America’s most powerful group of pediatricians, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), has called denying children puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries harmful.
Denying a child so-called “gender-affirming care” was labeled a form of “medical neglect” and “emotional abuse” in
a December 2023 paper published in the AAP’s medical journal, Pediatrics. Parents across the country have had children
removed by child protective services for affirming their child’s natural sex.
Buried in this
belief is an open secret: pediatricians who embrace gender ideology view parents as harming — and possibly abusing — their children if they refuse to support the child’s transition to another sex.
While the AAP suggests that not affirming a child’s
transgender identity causes emotional and psychological
harm, it has failed to clarify how this belief impacts parents and parental rights.
The Daily Wire asked the AAP outright if it believes parents who affirm their child’s natural sex and refuse to provide so-called “gender affirming care” are abusing their children. The AAP did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Given the AAP’s extensive reach — the organization claims
67,000 members, while there are an
estimated 60,000 active pediatricians in America — its views on gender ideology and non-affirming parents impact how medicine is practiced in pediatric offices across the country.
A review of the group’s public statements and policies suggests the group views parental non-affirmation of gender identity as a form of child abuse — something doctors should actively look for.
“
A Pediatrician’s Guide to an LGBTQ+ Friendly Practice” gives pediatricians a road map to discover if a family “accepts” the gender identity of their “LGBTQ+” child and recommends that doctors routinely ask teens about their gender identity in private, without parental knowledge.
“Normalize confidential, one-on-one discussions with adolescents and young adults as part of routine adolescent medical care,” states the guide. “Explore whether your [electronic health record] can ‘hide’ sensitive information.”
The guide gives doctors a series of scripted questions to use when having confidential conversations with teens about gender identity and family dynamics, including:
“Identities grow and evolve over time. Do you want to talk more about your gender or sexuality today?”
“Do you need support or have any questions as you navigate your gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationships?”
“How much do your caregivers know about your identity? How does their behavior toward you/your friends reflect that? How safe do you feel at home?”
Family acceptance of gender identity is viewed as a critical safety issue within several
AAP policies, and the guide encourages doctors to ask teens, “How does your family accept and support you?”
The AAP’s gender medicine
policy has an entire section devoted to the
importance of “family acceptance” and warns pediatricians to look out for families that deny their child sex-change medical interventions, saying this could raise “safety” concerns.
“Some families may take issue with providers who address gender concerns or offer gender-affirming care,” states the policy. “In rare cases, a family may deny access to care that raises concerns about the youth’s welfare and safety; in those cases, additional legal or ethical support may be useful to consider.”
The Family Acceptance Project (FAP), an intervention claiming to reduce “health risks” for “LGBTQ” youth by increasing family affirmation of a child’s gender identity, is listed as a resource on the AAP
website.
The program has identified more than 50 harmful “rejecting” family behaviors and 50 “accepting” behaviors that create safety, according to its
website. Harmful parental “rejecting” behaviors include not allowing children to cross-dress, not using a child’s chosen name or pronoun, and denying participation in LGBTQ support groups,
documents show. Helpful parental “accepting” behaviors include connecting a child with an LGBTQ adult role model, using a child’s chosen pronouns, and participating in family LGBTQ support groups,
documents show.
The Family Acceptance Project did not respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.
FAP’s documents were taken offline after The Daily Wire viewed them.
Kurt Miceli, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Do No Harm, says pediatricians should not be pushing vulnerable kids towards medical transition.
“Loving parents should not be treated as welfare risks requiring legal intervention; instead, they should be included as partners in supporting their child’s well‑being, helping their son or daughter navigate distress, and fulfilling their responsibility to protect their child from irreversible harm,” Miceli told The Daily Wire.
The AAP co-sponsored an event in October 2024 focused on expanding the use of “family acceptance” interventions, which try to convince skeptical parents to affirm their child’s transgender identity. Hosted by the
Biden administration, the event brought together government officials, philanthropists, and transgender activists, with the common goal of furthering the impact of gender ideology in child welfare systems.
Biden officials viewed “family acceptance” of so-called gender identity as an
important step in “preventing” LGBTQI+ children from entering foster care.
Representatives of the AAP were invited to take part in a special breakout session with government officials and child welfare leaders to discuss “big ideas” for the “cross-sector” promotion of family acceptance programs that re-educate parents to embrace gender ideology, records show.
“We know that family support around LGBTQI+ identity, as early as possible, is a key protective factor against … entry into the child welfare and juvenile justice systems for LGBTQI+ youth,” Julie Kruse, a contracted senior advisor for the LGBTQI+ Initiatives, wrote in an
email describing the event. “These programs are critical to preventing LGBTQI+ youth homelessness and entry into foster care.”
The Daily Wire inquired about the AAP’s role in this event and whether it believes pediatricians should encourage parents to be re-educated through “family acceptance” programs to prevent a child from being removed from their home. The AAP did not respond to The Daily Wire’s requests for comment.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics claims to be a reliable guide for pediatricians and families, yet its misguided approach to children experiencing gender distress is harmful and unsupported by the evidence. Its embrace of ‘family acceptance’ frameworks — and its promotion of the Family Acceptance Project as a community resource — only heightens these concerns,” Miceli told The Daily Wire.
