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AMONG THE FLURRY OF A THICKET OF ORDERS PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED ON AND INAUGURATION DAY WAS ONE THAT SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ONLY RECOGNIZES TWO SEXES, MALE AND FEMALE.

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES MADE ROLLING BACK FEDERAL PRODUCTION -- PROTECTIONS FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE A CRITICAL ISSUE.

THEY SPENT NEARLY 215 MILLION DOLLARS ON NETWORK TV ADS ON THE ISSUE, MUCH OF IT FOCUSING ON VENDOR AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS.

DESPITE ALL OF THIS ATTENTION, A NEW STUDY I HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH FINDS THAT GENDER AFFIRMING MEDICATIONS ARE VERY RARELY PRESCRIBED TO MINORS.

LINDSEY DAWSON IS THE DIRECTOR OF LGBTQ HEALTH POLICY AT K FF, AN INDEPENDENT SOURCE OF INFORMATION.

THIS STUDY LOOKED AT GENDER AFFIRMING MEDICATION, PRESCRIPTIONS, TO ADOLESCENCE.

WHAT DID IT FIND?

LINDSEY: THE STUDY FOUND THAT PRESCRIPTIONS FOR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, HORMONE THERAPY AND PUBERTY BLOCKERS ARE VERY RARE IN ADOLESCENCE.

THIS ISN'T VERY SURPRISING.

IT ECHOES OTHER FINDINGS WE HAVE SEEN AND COUNTERS THE MISINFORMATION WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT BEING TRANS BEING WIDESPREAD AND PROLIFIC.

IT JUST ISN'T THE CASE.

THE STUDY IS MORE EVIDENCE THAT SPEAKS TO THAT.

JOHN: PREVIOUS STUDIES THAT LOOKED AT GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY, WHAT DID THEY FIND?

LINDSEY: GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY IS EFFECTIVELY NOT OCCURRING AMONG MINORS.

IF YOU SCOUR THE EVIDENCE, YOU WILL FIND OCCASIONALLY MINORS ARE ACCESSING THIS TYPE OF CARE.

THIS IS RARE AND IS IN CASES WHERE MINORS ARE EXPERIENCING PROLONGED GENDER DYSPHORIA.

IN THESE CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS, THEY ARE MADE VERY CAREFULLY BETWEEN MINORS, PROVIDERS AND PARENTS.

IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVERNIGHT.

IT IS A CAREFUL ITERATIVE TYPE OF CARE.

JOHN: WHY ALL OF THIS POLITICAL ATTENTION TO WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY SMALL NUMBER?

LINDSEY: IT'S A REALLY SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND EVEN AMONG THAT SMALL GROUP, SMALLER SHARES ARE ACCESSING GENDER AFFIRMING MEDICAL CARE.

BUT THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN DEEPLY POLITICIZED AND POLARIZED, PARTICULARLY IN RECENT YEARS AND THEN IN THE CAMPAIGN OF THE NOUN TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

JOHN: WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

WHY MAKE TRANSGENDER PEOPLE THE FOCUS OF THESE POLITICAL ATTACKS?

LINDSEY: SO MUCH OF THIS RESTS ON STIGMA AND DISCRIMINATION AND MISINFORMATION.

REALLY USING THAT TO FUEL PARTISAN DEBATE AND POLARIZATION.

JOHN: HOW SAFE ARE THESE PRACTICES?

HOW SAFE IS GENDER AFFIRMING MEDICATION AND SURGERY?

LINDSEY: AS WITH ANY MEDICAL INTERVENTION, THERE ARE RISKS AND BENEFITS.

THAT IS THE TRUTH WHEN YOU TAKE ADVIL FOR A HEADACHE, AS WITH ANYTHING ELSE.

THERE ARE RISKS TO GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, BUT THOSE ARE CAREFULLY THOUGHT ABOUT.

MANY OF THEM CAN BE MEDIATED AND THEY ARE LONG THOUGHTFUL DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN A GROUP DECISION BETWEEN YOUNG PEOPLE AND PARENTS AND PROVIDERS.

JOHN: MR. TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THIS MATTER THIS WEEK, A LOT OF WHAT HE SAYS, HE IS FRAMING THIS AS PROTECTING WOMEN, TRYING TO HELP WOMEN.

HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYS EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE THE BIOLOGICAL REALITY OF SEX FUNDAMENTALLY ATTACKS WOMEN BY DEPRIVING THEM OF THEIR DIGNITY, SAFETY AND WELL-BEING.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?

LINDSEY: IT FOLLOWS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MANY DEBATES WE SAW WITH REPRODUCTIVE CARE AND IT IS AIMED DEBT LIMIT AND ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE BASED ON SEX AND GENDER LINES.

JOHN: DOES THIS GIVE US ANY HINT OR CLUES AS TO FUTURE ACTIONS OR POLICIES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?

LINDSEY: THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT CAME OUT ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE WAS QUITE BROAD AND IN MANY WAYS IT WAS NONSPECIFIC.

THERE WERE HINTS IN IT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION MIGHT SEEK TO MAKE GOOD ON CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO LIMIT GENDER AFFIRMING CARE, BUT THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER DOES NOT DO THAT.

THERE WOULD NEED TO BE ADDITIONAL ACTIONS, POTENTIALLY RULEMAKING WHICH IS A LAW PROCESS -- A LONG PROCESS.

WE MAY SEE LITIGATION AS WELL.

THIS ISN'T A CHANGE THAT WILL HAPPEN OVERNIGHT AND NOT SOMETHING THE EXEC ADORED HER DOES.

JOHN: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE EFFECT IS, ON TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, THE FOCUS ON IT AND ESPECIALLY TRANSGENDER ADOLESCENTS?

LINDSEY: THERE ARE TRENDS YOUTH WHO ARE DENIED ACCESS TO MEDICALLY NECESSARY CARE THAT COULD PREVENT SIGNIFICANT MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, POTENTIALLY EVEN SUICIDE.

THERE IS THE MORE CULTURAL PROBLEM FOR LG TO BE -- LGBTQ PEOPLE WHEN THERE IS SIGNIFICANT ANIMUS TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY.

JOHN: LINDSAY DAWSON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.