Green Mountain State proposes to offer mutilation surgeries to minors

The state Department of Health wants to lower the age for Medicaid-paid mutilation surgery for transgender people from 21 to 18. The Vermont Department of Health says, "Under the new rules, Medicaid will extend gender modification coverage to everyone, including minors with parental consent. The rule change further allows emancipated minors with Medicaid to receive body modification surgeries."

Family Research Council, an organization dedicated to advancing the family- centered philosophy of public life, does not think this issue deals with the root of the problem. Senior fellow for policy studies, Peter Sprigg, tells OneNewsNow "that this type of procedure is never medically necessary."

"In fact, the federal government, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid research, also said they could not issue a blanket declaration that is was generally medically necessary back in 2016," he continues.

However, Vermont is using Medicare dollars for the surgery, which does not resolve the transgender issue. The issue is a psychological problem referred to as gender dysphoria.

The American Psychiatric Association classifies Gender Dysphoria as: "a conflict between a person's physical or assigned gender and the gender with which he/she/they identify. People with gender dysphoria may be very uncomfortable with the gender they were assigned, sometimes described as being uncomfortable with their body." They also claim, that it does not mean the person is gay/lesbian.

Christian Headlines.com list Vermont's stipulations to the bill:

• Vermont children under age 18 can only have the surgery if they've been emancipated from their parents or their parents approve.
• The patient must have two written clinical evaluations from their qualified mental health professionals.
• Finally, they must have completed a minimum of 12 months of living in a gender role congruent with their gender identity.

Sprigg emphasizes that mutilation surgery can cause lifetime side effects, such as permanent sterility among them that cannot be reversed.

"People need to remember when we talk about gender reassignment surgery we are talking about the deliberate mutilation, amputation or removal of healthy body parts, perfectly healthy functioning body parts," says the FRC spokesman.

But he adds that through counseling and willingness of the recipient, a transgender can be helped to align their preference with their biological gender.