Matt Walsh discusses their investigation and the aftermath in the following video published 21st September.
Today on the Matt Walsh Show, my expose on Vanderbilt's gender clinic, which butchers and drugs kids, has sparked a massive reaction on both the right and the left. Best of all, there is now a push for legislation to finally put a stop to this. I'll give you the latest on this story today.
Also, the White House walks back Biden's claim that the pandemic is over. Doctors will now start conducting regular screenings for anxiety.
Why is that a bad thing? I'll explain. A therapist brags on TikTok about how he indoctrinates and manipulates kids. And in our Daily cancellation, a philosopher comes to the defense of that teacher in Canada with the giant fake breasts.
Blake FarmerWPLN News (file) Vanderbilt's Transgender Health Clinic has become a target for far-right anti-trans activists who have been misrepresenting gender-affirming care.
A far-right podcaster who has been leading a campaign against Boston Children’s Hospital for providing gender affirming care has now turned his sights on a similar clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.
Matt Walsh used part of his show on Tuesday to call attention to the local facility, using inflammatory language to describe Vanderbilt’s services for transgender patients.
A statement from Vanderbilt says Walsh’s claims and subsequent social media posts by others “misrepresent” facts about its Transgender Health Clinic, such as insinuating employees are forced to participate in gender affirming care.
“Our policies allow employees to decline to participate in care they find morally objectionable, and do not permit discrimination against employees who choose to do so,” the statement says. “This includes employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care for transgender persons.”
Vanderbilt also says it requires parental consent to treat a minor patient related to transgender care.
Political response
Walsh’s show did not include any comment from Vanderbilt, but local politicians and activists have seized on the out-of-context material anyway. They include Tennessee’s House majority leader, William Lamberth, who said he is “deeply troubled” by what he referred to as “child mutilation.”
Gov. Bill Lee says in a statement to WPLN News that he sees “serious moral, ethical and legal concerns” with Vanderbilt’s clinic.
“We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation,” he says. His spokeswoman, Casey Sellers, says the governor’s concerns have been shared with the state attorney general, though when asked she did not specify what illegal behavior could be occurring.
The Office of Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti says it’s “aware” of the allegations and that he will “use the full scope of his authority to ensure compliance with Tennessee law.”
The Tennessee legislature has passed several anti-transgender laws in recent years, and several states are considering bills that would punish doctors for providing gender affirming care for minors. Alabama has such a law on the books, though a federal judge partially blocked the measure earlier this year.
GOP candidates across the country have escalated anti-trans messaging in their run up to November elections, finding a potent wedge issue to activate their voting base.
Threats in Boston
“The Matt Walsh Show” is based in Nashville — part of Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire media empire. Walsh is one of several conservative media personalities and media companies that have relocated to Nashville in recent years.
Children’s hospitals in Omaha and Pittsburgh have been targeted in recent months as well.
Some protesters have gathered outside the hospitals. But over the weekend in Boston, counter protesters far outnumbered anti-trans activists, holding their own signs with supportive slogans like “celebrate trans kids.”
We don't allow children's parents to decide whether or not they can drink underage, whether they can smoke underage, whether they marry underage, and we certainly should not allow a child to be disfigured in a horrible way, in an irreversible procedure before they're 18 years of age," Rep. Williams Lamberth, R-Portland, said.
He — along with Sen. Jack Johnson — have said they would work on a bill to address the issue, but VUMC said they haven't broken state laws. VUMC said they require parental consent to treat minors who are being seen for issues to those receiving gender-affirming care and never refuse parental involvement for those under 18. VUMC officials said they began their Transgender Health Clinic because "transgender individuals are a high-risk population for mental and physical health issues and have been consistently underserved by the U.S. health system."
"We have been and will continue to be committed to providing family-centered care to all adolescents in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards and guidance established by medical specialty societies," officials said in the statement.
However, Rep. Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville, said he was concerned.
"These procedures on Tennessee’s youth are barbaric. I think they are, and it’s very concerning," he said. "I think there would have to be a really good case and a lot of parental support in order to do that. I — on the other hand — would not support it, those surgeries in minors. But I do think if an adult chooses to make that decision to do that, that is obviously their prerogative to do so."
On the Democratic side of the aisle, Vincent Dixie, D-Nashville, said Republicans can't believe parent's have full rights when it comes to COVID-19 healthcare but not gender-affirming healthcare.
"The COVID environment we were in, they advocated that parents know what’s best for their kids," Dixie said. "If parents don’t want their kids to wear masks, they shouldn’t be forced to. Now you’re telling parents you’re going to do what Republicans tell you to do. We know what’s best for you in your own home. So, you can’t have it both ways."
VUMC added that their policies allow employees to decline to participate in care they find morally objectionable. They also do not permit discrimination against employees who choose to do so.
"This includes employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care for transgender persons," Vanderbilt continued.
"The Trans Buddy program mentioned in the video has received national acclaim. Its purpose is to provide peer volunteers who support persons who are seeking highly personal care in an unfamiliar environment, and who may have been refused medical services in the past or avoided seeking them out of fear of being met with hostility," VUMC officials said.
It will be interesting to see how the situation with Vanderbilt Health plays out.
I wish more parents and children would listen to what Chloe Cole has to say about her experiences in the “gender affirming” medical system.
An 18-year-old detransitioned woman gave a powerful testimony on Tuesday against the “gender affirming” model of care that led to her irreversible medical transition as an adolescent.
Chloe Cole spoke at a press conference in front of the White House in support of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-GA) new bill, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, that aims to shield minors from accessing the permanent, body- and life-altering medical treatments they may later come to regret.
