The Inconvenient Truth About "Trans Kids: The Medical Scandal"

Hey folks, it's your friendly neighborhood truth-teller here, and today we need to talk about a new video that's been making the rounds (I think it was release on 20240826). It's called "Trans Kids: The Medical Scandal,"1 and it's put out by PragerU, a conservative media company known for its slick, agenda-driven content that often plays fast and loose with the facts.2

In this video, Dr. Miriam Grossman makes some pretty alarming claims about gender-affirming care for transgender youth. She says it's based on flimsy evidence, driven by a "perverse political agenda," and causing serious harm to vulnerable kids.3

But who is Dr. Miriam Grossman, and why should we trust what she says?

Well, if you don’t know, she's a psychiatrist and a self-described "expert" on gender and sexuality. She's written some books and she's a senior fellow at DoNoHarm, an organization that claims to be "protecting minors from gender ideology."4

And here’s the first red flag (besides the use of the dog-whistles): DoNoHarm isn't just some neutral medical ethics group. It's an explicitly anti-transgender organization that has been involved in pushing for bans on gender-affirming care for trans youth across the country.5 In fact, in its first year, DoNoHarm was primarily funded by a single conservative family foundation with the stated purpose of "protecting healthcare from a radical, divisive and discriminatory ideology."6

And then there's another red flag by the name of PragerU, the company behind Dr. Grossman's video. PragerU has a long history of producing content that's critical of transgender people and gender-affirming care.7 They've had videos removed from YouTube for violating hate speech policies, and many of their key figures, like Ben Shapiro, Abigail Shrier, and Colin Wright, are known for their anti-trans views.8

PragerU even has a whole initiative called "Stop Sexualizing Our Kids" that pushes the idea that gender-affirming care is child abuse.9 So when we see a PragerU video featuring a DoNoHarm fellow, it's pretty clear that there's a specific agenda at play here.

And when we look at Dr. Grossman's own history, we see that same agenda. She's called being transgender a "craze" and a "contagion," she's testified against inclusive education policies, and she's appeared in anti-trans propaganda films.10 This isn't about objective science or medicine for her - it's about pushing a particular ideological view.

So while Dr. Grossman might have some legitimate-sounding credentials, the context here matters a lot. She's not coming at this as a neutral expert, but as someone with a clear anti-trans bias, working with organizations that have a history of spreading misinformation and undermining the rights of transgender people.

And folks, that's a few huge red flags. Because when we're talking about the health and well-being of some of the most vulnerable members of our society - trans youth - we can't afford to be guided by ideology and bias. We need to be looking at the actual evidence, the actual science, and the guidance of reputable medical organizations.11

And that's where Dr. Grossman's claims really start to fall apart. When we look at the positions of major medical associations like the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, we see a clear consensus: gender-affirming care is evidence-based, medically necessary, and potentially lifesaving for trans youth.12

These organizations have looked at the research, they've consulted with experts, and they've developed guidelines for providing trans-affirming care in a safe, responsible way.13 And that care isn't just about surgery or hormones - it's about supporting trans kids in exploring their identity, providing mental health support, and creating an accepting environment.14

But Dr. Grossman doesn't mention any of that in her video. Instead, she focuses on one small, thirty-year-old study and claims that it's the basis for all of gender-affirming care.15 That's just not true. The standards of care are based on a wide range of research and clinical experience, not just one study.16

She also throws around a lot of loaded, pejorative language, calling gender-affirming care a "medical scandal" and a "man-made catastrophe."17 That kind of rhetoric might fire up the PragerU base, but it's not helpful for having a serious, fact-based discussion about transgender health.

Look, I get it. These complicated and emotionally charged issues. But that's all the more reason to be careful about the information we spread and the claims we make. When we promote biased, agenda-driven content like Dr. Grossman's video, we're not just getting the facts wrong. We're contributing to the stigma and marginalization that transgender people, especially kids, already face way too much of.18

And we're potentially discouraging trans youth and their families from seeking out the care and support they need. Because when you hear a doctor in a slick video telling you that gender-affirming care is a dangerous scam, that's going to give you pause, even if it's not true.19

So here's my advice: Be skeptical of videos like this, especially when they come from sources with a clear political agenda. Don't just take their claims at face value. Look for the receipts, the actual evidence from reputable scientific sources. Which is a pretty good idea! Let's take a closer look at the sources Dr. Grossman cites to back up her claims, because if we're going to take her seriously as a medical expert, we need to know that she's basing her arguments on solid, reliable evidence.

