American Medical Association flips on gender identity surgeries, now 'generally' opposes for minors

The American Medical Association flipped its position on so-called gender affirming care for minors but only as applied to surgery, shortly after a plastic surgeons group issued guidance urging members to wait to perform cosmetic procedures on gender-confused patients until they turn 19.

Unlike the "evidence-based treatment" for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in minors who identify as the opposite sex, "the evidence for gender-affirming surgical intervention in minors is insufficient for us to make a definitive statement," the AMA told National Review. 

That's why it agrees with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons that "surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood," the AMA said. 

The ASPS announcement shortly followed a New York jury's $2 million award to a detransitioner against the psychologist and surgeon who allegedly pushed her into a double mastectomy at 16 despite her youth and mental illness, in the first such malpractice suit to go before a jury.

The AMA and American Academy of Pediatrics are still global outliers in their continued support for hormonal interventions on minors, whose gender confusion is likely to desist absent so-called social transitioning and medical intervention and who may suffer lifelong adverse consequences from treatment the mainstream groups portray as reversible, some research suggests.