Science of sex and gender being misrepresented by Trump officials, experts warn

"Trump officials don't actually understand the science at all, said Jey McCreight, who is the founder of Beyond X&Y and has a doctoral degree in human genomics. McCreight, who uses they/them pronouns, added that using misinformation to limit who can seek healthcare is a warning for all patients. These attacks are fundamentally coming from a broader attempt to dismantle science and expertise and truth."

"These oversimplified understandings of the biology of sex are being used to back up transgender legislation and federal policy. They said: The science is being misrepresented in such a way to hurt people."

"The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is finalizing a new rule that would block Medicaid and Medicare payments to any health system providing gender-affirming care to patients under the age of 18, including medications such as puberty blockers and hormones; the public comment period for the new policy ended last week."

Multiple health systems including Mount Sinai, NYU Langone, and University of Utah Health are discontinuing pediatric gender-affirming care programs following Trump administration policies. The HHS is finalizing rules to block Medicaid and Medicare payments for gender-affirming care to patients under 18, including puberty blockers and hormones. Scientists and advocates argue that oversimplified understandings of sex biology are being weaponized to support restrictive legislation and policy. Experts with doctorates in genomics and biological sciences contend that this misrepresentation of science undermines healthcare access and represents a broader attack on scientific expertise and truth. The administration has also announced plans to eliminate gender-affirming healthcare in correctional facilities.

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