mindboggling.”
In a statement, Oregon Health Authority spokeswoman Susan Wickstrom explained it this way: “Age of medical consent varies by state. Oregon law — which applies to both Medicaid and non-Medicaid Oregonians — states that the age of medical consent is 15.”
How can this happen without Oregon voters’ knowledge? Fox explains:
While 15 is the medical age of consent in the state, the decision to cover sex-change operations specifically was made by the Health Evidence Review Commission (HERC).
Members are appointed by the governor and paid by the state of Oregon. With no public debate, HERC changed its policy to include cross-sex hormone therapy, puberty-suppressing drugs and gender-reassignment surgery as covered treatments for people with gender dysphoria, formally known as gender identity disorder.
As Bret Baier points out at the beginning of the following segment, 15-year-olds are notoriously impressionable and fickle:
What is particularly troubling about this is that adults who have sex changes have been shown in a range of studies to remain as or to become more depressed and/or suicidal following surgery. As noted in the above report, Johns Hopkins stopped doing the surgery after studying outcomes.
Medical researchers and mental health professionals find that “sex changes are not effective“:
There is no conclusive evidence that sex change operations improve the lives of transsexuals, with many people remaining severely distressed and even suicidal after the operation, according to a medical review conducted exclusively for Guardian Weekend tomorrow.
The review of more than 100 international medical studies of post-operative transsexuals by the University of Birmingham’s aggressive research intelligence facility (Arif) found no robust scientific evidence that gender reassignment surgery is clinically effective.
The Guardian asked Arif to conduct the review after speaking to several people who regret changing gender or believe that the medical care they received failed to prepare them for their new lives. They explain why they are unhappy with their sex change and how they cope with the consequences in the Weekend magazine tomorrow (July 31).
Chris Hyde, the director of Arif, said: “There is a huge uncertainty over whether changing someone’s sex is a good or a bad thing. While no doubt great care is taken to ensure that appropriate patients undergo gender reassignment, there’s still a large number of people who have the surgery but remain traumatised – often to the point of committing suicide.”
With so much uncertainty surrounding the surgery for middle-aged adults, it seems irresponsible, even negligent, for Oregon to permit teenagers to endure this procedure without even parental consent.
According to Paul McHugh interviewed in the above video, the Oregon rule amounts to child abuse:
Paul McHugh, of Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Department and himself a pioneer in gender reassignment surgery, says Oregon’s policy amounts to child abuse. He is quoted as saying, “We have a very radical and even mutilating treatment being offered to children without any evidence that the long-term outcome of this would be good.”
A 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry further calls into question the wisdom of this procedure, noting as it does that “most children with gender dysphoria will not remain gender dysphoric after puberty.”
Oregon won’t permit its 15-year-olds to get a tattoo or go to a tanning bed, but it pays for them to be forever changed physically, with all the emotional and psychological trauma this procedure entails? And with no idea how it is likely to impact them in the future? This is mind boggling to me, and I can’t imagine that this policy stands.
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Welcome to the brave, new world of state “health-care”, where all your decisions belonga us…
And Mommy and Daddy…??? IF you have kids in Oregon this morning still, and have not made plans to leave, what could you be thinking?
These people are going to cause some suicides, if they get their way.
Well, at least Oregon also has legalized “euthanasia”, so when you’re despondent about having had a doctor mutilate you for life when you were 15, you can get the same doctor to kill you all nice & clean-like. Maybe they’ll offer package deals.
Amy, I had not thought of connecting those two dots. Thanks for showing me how it’s done.
Islam is the culture of death. So is secular humanism. Maybe they are really the same thing and the only difference is the time of day.
Wanna bet a lot of these people later decide they need to sex-change back?
I was thinking of the homicides. Butchering children’s reproductive organs without their parents’ consent is a good way to get yourself killed.
I doubt it. I spent some time in Portland, Oregon. I very seriously doubt that any Oregon voters are surprised at this.
If the definition of marriage can be changed, so can the definition of “child”. If a 15-year old can independently make this kind of life-changing decision, why can they not make the decision to marry?
Here’s a comment that someone wrote way back in 2013 on another site. I believe this Oregon story tends to prove the prediction was correct:
“As far as the age of consent being an impediment to legalizing pedophilia, keep in mind that we have seen a shocking and growing number of children being tried as adults for criminal acts. True, they are charged with heinous crimes (usually murder), but the part I want to focus on here is that children as young as 12 are now considered old enough to be granted adult status for their decisions and actions. More recently, we have seen a judge decide that all girls, including young teenagers, should have access to Plan B abortifacients without parental permission or medical supervision.
