That’s messed up: American Academy of Pediatrics claims kids can consent to mastectomies and gender surgeries, but not tattoos

 The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has claimed that children have the ability to consent to mastectomies and other “gender affirmation” surgeries, but not when it comes to tattoos.

Pediatrician Dr. Cora Breuner put forward the argument that children cannot consent when it comes to permanent markings on their bodies. She told the New York Times: “It is a permanent mark or a symbol you are putting on your body, and I don’t think kids under 18 have that kind of agency to make a decision.” Breuner also stressed the need to look at the pertinent laws regarding tattoos for minors.

The pediatrician at the Seattle Children’s Hospital in Washington state served as the lead author of a 2017 study published in the AAP’s Pediatrics journal. The paper she wrote with several others served as the guidance for the association of children’s doctors on tattoos, piercings and body modifications.

Breuner is also reportedly an official at the AAP – which endorses children being allowed access to “gender-affirming” medications and surgeries. It has even suppressed doctors who go against the grain and challenge these interventions.  

As per leaked documents from a whistleblower, many AAP members voiced support toward Resolution 27 – a document urging the association to re-assess its stance on “gender-affirming medical care.” However, the members found themselves blocked from expressing their thoughts on the document.

 

One complained that they were “unable to comment on the document.” A second user said they “no longer trust the AAP” because the resolution was “removed” and “debate on the matter was silenced egregiously.”

“There is no open dialogue on these medical treatments by the AAP,” said a third doctor. “Input from the [AAP] membership must occur.”

“I’m really disappointed the AAP is being driven by ideology rather than evidence, said Oregon pediatrician Dr. Julia Mason, one of the five authors of Resolution 27. “They’re embarrassed that they’ve let young activist doctors get them on record in support of gender-affirming care, and now they can’t backtrack.

AAP’s double standards exposed in broad daylight

Writing for the Post Millennial, Mia Ashton recounted the Times story that sparked Breuner’s comments.

Back in October, a 10-year-old boy from New York with a tattoo on his arm paid a visit to his school’s clinic for a medical concern. The school nurse called law enforcement – who then arrested both the unlicensed tattoo artist who inked the boy and the child’s mother who consented to her son getting the tattoo.

“This event prompted a renewed discussion about varying minimum age restrictions for tattoos across the U.S.,” Ashton wrote. She added that while there is no federal minimum age for tattoos, the rules vary from state to state. New York, for example, requires a person to be 18 years old before they can get a tattoo.

“Meanwhile, all over the U.S., children who believe themselves to be transgender are thought capable of consenting to the irreversible medical pathway involving experimental puberty blockers; powerful cross-sex hormones and major surgeries in the form of bilateral mastectomies, hysterectomies … [and] genital surgeries, all with the full backing of the AAP.”

Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire pointed out the association’s contradictory stances in a tweet, referencing the Times article.

“Amazing. This article quotes an official with the AAP who says that kids don’t have the ‘agency’ to permanently alter their bodies. And yet, the AAP fully endorses gender transitions for minors,” he wrote.