James January-February 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 60
Diagnosed with gender dysphoria at
12, Breen underwent puberty blockers and a double mastectomy, only to
later file a lawsuit against two California doctors. She accuses them of
prioritizing profit over her well-being,
alleging gross negligence and a lack
of proper psychological evaluation
before irreversible interventions were
performed. Her case has become
emblematic of a medical system that
places ideology and financial incentives above ethical responsibility.
Breen’s lawsuit has shed light
on troubling practices within the
gender-affirming care industry. Dr.
Johanna Olson-Kennedy, a prominent
figure in this field and one of the
doctors named in the suit, is accused
of recommending puberty blockers
within minutes of her first meeting
with Breen. Dr. Scott Mosser, another
named physician, allegedly performed
Breen’s mastectomy after a cursory
28-minute consultation.
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These accounts highlight the
urgent need for stringent oversight to
prevent similar ethical lapses in Georgia and beyond. If such cases can occur
in states with lenient regulations, what
safeguards exist to prevent exploitation
in Georgia, where activists are working
tirelessly to loosen restrictions?
The financial incentives driving the medical-industrial complex
cannot be ignored. Puberty blockers,
hormone therapies and surgeries
generate billions annually for pharmaceutical companies and clinics.
This industry thrives under the guise
of compassion but often ignores the
long-term harm inflicted on children.
Proponents of these treatments
argue they are necessary to prevent
mental health crises, yet there is
scant evidence to support this claim.
Meanwhile, studies show that many
gender-dysphoric youth eventually
desist, later identifying as gay or
lesbian without medical intervention.
This calls into question the ethics
of subjecting children to irreversible
treatments for conditions that might
resolve naturally. Herein lies one of
the major conundrums with the modern Democratic Party: while routinely
bemoaning the ills of capitalism, it
selectively overlooks situations where
profit-making operates at its most
exploitative.
Even within progressive circles,
cracks are beginning to show. Prominent voices like Camille Paglia, herself
transgender, have described the medicalization of gender identity for minors as a “criminal violation of human
rights.” Paglia’s critique resonates
with findings from the Cass Review
and other international assessments
that warn against rushing vulnerable
youth into medical interventions. Yet,
such warnings are largely dismissed
in the U.S., where flawed studies and
emotionally charged rhetoric dominate the discourse.
