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OPINION

We Should Listen to Finland on Gender Reassignment 'Care'

gender affirming medical and or palliative care

(Ihor Mieshkov/Dreamstime.com)

Michael Dorstewitz By Monday, 13 April 2026 09:47 AM EDT Current | Bio | Archive

U.S. politicians and the medical community needs to review Finland's study detailing the risks of gender reassignment surgeries and drug regimens before another procedure is even contemplated — particularly on children.

Early this month Finnish researchers released the results of a 23-year research project that studied 2,000 adolescents and young adults who had undergone gender reassignment procedures.

Parents are often pressured into consenting to such procedures by claiming they’re necessary to preserve their child's mental health, often asking them, "would you rather have a dead son or a live daughter?"

The Finnish study found that the exact opposite was the truth.

"After adjusting for prior psychiatric treatment, all gender-referred adolescents had similarly elevated risks of psychiatric morbidity, with hazard ratios approximately three times higher than female controls and five times higher than male controls."

In short, adolescents and young adults who have undergone gender reassignment procedures were much more likely to experience a severe psychological crisis requiring significant professional treatment.

The Finnish conclusion mirrors one that came out of France two years ago that described sex reassignment in minors as potentially “one of the greatest ethical scandals in the history of medicine . . . "

Respected Australian medical professionals have paid dearly for questioning gender reassignment.

Dr. Jillian Spencer, a leading Queensland child psychiatrist, was referred to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which informed her that she could lose her medical license.

Her sin? She shared a link to a newspaper article that was critical of gender-affirming care for children.

Dr. Andrew Amos, another prominent Queensland psychiatrist, was silenced by the AHPRA for daring the question gender affirming drugs and surgery.

Yet Americans, including medical professionals, stubbornly support the notion that gender-affirming care, even for adolescents, makes good scientific sense.

The state of Oregon declared that it was "all in" on gender-affirming care for minor children more than a decade ago when it began permitting 15-year-olds to get state-subsidized sex-change operations without parental consent — or even notification.

If the parents object, Child Protective Services can be called in who can remove the child.

Not everyone is crazy though. California attorney Erin Friday's practice is dedicated to "fighting for kids & adults caught in the gender web & for detransitioners."

And she has a personal interest as the "parent of a formerly gender confused child."

Last week Friday reported, "Another day, another call from a family being investigated by CPS agency in Oregon because they won't say that their daughter is transgender, won't agree that she is a boy, won't transition her."

Friday explained that, "She is 15. She is mentally unwell. Her school is the one reporting the parents.

"CPS is calling the mom’s employer, which will guarantee that mom will lose her job. She is the main breadwinner of the family. Dad's business is not doing well."

Friday concluded, "This is how America will be destroyed. One family at a time."

Craziness isn’t limited to the "left coast."

Last week The Washington Times reported that "An order of Catholic nuns who care for the terminally ill poor has sued to block a New York transgender-rights law that requires nursing homes to use pronouns, assign rooms and allow restroom access based on a patient's gender identity, or risk jail time."

As another indicator of the extremes we've taken the entire LGBTQ+ movement in the United States, Google's Artificial Intelligence platform couldn’t precisely say how many days are set aside to honor people who identify as LGBTQ+.

"There are over 100 dedicated days, weeks, and months recognized annually to honor LGBTQ+ people, with some sources listing up to 145 or more to celebrate specific identities and history.

"Key observances include Pride Month (June), LGBTQ History Month (October), Transgender Day of Visibility (March 31), and National Coming Out Day (October 11)."

On the other hand, we have two days set aside to honor our military: Veteran's Day, recognizing all military veterans, and Memorial Day, which honors those service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country.

The idea of silencing medical professionals for having opposing views is the most unscientific thing imaginable.

Science is never settled — it's always evolving, always questioning.

Back in the day if kids claimed to be something they weren't, it was called "acting out" or "going through a phase," and those phases eventually ended.

But cutting off body parts is permanent, and robbing a child of his natural growth cycle by pumping him full of puberty blockers is just as permanent — unlike a "phase," there's no growing out of that.

Gender reassignment is nothing more than a huge cash cow for unscrupulous physicians.

They should listen to Finland before we destroy America, "one family at a time."

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and is a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He's also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and a Second Amendment supporter. Read more Michael Dorstewitz Insider articles — Click Here Now.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


MichaelDorstewitz
Back in the day if kids claimed to be something they weren't, it was "acting out" or "a phase." Those phases ended. But cutting off body parts is permanent, and robbing a child of his natural growth cycle by pumping him full of puberty blockers is just as permanent
care, finland, gender
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2026-47-13
Monday, 13 April 2026 09:47 AM
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