Penna Dexter

Pediatric gender clinics once put patients seeking gender transitions through in-depth assessments and waited months before prescribing hormones. This was standard practice until caseloads at these facilities began ballooning. Last year an investigation by Reuters found that some pediatric gender clinics prescribe hormones on the first visit.

But these clinics at least provide more scrutiny of would-be transitioners than Planned Parenthood does.

The Washington Free Beacon reports that Planned Parenthood has become one of the largest and fastest-growing providers of cross sex hormones in the country. According to a Free Beacon article by Aaron Sibarium, “Hormones now appear to be in higher demand than abortion at some branches.”

Mr. Sibarium points to “Fred,” an 18-year-old high school student who is on the autism spectrum. At age 17, he announced to his parents he was a transgender woman. They found the only gender clinic in the country that specializes in autistic youth. Mr. Sibarium explains that they “wanted to be sure his dysphoria wasn’t transient or peer-driven.” But the Gender and Autism Program at Children’s National Hospital, known for lengthy assessments, told them the waiting list for an initial appointment was about a year.

Fred didn’t want to wait that long. Within a couple of months, he turned 18. While his parents were out of town, he went to a Planned Parenthood clinic. At Planned Parenthood, any legal adult can receive cross sex hormones with no communication from a therapist, no formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and with only a consultation about side effects with a nurse practitioner.

Phone-tracking data showed Fred’s parents that he “arrived at the Montclair, New Jersey clinic at 11 AM. “By 11:39, they received a text message from CVS, Fred’s estrogen prescription was on its way.”

Autism is a common undercurrent of gender dysphoria. These cases deserve more than a 30-minute discussion when considering life-altering drugs and a young person’s permanent loss of fertility.

Planned Parenthood is a criminal enterprise.