And a soon as we start digging into those sources, even more red flags start popping up real quick.

First off, Dr. Grossman cites her own book, "Lost in Trans Nation," as a source multiple times.20 Now, I'm not saying that automatically discredits her - but it does mean we should be extra careful about taking those claims at face value. After all, she's got a pretty clear incentive to make her own work look good. It is reported that she has made quite the mint off of parents who really do not want their kids to be trans.21

But it gets worse. Many of the other sources she cites are from organizations like The Heritage Foundation and the SEGM, which have a history of opposing transgender rights and gender-affirming care.22 These aren't neutral, objective sources - they're groups with a clear ideological agenda.

And when Dr. Grossman makes claims about things like the incidence of gender dysphoria increasing by 5000%, or the entire basis of gender-affirming care resting on one small Dutch study, she's citing her own book again.23 There's no way for us to check those claims or see if they're based on actual, peer-reviewed research.

In fact, when Dr. Grossman does cite a specific study, like the Dutch study she mentions, she's quick to dismiss it as "flawed and unreliable."24 But she doesn't provide any actual evidence for why that study is flawed - she just says it is.

Interestingly, one of the very sources Dr. Grossman cites, an article from Amsterdam University Medical Center, directly contradicts her claim that there's no scientific evidence supporting the use of puberty blockers. The article states (translation from Dutch), 'Amsterdam UMC disagrees with the conclusion that there is insufficient scientific evidence for the use of puberty blockers.'25 and goes on even further to damn her own claims that “..the Netherlands….are not far behind” in reference to various countries either stopping or re-examining their trans health care programs.26 If we read the article Dr. Grossman cites we get some more golden nuggets, let’s read them together:

And a little further on:

and concludes with the following rather damning statement:

Amsterdam UMC therefore calls for the debate on transgender care for young people in the Netherlands to be conducted with nuance and care. The same care and nuance with which care is currently provided in the Netherlands.”30

This is significant because Amsterdam UMC is a respected medical institution and a pioneer in the field of transgender healthcare. The Dutch Protocol for treating transgender adolescents, which includes the use of puberty blockers, was developed at the Amsterdam Gender Clinic and has been influential in shaping transgender healthcare guidelines around the world.31

So here we have a source that Dr. Grossman herself cites, directly challenging one of her central claims. But does she engage with this evidence or try to refute it? No. She simply ignores it because it doesn't fit her narrative.

This is a clear example of cherry-picking and confirmation bias in action. Dr. Grossman is not following the evidence where it leads - she's starting with a conclusion and then looking for evidence to back it up, while dismissing anything that contradicts her view."

Compare that to the sources cited by major medical organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the American Medical Association.32 These groups are citing peer-reviewed studies, systematic reviews, and clinical guidelines developed by experts in the field.33 That's the kind of evidence we should be looking for when we're talking about medical care.

But Dr. Grossman dismisses these groups as "mouthpieces for the gender zealots' radical theories."34 She's not engaging with their evidence or their arguments - she's just writing them off because they disagree with her.

And that's really the pattern we see throughout Dr. Grossman's video. She makes a lot of bold, scary-sounding claims, but when you look at the sources she's citing, it's a lot of ideologically-driven think tanks, her own unverified assertions, and quick dismissals of anything that contradicts her view.35

That's not how good science works, folks. If Dr. Grossman wants us to take her claims seriously, she needs to back them up with actual, reliable evidence - not just cherry-picked studies and her own opinions.

And when we compare her sources to the ones cited by major medical organizations, it's clear that there's a lot more solid evidence on the side of gender-affirming care than there is for Dr. Grossman's claims of a "medical scandal."36

So as we're watching this video and others like it, we need to be asking ourselves: Who are they citing? What's the quality of that evidence? And are they engaging with the full body of research, or just picking and choosing the bits that fit their agenda? And what do they stand to gain from making this video and putting out this misinformation - more book sales?37

And most importantly, do you know what is most lacking in all of this? The willingness to listen to transgender people themselves, and include their voices in videos like this. They're the experts on their own experiences and identities, and they deserve to have a voice in these conversations.38

That's the inconvenient truth, folks. It's not always the one that fits neatly into a slick PragerU video, but it's the one that's backed up by the facts and the lived realities of transgender people.

As always, I encourage you to do your own research and come to your own conclusions. I cite my sources so you don’t have to take my word for it. I hope this gives you a starting point for thinking critically about the information you're getting and the agendas behind it. As we all know, once you have a little more information, with a little more context, that makes all the difference. Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other.