Dear Planned Parenthood
Dear Planned Parenthood,
I cannot support you at this time and here is why. Planned Parenthood does not require any sort of mental health assessment before youth seeking hormones for transition can obtain those powerful medicines. What else are you neglecting here? Careful health assessment for other underlying medical conditions that could make hormones physically dangerous? This is simply irresponsible, and may even cross the line into medical malpractice. At the least, it completely ignores even the WPATH standards of care.
In an op-ed written by Dr Erica Anderson, probably the most notable expert in LGBTQ+ health in the US and who is herself a trans woman, she writes of her serious concerns that youth are subject to social contagion when it comes to transgender ideology. Please read this op-ed carefully. Even the most prominent experts in this field are now talking openly about how many teens and young adults now suddenly presenting as “trans” are likely heavily influenced by their peers and the internet.
The many stories now out in the open from detransitioners who feel they were harmed by the medical community is growing (more than 24,000 subscribe to r/detrans on reddit for example). Coincidence? No. Not only is your organization practicing shoddy care for trans identified youth, you are risking your whole enterprise—it seems inevitable at this point that lawsuits will begin to roll in as those who feel they were rushed into medical transition too quickly by health practitioners like yours begin to experience regret.
I once heartily supported your organization because I feel that a woman’s right to affordable health care and reproductive planning is vital to a strong society. Not anymore, because your mission has strayed into dangerous, harmful areas with this free and open access to wrong sex hormones. I’m not saying that you should not give trans people health care, but you are leaving the door wide open for rampant abuse by impressionable young people who are self diagnosing on the basis of social media influence. Shame on you.
Excellent. PP used to be one of two non-profits who received generous donations from me every year (the other was to the ACLU, which I also no longer support). I’m going to print this out and send it back to them…much better than a donation.
I sent a similar letter five years ago, just before Leana Wen started at PP, sent one copy to the national hq and one to my state, after years of supporting the cause. In response, they dis-invited me to a fundraiser and refunded my ticket. Didn't stop requesting donations from me, though. It's so disheartening that they can't see how off the rails this is.