“So it looks to me as if progressives are establishing precedent in a variety of venues for allowing children (1) to give consent for behavior previously reserved to adults or (2) to be held responsible for actions that, not so long ago, they would not have been considered mature enough to understand.
“Once the protection of innocent youthfulness has been removed in these areas, it will be so much easier to grant adult status to children for other decisions they might make, however poorly prepared they are for the consequences.”
http://threesurethingsoflife.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/scrambling-for-footing-on-the-non-existent-slippery-slopes/
My church small group’s website ( http://www.unshackledaction.com/ ) has a page ‘Trail Markers for the End Times’. This belongs there (and will be shortly – it resides on our ‘current events’ in the meantime).
Medical researchers and mental health professionals find that “sex changes are not effective“
_________________________
Who cares if it doesn’t work? It’s in vogue, it’s PC, and all the really cool kids are either doing it or using social media to cheer on others who do it. It’s new skool, dude!
I can’t decide who are the bigger idiots: the clueless morons running our governments and trampling our rights and spending us into ruin, or the rest of us, who are allowing clueless morons to run our governments and trample our rights and spend us into ruin.
Not to mention the fact that “sex changes are not effective“ because you cannot, in actuality, change someone’s sex. You can feed them hormones, and mutilate them via surgery, but unless and until we work out a way to effect a complete chromosome transplant, they’re still going to stay the sex they were when they were born.
It’s odd that the self-professed “party of science” refuses to accept this.
Apparently, the science is settled.
As some point you have to wonder why some in government tolerate allowing parents much discretion at all in raising their kids. Maybe every family needs a “minder” from the state of Oregon who comes in and checks up on the appropriateness of their upbringing.
I remember reading that according to some psychological association or other, sexual orientation for many people is not settled until they reach their mid-twenties. The idea of permanent sex change surgeries for minors is wrong in so many ways.
It’s more than just sexual orientation. The young brain is still neurologically developing until the mid-twenties (which is why there is so much craziness in adolescence & young adulthood)- AND it’s the brain which sends out all the signals to the rest of the body (read that as glands/organs, including sexual ones) of what to do, when, etc. etc. It’s called negative feedback loops…like the pituitary gland to the thyroid; pituitary gland to the adrenal glands, etc. etc.
It’s also why drinking alcohol in the preteen years is more damaging, they’re more susceptible to dependency issues vs drinking in the 20’s and beyond.
Unfortunately, I have acquaintances, predominantly men, who were sexually abused, one was actually tortured also as a child, and some are very confused people. Today they want one thing, next week they want another. One of them married, then after they had kids, decided he was homosexual. A few years later, he decided he was heterosexual.
One wanted to be a girl, a grown man in his 30s, he wanted to be a girl, then after therapy, he decided he preferred being a man. Thank God no one cut off his equipment before therapy! You really cannot imagine the inner multiplicity of some of these folks.
This is another reason I’m appalled, utterly appalled, at the prospect of the military allowing TS, TG, whatever they are, because in reality, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find out they have dissociative identity disorder, and just hide it reasonably well. This is the “professional” term for multiple personalities. People like this, they can switch personalities on a dime.
So, no, they shouldn’t be doing any of these surgeries, not until they are well, well, into adulthood, and had the benefit of trying to find a therapist that knows how to handle their issues. The people I know, sometimes they’ve seen several therapists before one has the experience to deal with their issues, and help them try to effectively cope and resolve them. It’s a tough nut to crack.
Besides, studies have shown those that have had surgery have higher rates of suicide. This may be inevitable, as they may have had the most trauma and difficulties to begin with, nonetheless, I would not chance it.
By the way, for those in need of help, http://www.MaleSurvivor.Org is pretty good with their forums and Weekends of Recovery. Also, there are very good books. Pretty sure they have a listing of helpful books for survivors and family and friends. It took me about three years to understand my acquaintances, reading, talking, et cetera.
My God! These people who made this decision must not have ever had a teenage son/daughter! 15, 16, 17 it doesn’t matter, they make some of the dumbest decisions in their entire lives during this period. They are not capable of making life altering decisions at this age and any medical person would know this. In my state NO child in middle or high school can take an aspirin in school without parental permission. I remember my 15 year daughter screaming that she hated me and never wanted to see me again. But as a parent I knew she did not mean it and did not let it hurt me or our relationship. Today, 13 years later, we are best friends and love each other as I knew we would. I simply cannot imagine her making a decision that would change her life forever at that age.
And the age of consent for sex is 18. Has the 3 year loop hole usually put into place when star football players get busted at 18 for having sex with a 15 year old or as the case with OR and other states with 18 consent, 20 and 17.
