The largest pediatric organization in the United States did not include “transgender girls” in a statement encouraging girls to participate in youth sports, according to emails obtained exclusively through a Daily Caller News Foundation public records request. It is said that they refused support on the grounds that they did not.

In a series of emails written in July 2022, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section Health and Wellness, a group within the organization that provides lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) expertise and education, declined to endorse the statement titled “LGBT.”It’s time to level the playing field for girls”, citing concerns that it could prevent gender-confused men from participating in women’s sports.

“While the recommendations alone are great, it’s the framing that concerns us. The words ‘It’s time to level the playing field for girls’ are not meant to support only cisgender girls’ participation in sports.” “There’s no mention of transgender girls,” said AAP Section Manager on LGBT Health and Wellness. Renee Jarrett writes.

Kathryn Meland Rowe, pediatrician and AAP co-author transgender policysaid they wanted more clarity on what the term “girl” meant.

“I think this bill could definitely be used against transgender youth given the current fight across the country over allowing transgender girls to play sports.” wrote Mr Lowe. “I wish there had been language in these recommendations that clarified what ‘girls’ meant.”

DCNF was unable to contact Mr. Jarrett and Mr. Lowe directly. AAP contacted Mr Jarrett and Mr Lowe for comment on their behalf but did not receive a response.

happy #WomenEqualityDay! 102 years ago, the 19th Amendment was passed, giving women the right to vote and opening a new path to gender equality. We are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for girls. #route4girlfriend To ensure the physical, mental and social health of all young people. pic.twitter.com/NgR2ZI8atC

— GENYOUthNow (@GENYOUthNow) August 26, 2022

The statement in question was spearhead by Gene Youthis a national non-profit organization specializing in improve children’s livesThere is a program called.route 4 ha” addresses barriers that prevent girls from participating in youth sports and confidence of a young woman.

Advocating for male participation in women’s athletics is at odds with the AAP’s historical recognition that gender segregation is necessary in competitive sports due to biological differences between male and female athletes. .

In 1975, shortly after the adoption of Title IX, the AAP noticed In pediatrics, peer-reviewed journalstates that post-adolescent women should not compete with men in contact sports because they “have less muscle mass per unit of body weight, which poses a significant risk of serious injury.”

Long-standing safety concerns about men and women competing together in track and field were recently put to the test after a female athlete participating in competitive sports suffered serious injuries at the hands of her male opponents.

For example, female high school volleyball players in North Carolina peyton mcnabbsuffered serious head injury In September 2022, she was hit by a ball spiked by a male player during a volleyball match. Massachusetts female student athletes her tooth fell out During a field hockey game, she was hit by a ball hit by a male player.

Pediatricians in Florida have joined other advocates in asking the Florida Legislature to oppose a ban on transgender girls playing sports with other girls. https://t.co/Ksc4UDYbCu

— American Academy of Pediatrics (@AmerAcadPeds) April 22, 2021

In recent years, the AAP has strongly insisted Application for male participation in women’s athletics multiple amicus brief Fighting legislation aimed at banning men from women’s sports.

In April 2023, AAP submits preliminary document He challenged West Virginia’s Protect Women’s Sports Act, which prohibited men from participating in women’s sports. The briefing suggests that gender-confused men’s “health and well-being” could be at risk if they are denied access to women’s sports. (Related: Court blocks law banning biological males from competing in female sports)

“This ban could have a significant negative impact on the health and well-being of transgender female students. Forcing transgender female students to participate in sports teams that identify as cisgender men Doing so can exacerbate the negative effects of gender dysphoria and goes against the medical consensus to treat gender dysphoria by helping transgender individuals live their lives in accordance with their gender identity.” state.

“Alternatively, if a transgender female student refuses to identify as a cisgender male, she may be forced to withdraw from intercollegiate athletics altogether and lose the social and physical benefits of participating in sports.” In either case, the impact of West Virginia’s law will have a negative impact on the health and well-being of transgender female students.”

Mae Mehlman, director of the Independent Women’s Law Center, criticized AAP for endangering the “safety, privacy and dignity” of girls in a statement to DCNF.

“AAP’s mission is to optimize the physical, mental, and social health of children, and for girls, that is clearly tied to women’s sports,” Mehlman wrote. “Instead of helping girls improve their health, the AAP is encouraging boys, many of whom are abused, to become girls, while risking their safety, privacy, and dignity.” This further undermines the credibility of the medical community.”

According to the email, a member of the AAP LGBT Health and Wellness Section said, “It’s time to level the playing field for girls” statement can have negative political implications for “transgender girls.”

AAP leader Jeff Hudson, who played a key role in lobbying the World Professional Association for Transgender Health to remove age restrictions for gender reassignment surgery, said the decision was made for “purely political” reasons. It was “very reluctant” to endorse this statement. (Related: Exclusive: How a small group of pediatricians forced medical institutions to impose age limits on gender reassignment)

“My thoughts here are purely political, and the existing headlines read like they came from the Heritage Foundation or ADF. I would be very reluctant to add the AAP logo as is, because… It’s definitely AAP And in this case, even with the bullet points of equity and inclusion, every state legislator and anti-trans activist wants to level the playing field for girls. ‘It’s time to do something,’ and that’s a central element of their argument,” Hudson wrote. .

of heritage foundation is a conservative think tank in Washington, DC, and the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is a conservative think tank based in Washington, DC. christian law firm We are committed to protecting religious freedom and freedom of speech.

Jason Rafferty, lead author on AAP’s transgender policy, agreed that viewing sport through a “binary lens” could have a negative impact on policy efforts.

“I strongly disagree with endorsing this statement. I don’t know what its intentions are and I would like to assume it is positive given the other organizations that have signed it etc. But anything that currently views sports through a binary lens will come back to bite us in our policy efforts,” Rafferty wrote.

“We’re currently awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action, so don’t worry about the ‘leveling the playing field’ argument. In fact, I don’t think there’s a more controversial phrase. , obviously not controversial,” he added.

AAP, Hudson and Rafferty did not respond to requests for comment.

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