The Trump administration has directed the NIH to conduct a study on 'regret' among individuals who have undergone gender transition treatments. This directive follows the cancellation of previous NIH grants related to gender identity and DEI initiatives. The research aims to examine potential negative consequences of hormonal and surgical treatments. Experts emphasize the importance of this research in assisting individuals experiencing regret and highlighting the need for ongoing medical care. The study is expected to face opposition from the gender clinic industry.
18 days ago
The Trump administration has instructed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to initiate a study focusing on "regret" experienced by individuals who have undergone gender transition treatments 1 2. This directive follows the White House's decision in March to cancel several NIH grants related to gender identity, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) 1 2. The administration is now tasking the NIH with resuming some transgender research, specifically to investigate the potential adverse effects of hormonal and surgical interventions 1 2.
Theresa Farnan, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, emphasizes the necessity of this research to assist individuals regretting their transitions 1 2. She notes that many detransitioners had pre-existing mental health issues, trauma, or autism and were not presented with alternative treatment options 1 2. Patrick Lappert, a retired surgeon who performed reversal surgeries, advocates for examining the long-term effects of transition-related medications and surgeries, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones 1 2. Dr. Roy Eappen views the NIH research as a significant step toward dismantling what he considers the "lies" of the transgender industry 1 2.
Farnan highlights the difficulty detransitioners face in finding medical professionals to supervise hormone reversal 1 2. She also expresses concern that social transition can prematurely commit children to a "transgender" identity 1 2. Lappert points out the lack of comprehensive long-term data in the United States due to fragmented medical records across different systems 1 2. He calls for research into surgical techniques to reverse the effects of gender-affirming surgeries 1.
Farnan anticipates strong opposition to the NIH research from the "gender clinic industry," fearing that it will expose unethical practices 1 2. Eappen notes that European countries have already abandoned some transition-related practices due to a lack of scientific support 1 2. He suggests that the US has avoided asking "real questions" about sex-change issues due to transgender activists in leadership positions 1 2. The Trump administration and the NIH have not yet released specific details regarding the research methodology or scope 1 2.
The Catholic Church teaches that every human being is created in the image and likeness of God, possessing inherent dignity and worth . This foundational belief shapes the Church's understanding of human nature and identity.
Human beings are created in God's image, making them someone, not something . This implies a capacity for self-knowledge, self-possession, and freely giving oneself in communion with others . The Church Fathers, such as St. Irenaeus and St. John Damascene, distinguished between the "image" and "likeness" mentioned in Genesis, suggesting a dynamic perspective where the image of God is entrusted to human freedom, allowing the person's likeness to God to grow .
Each person possesses an inalienable and intrinsic dignity from the beginning of their existence . This dignity is not earned but is an irrevocable gift . Human beings are called to manifest this dignity by orienting themselves toward the true good in response to God's love . Sin can wound and obscure human dignity, but it can never cancel the fact that a human being is created in God's image and likeness .
The human person is a unity of body and soul . This union calls each person to glorify God in their body and treat it in a way worthy of its dignity .
Human beings are social beings called to live in community with others . The original unity of the human race is made in the image of the divine Trinity . This implies a solidarity and a call to perfect communion, which is yet to be fully realized . The Church sees itself as the sacrament of salvation, bringing together people of every race and culture, and working towards the unity of the human community willed by God .
Through Jesus Christ, human beings are offered redemption and the possibility of sharing in the divine nature . The process of redemption involves being renewed and transformed into the image and likeness of God . This transformation is achieved through the action of the Holy Spirit, allowing individuals to gaze upon the glory of the Lord and be transformed into the same image .
The Catholic Church views human nature as intrinsically linked to being created in God's image and likeness, emphasizing inherent dignity, the unity of body and soul, a call to communion, and the potential for redemption and transformation through Christ. This understanding shapes the Church's teachings on various aspects of human life, including morality, social justice, and the pursuit of holiness.