Well some people do pronounce it as Portland, Organ.
They sure seem to focus on the lower part of the body a lot. Just saying.
http://www.oregon.gov/oha/herc/Pages/Roster.aspx
The Oregon Health Evidence Review Commission includes a firefighter, “county commissioner educator”, a “retail” pharmacist, a nursing manager and a chiropractor.
Gerald Ahmann, MD, is a Medford physician who is board-certified in internal medicine and clinical oncology whos is a recently reitred practicing hematologist/oncologist. He also serves as a co-investigator in clinical trials involving breast cancer patients.
Physician
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/15
Wiley Chan, MD, an internal medicine physician from Portland, is Director of Guidelines and Evidence-based Medicine for Kaiser Permanente Northwest.
Physician/Industry Representative
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/18
Irene Croswell, RPh, is a retail pharmacist for Haggen Pharmacy in Tualatin and is President of the Oregon State Pharmacy Association.
Pharmacy Representative
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/17
Leda Garside, RN, BSN, MBA, is the Clinical Nurse Manager for the ¡Salud! Program, an outreach program of the Tuality Healthcare Foundation in Hillsboro. Her 25-year nursing career includes acute care, occupational health services and, in the last 10 years, community and public health.
Public Health Nurse
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/16
Mark Gibson is the Director of the OHSU Center for Evidence-based Policy in Portland and a Program Officer for Millbank Memorial Fund. A former fire fighter, he has also served as Health Policy Advisor to the Oregon Governor’s Office.
Consumer Representative
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/15
Holly Jo Hodges, MD, is a board certified Family Medicine Physician from Eugene. Dr. Hodges is Medical Director for WVP Health Authority, working with the Willamette Community Health Coordinated Care Organization, in Salem. She is on the board of directors of Lane County Medical Society. Her more than 20 year career includes 13 years in full-spectrum Family Medicine in rural Central Oregon, 8 years of working in Public Health in 2 Oregon Counties and 3 years of urban Urgent Care experience.
Physician/Industry Representative
Term: 1/1/15–12/31/18
Chris Labhart, Grant County Commissioner, presently chair of the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization Community Advisory Council. Retired educator.
Consumer Representative
Term: 12/12/14–12/31/16
Vern Saboe, DC, is a practicing chiropractic physician with 30 years experience who is board certified in orthopedics, neurology and forensic science. He served on the Oregon Board of Chiropractic Examiners and is Past President of the Chiropractic Association of Oregon.
Alternative & Complementary Medicine Provider
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/15
Som Saha, MD, MPH, Chair, currently practices as a general internist at the Portland VA Medical Center and is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health & Preventive Medicine at OHSU. He is an active member of the Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center and has served as Chair of the Health Services Commission.
Physician
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/17
Derrick Sorweide, DO
Bio pending
Beth Kaplan Westbrook, PsyD, is a practicing clinical psychologist from Portland with over 30 years of experience in both inpatient and outpatient settings. She is certified in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Group Work Training and Crisis Intervention and is Past President of the Oregon Psychological Association.
Behavioral Health Representative
Term: 1/1/12-12/31/17
Susan Williams, MD, is a board certified orthopedic surgeon in Roseburg. She is in private practice of general orthopedics and spine surgery. She is on the board of Oregon Association of Orthopedists, and Board of Councilors for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Physician
Term: 5/1/13-12/31/18
I had the opportunity to have a conversation a couple of years ago with a doctor who performs the operations. His wife is a psychologist who specializes in gender transtioning. Both practice in Illinois.
I made it clear to the doctor that young children do not have the capacity to make such life alterations. I also made it clear that having children changes a person for the better, something the ‘altered’ children would never know.
You should have asked him how many of those operations he does for no fee. For po’ folk, you know?
Gee, the resident troll hasn’t popped up to scold us about what a wonderful, progressive step Oregon is taking, and how we’re all just a bunch of mouth-breathing h8ers for being aghast at this nonsense ~
He/she/it is still hung over from the Fourth.
Don’t you mean from the Fifth? They wouldn’t deign to celebrate Independence Day! Snark
It takes a village (of idiots) to raise a (transgender/sex) child.
Child abuse + reckless endangerment.
Lunatics are running this state. This is most disgusting and unbelievable crap I have ever heard of. And how can they do this without it being put to the voters. I am ashamed of this state and what it has become. A liberal loonie sanctuary. Governor McCall had it right. We have been Californicated. This freak show state needs to slide into the pacific with California when the next big one hits.
Jesus is coming, I just wish he would hurry up!