Live Action’s undercover investigation reveals that Planned Parenthood is prescribing cross-sex hormones to minors as young as 16 with minimal medical oversight, sparking calls for immediate congressional action to halt federal funding to the organization.
Quick Takes
- Live Action found Planned Parenthood offers cross-sex hormones to minors as young as 16, sometimes on the same day as initial consultation
- Nearly 600 Planned Parenthood centers now offer hormone therapy, up from just 32 in 2016
- The organization received $670.4 million in taxpayer funding during 2021-2022 fiscal year
- Treatments are provided with minimal oversight, often without therapy or mental health clearance
- House Republicans are considering measures to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood’s Rapid Expansion into Gender Services
Planned Parenthood has dramatically expanded its “gender-affirming care” services in recent years, with nearly 600 centers now offering cross-sex hormones compared to just 32 in 2016. This expansion appears to be compensating for lost abortion revenue following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
According to data compiled by The Heritage Foundation, these services increased by 49% from 2021 to 2022 alone, making Planned Parenthood the second largest provider of gender hormone therapies in the United States.
The organization’s reporting on these services has raised significant concerns among lawmakers. Planned Parenthood’s annual report showed an unexplained increase in “Other Procedures” from 17,791 in 2020 to 256,550 in 2021, a category believed to include gender transition services. This dramatic surge has prompted questions about transparency and the appropriate use of the $670.4 million in taxpayer funding the organization received during the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
“I am troubled that your organization buried data on the breadth of the services it provides. Gender transition services are experimental at best and permanently damaging at worst,” said Dr. Cassidy, who serves as Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Live Action’s Undercover Investigation
Pro-life organization Live Action recently conducted an undercover investigation revealing that Planned Parenthood clinics across the country are prescribing cross-sex hormones to minors as young as 16 with minimal oversight. Investigators placed phone calls to clinics in 10 states, posing as 16-year-olds seeking hormone treatments. The findings showed that many clinics assured quick access to hormones, sometimes on the same day as the initial consultation, without requiring prior therapy or mental health clearance.
“Planned Parenthood is fast-tracking vulnerable children into irreversible hormone treatments with almost no medical oversight. These dangerous drugs can sterilize, stunt growth and leave lifelong scars. This is not healthcare. It is child abuse, and it must be stopped,” said Live Action President Lila Rose in response to the investigation’s findings.
The investigation highlighted that many Planned Parenthood facilities operate on an “informed consent” model, which requires minimal screening before administering treatments that can cause permanent changes to adolescents’ bodies. Cross-sex hormones can have significant and irreversible side effects, including permanent infertility, which raises serious ethical questions about administering such treatments to minors who may not fully comprehend the long-term implications.
Growing Scientific Scrutiny and International Caution
While Planned Parenthood expands these services in the United States, several Western European countries are becoming increasingly restrictive with gender-affirming treatments for minors. Countries like Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom have revised their approaches after reviewing available evidence, implementing more stringent requirements before offering such treatments to young people. This growing international caution stands in stark contrast to Planned Parenthood’s accelerated approach.
“This finding contradicts the claim that medical treatments for gender dysphoria are ‘lifesaving,'” noted research by Heritage’s Jay Greene, which suggests that easier access to hormone therapy may be linked to a higher risk of suicide, not a lower one.
Studies indicate that various factors including parent-child conflict, peer influence, social media exposure, and underlying mental health issues may contribute to gender dysphoria. Critics argue that Planned Parenthood’s minimal screening process fails to adequately address these potential factors before proceeding with medical interventions that carry permanent consequences.
Legislative Response and Funding Concerns
In response to these findings, many conservative states are implementing laws to protect minors from medical interventions they consider premature or potentially harmful. At the federal level, Representative Dan Crenshaw has proposed legislation to prevent federal funding for hospitals providing gender procedures to minors. Meanwhile, Live Action is urging Congress to defund Planned Parenthood entirely, pointing to the over $700 million in taxpayer funding the organization receives annually.
“Therefore, the American people deserve to have the full picture of the gender transition services your organization provides to ensure no taxpayer dollars fund these procedures,” Dr. Cassidy stated in his correspondence with Planned Parenthood leadership.
House Republicans are currently considering measures to end federal funding for organizations like Planned Parenthood as part of ongoing budgetary discussions. The debate intensifies as more information comes to light about the organization’s practices regarding minors and gender-related treatments. Notably, Planned Parenthood did not respond to multiple media outlets’ requests for comment on Live Action’s investigation, raising further questions about accountability and transparency in their operations.
