Children Deemed 'Low-Hanging Fruit' in Campaign Against Transgender Care
An official from a thinktank closely aligned with former President Donald Trump has controversially labelled children as the "low-hanging fruit" in a sustained push to eliminate gender-affirming healthcare across the United States. This statement emerged during a recent event in Washington DC, highlighting a coordinated conservative strategy that initially targets minors but openly aims to extend restrictions to adults.
Thinktank Event Reveals Broader Agenda
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI), which boasts significant influence over Trump-era policies, hosted a gathering last month focused on transgender policy "accountability and reform." Jennifer Bauwens, who leads research on family issues at AFPI, responded to a question about protecting adults from medical transition by stating, "At AFPI, we care about this issue from no matter what age you are. I think sometimes in policy, we pick the low-hanging fruit and we get the win where we can so that we can keep forging ahead so that ultimately we can protect all people because that is the goal." She added, "We're not going to quit until we see this thing totally and completely overturned."
In a statement provided by an AFPI spokesperson, Bauwens emphasized prioritizing "'first, do no harm' and research-backed healthcare" over models she claims have "persistently poor outcomes." The spokesperson noted, "We protect children first, because they are the most vulnerable and cannot provide informed consent to permanent, sterilizing procedures," but did not comment on the organization's overall stance.
Influence and Policy Impact
The AFPI wields considerable power, with reports indicating it had at least 73 staffers working for Trump in his second term, including eight in cabinet-level roles. The thinktank claims the Trump administration implemented over 90% of its policy agenda. This influence has fueled a nationwide assault on transgender rights, with Republican state lawmakers passing bills in at least half the country that ban puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and participation in sports or facilities aligned with gender identity for minors.
Trump himself capitalized on this momentum, signing five executive orders early in his second term that restricted transgender rights in areas such as the military, schools, and healthcare. While current bans primarily affect minors and incarcerated adults, internal discussions suggest a potential expansion. Scott Centorino, a former Trump staffer on the Domestic Policy Council, revealed at the AFPI event that the president gave him "pretty much a blank check" and "endless runway" to pursue aggressive policies, including proposed rules from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that could ban gender-affirming care for youth in participating hospitals.
Diverging Views and Escalating Measures
Centorino indicated that the White House is "laser focused" on protecting youth, with internal disagreements about prioritizing adults. However, Bauwens expressed a different perspective, suggesting that shifting public opinion through youth-focused policies could "make more room to protect more people." Concurrently, AFPI published a model state bill by Bauwens targeting social transition, which would penalize mental-health professionals for facilitating such transitions for minors, even with parental consent. This move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling against a Colorado law banning conversion therapy, which Bauwens praised as protecting therapists' freedom to "speak truthfully."
The ongoing efforts underscore a deepening political divide over transgender rights, with conservative groups like AFPI at the forefront of advocating for sweeping reforms that could reshape healthcare access for all Americans.
