A Boston-based hospital promoted a video series on YouTube of doctors describing reconstructive surgery that was once available to minors, according to since-deleted videos and web pages from the hospital.
Boston Children’s Hospital’s YouTube page includes a litany of videos that discuss reconstructive surgery, some of which were available to kids as young as 17. The videos discuss “top surgery” and “bottom surgery,” which are euphemisms for genital sex changes and double mastectomies. One video is titled, “What Does It Mean To Be Transgender?”
In a since-deleted video, Dr. Frances Grimstad talked about how to obtain a “gender affirming hysterectomy.”
“[Vaginoplasty surgeries are] very similar to most hysterectomies that occur,” Grimstad said. “Hysterectomy itself is the removal of the uterus, cervix, which is the opening of the uterus and the fallopian tubes which are attached to the sides of the uterus.”
Online commentators believed the surgery to be available to minors as the surgeries take place at a children’s hospital.
Boston Children’s Hospital (@BostonChildrens) is now offering “gender affirming hysterectomies” for young girls pic.twitter.com/JOH5fFtGJ0
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 11, 2022
Boston Children’s Hospital previously offered vaginoplasty surgery to 17-year-olds, according to a previous version of the hospital’s website. Following a report from the Post Millennial, the hospital updated its guidance to read, “to qualify for vaginoplasty at Boston Children’s Hospital, you must be at least 18 years old and meet criteria.”
Thanks @BillboardChris for providing the screenshots before and after the story broke. pic.twitter.com/N99TVIHG1O
— Christina Buttons (@buttonslives) August 15, 2022
The video drew the ire of parents and right-leaning commentators online over the accessibility of irreversible surgery to minors. Politifact, a self-described fact-checking organization, dubbed it “false” to claim the hospital offered surgery to minors. The post came after the hospital updated “17” to “18” on its website. (RELATED: School District Promotes Video Linking To Partially Nude ‘Non-Binary’ Person)
Management at the facility appears “flexible” about the age restrictions for gender surgeries. Dr. Oren Ganor, a surgeon at Boston Children’s, once said in an interview that he is ‘“slightly flexible” on the age of transgender girls seeking genital surgery.’ He argued it’s difficult for “young women” to go to the bathroom or live in dorms “if they still have male genitalia.”
Boston Children’s Hospital boasts of being the “first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States.” The surgery center offers, “vaginoplasty, metoidioplasty, phalloplasty, chest reconstruction, breast augmentation, facial harmonization, and other gender affirmation surgeries to eligible patients,” according to its website.
Boston Children’s Hospital did not respond to the Daily Caller’s request for comment.