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Sarah Palmer vs. transgender people

Sarah Palmer is an American pediatrician and anti-transgender activist. Palmer is associated with anti-trans hate group Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine and has been critical of the American Academy of Pediatrics for its consensus on the affirmative model of care for gender diverse youth.

Background

Sarah B. Palmer’s professional bio states:

Sarah Palmer, MD, received a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Lipscomb University. She received her medical degree from University of Alabama School of Medicine. She completed her residency at Methodist Hospital where she served as chief resident. She spent 18 years as an assistant professor of pediatrics at Indiana University, where she taught pediatric residents and medical students and also cared for patients in an urban health center. She has a special interest in adolescent medicine, asthma, and children with complex medical needs. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting national parks and spending time with her husband and four daughters.

An article on vaccinations in the Christian Chronicle noted that Palmer attends the North Central Church of Christ in Indianapolis. Palmer said. “I believe when God gave Adam dominion over the earth in Genesis, that included developing scientific knowledge to tame diseases.”

Anti-transgender activism

2022 HHS meeting

On April 25, 2022 Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine arranged a meeting with US government officials on healthcare for trans and gender diverse youth. Palmer was listed as an attendee.

AAP Resolution 27 (2022)

Brinkley and four other pediatricians drafted Resolution 27 critical of AAP’s consensus on best practices for gender diverse youth. The authors are:

  • Julia W. Mason (Gresham, Oregon)
  • Sarah B. Palmer (Carmel, Indiana)
  • Paula Brinkley (Berkeley, California – Stanford Children’s)
  • Debra Hendrickson (Reno, Nevada – Northern Nevada Pediatrics)
  • Patrick K. Hunter (Milton, Florida – Pensacola Pediatrics)

According to a piece by anti-trans activist Jennifer Block:

Sarah Palmer, a paediatrician in private practice in Indiana, is one of five coauthors of a 2022 resolution submitted to the AAP’s leadership conference asking that it revisit the policy after “a rigorous systematic review of available evidence regarding the safety, efficacy, and risks of childhood social transition, puberty blockers, cross sex hormones and surgery.” In practice, Palmer told The BMJ, clinicians define “gender affirming” care so broadly that “it’s been taken by many people to mean go ahead and do anything that affirms. One of the main things I’ve seen it used for is masculinising chest surgery, also known as mastectomy in teenage patients.” The AAP has told The BMJ that all policy statements are reviewed after five years and so a “revision is under way,” based on its experts’ own “robust evidence review.” Palmer says, “I’ve seen a quick evolution, from kids with a very rare case of gender dysphoria who were treated with a long course of counselling and exploration before hormones were started,” to treatment progressing “very quickly—even at the first visit to gender clinic—and there’s no psychologist involved anymore.”

References

Block J (2023). Gender dysphoria in young people is rising—and so is professional disagreement. BMJ (p. p382). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p382

Ryan, Benjamin (December 21, 2023). Sued Over Policies on Transgender Children, American Academy of Pediatrics Pulls Forthcoming Book, Takes Steps To Protect Emails From Prying Eyes. New York Sun https://www.nysun.com/article/sued-over-policies-on-transgender-children-american-academy-of-pediatrics-pulls-forthcoming-book-takes-steps-to-protect-emails-from-prying-eyes

US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) (April 25, 2022). EO 12866 Meeting 0945-AA17. Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities https://mobile.reginfo.gov/public/do/viewEO12866Meeting?viewRule=true&rin=0945-AA17&meetingId=131923&acronym=0945-HHS/OCR

  • Remarks HHS Meeting 2022 https://mobile.reginfo.gov/public/do/eoDownloadDocument?pubId=&eodoc=true&documentID=136692

Ross, Bobby Jr. (Jan. 19, 2021). Most Christians welcome the COVID-19 vaccines, but some are skeptical. Christian Chronicle https://christianchronicle.org/covid-19-vaccines-an-answer-to-prayer/

Jones, Zinnia (November 1, 2022). Tracking organized anti-trans submissions to the Florida Board of Medicine October 28 meeting, which passed a ban on medical transition for trans youth. Gender Analysis https://genderanalysis.net/2022/11/tracking-organized-anti-trans-submissions-to-the-florida-board-of-medicine-october-28-meeting-which-passed-a-ban-on-medical-transition-for-trans-youth/

Jones, Zinnia (Jul 21, 2022). IDENTIFIED: The 5 redacted-signature pediatricians who signed the Genspect-promoted Resolution #27 to the American Academy of Pediatrics Julia W. Mason (SEGM) Sarah B. Palmer Paula Brinkley (Stanford Children’s Health) Debra Hendrickson Patrick Hunter (Florida Board of Medicine) https://x.com/ZJemptv/status/1550042000246067201