PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM CHEMICAL AND SURGICAL MUTILATION
On January 28, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” aiming to halt medical interventions on minors that are intended to alter sex-traits in the name of so-called ‘gender affirmative care’. The order asserts that such procedures, including the administration of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and gender-related surgeries, constitute irreversible harm to children.
The executive order defines “chemical and surgical mutilation” as the use of puberty blockers, sex hormones, and surgical procedures to change an individual’s physical appearance to align with an identity differing from their sex. It mandates that federal agencies rescind or amend policies relying on guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), citing concerns over the scientific integrity of WPATH’s “Standards of Care Version 8.” Additionally, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to review existing literature on best practices for promoting the health of children experiencing gender dysphoria or related conditions within 90 days.
It is interesting to note that the order defines children as under 19. Could this be some acknowledgment of adolescence extending into the mid-twenties? We are keen for the plight of older adolescents to be addressed.
The order further instructs federal agencies to ensure that institutions receiving federal research or education grants cease performing these procedures on minors. This directive encompasses medical schools, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is also tasked with taking appropriate actions to end these practices, expected to include programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the enforcement of section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Expanding Legal Recourse for Victims of Medical Harm
The executive order directs the administration to work with Congress to draft and promote legislation establishing a private right of action for minors and their parents against medical professionals who have performed harmful gender-related medical procedures. This legal measure would provide victims with the ability to seek damages for the removal or alteration of healthy body parts, with a lengthy statute of limitations to ensure that individuals harmed in their youth can still pursue justice well into adulthood. This measure is particularly welcomed by Our Duty — proper recourse for both parents and our affected children will help those seeking justice and also serve to recognise that the harm of gender medicine extends beyond those directly affected.
Federal Action Against Sanctuary States Facilitating Child Removal
The order also prioritizes investigations into states that enact policies allowing courts or state agencies to strip custody from parents who oppose medical gender transition for their children. These so-called sanctuary states have passed laws shielding minors from parental intervention and enabling cross-border medicalization. The executive order instructs federal agencies to take appropriate action to curb these practices, including by applying the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act and enforcing recognized constitutional parental rights. This provision aims to reinforce family integrity and prevent state overreach into parental authority, a growing concern among parents nationwide. This is another measure that is particularly welcomed by Our Duty, and we look forward to seeing changes in those states.
A Turning Point for Child Protection
This executive order represents a decisive shift toward safeguarding children, and away from harmful medical interventions based on ideological beliefs rather than sound science. By prioritizing parental rights, enabling legal recourse for victims, and cracking down on states that undermine family integrity, the Trump administration has set a precedent that will likely influence future legislation at both the state and federal levels. As this policy takes effect, it is expected to halt the reckless medicalization of vulnerable minors, restore accountability in the healthcare system, and provide justice for those who have been misled into irreversible harm. With growing public awareness and legislative momentum, this order marks the beginning of a new era in protecting children from the dangerous consequences of gender ideology.
Wider Ramifications
Given the U.S.’s role as a global leader in both medical and cultural discourse, this directive will embolden policymakers, medical professionals, and parental rights groups worldwide who are already pushing back against the medicalization of gender-confused youth.
This precedent set in the United States will likely make work to uphold parents’ rights and safeguard children easier to accomplish in other countries. There is now a blueprint which improves the political feasibility of delivering similar policies. UK, Sweden and Finland have already made hesitant starts, and the debate is intensifying in Germany and France; this executive order is certain to have significant influence.
