A growing number of Americans think it should be illegal for children to undergo transgender surgeries or similar medical interventions, a new poll shows.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans say they want it to be against the law to provide children with puberty blockers, other drugs, or surgery to help them “transition from one gender to another,” according to a new survey from Napolitan News Service. That’s 10% higher than the 62% who said so in August, according to the poll.
The spike in opposition to these procedures comes after a tumultuous presidential election where the issue frequently reared its head. President-elect Donald Trump’s most successful campaign ad noted that Vice President Kamala Harris previously expressed support for taxpayer-funded surgeries for incarcerated illegal migrants.
“Kamala Harris is for they/them. Donald Trump is for you,” the ad’s narrator said.
Three-fourths of Americans think biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to use the women’s locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms, the poll found. Just under 60% also said that if biological men who identify as women are allowed to use women’s shelters for sexual assault and domestic violence, it will create more risk and trauma for the women who use these shelters.
Nearly 70% said lessons about exploring or changing gender identity should not be taught in public schools. Of those who said these lessons should be taught, 13% said they should be taught in early elementary school. And 73% of Americans said that teachers and schools should be required to notify parents if a student wants to change his or her gender, name, and pronouns.
The poll was conducted by pollster Scott Rasmussen on Wednesday, about a week after Election Day, and surveyed 1,000 registered voters. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.
Both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones come with serious health risks.
Puberty blockers can affect bone growth and density and cause sexual dysfunction, voice damage, and infertility, among other issues. Cross-sex hormones, which can be estrogen or testosterone, can cause infertility, deadly blood clots, heart attacks, increased cancer risks of the breasts and ovaries, liver dysfunction, worsening psychological illness, and other serious conditions.
Genital surgeries or double mastectomies to remove the breasts of healthy girls who want to appear more masculine are also irreversible.
At least 25 states have passed restrictions on transgender surgeries and hormone treatments for minors.
England and several other European countries, including Finland and Sweden, have also pumped the brakes on transgender medical interventions for children.
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