Kaiser Halts Gender Surgeries, But Kids Still at Risk

Kaiser Permanente just announced it will stop performing gender surgeries on minors under 19. On the surface, that sounds like a step in the right direction — and in some ways, it is. But let’s be honest: it’s not nearly enough. The truth is, any form of gender medicalization in children is abuse — whether it’s gender surgeries, puberty blockers, or cross-sex hormones.

As a Christian, I’m compelled by the Holy Spirit to speak boldly about this issue. And I say this without hesitation: no child should ever be subjected to these irreversible interventions. It’s harmful to their bodies, it’s manipulative to their minds, and it’s in direct rebellion to the God who made them male or female by design.

Kaiser may have paused the gender surgeries, but let’s not be fooled — they’re still prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to kids who haven’t even finished developing. That’s not compassion. That’s destruction wrapped in a lab coat.

The Truth About Gender Surgeries and Child Abuse

Doctors know this. They may not say it publicly because of cultural pressure, but deep down, any honest physician knows that tampering with a child’s endocrine system is dangerous.

Let’s walk through what’s really happening here:

• Puberty blockers stop natural development of the body — affecting bone density, brain growth, and future fertility.
• Hormones like testosterone or estrogen push kids down a path of permanent bodily change, often before they even understand who they are.
• Gender surgeries, whether double mastectomies or genital alterations, are irreversible — and often leave young people with regret and permanent physical damage.

And these procedures are being offered to children — children — who aren’t old enough to get a tattoo or drink a glass of wine.

That’s not medical progress. That’s exploitation.

God’s Design Isn’t a Mistake

This is where the truth of Scripture stands in complete contrast to the lies of culture. Genesis 1:27 says, “Male and female He created them.” God didn’t accidentally assign the wrong body. There is no confusion in His design.

When we interfere with that design — especially in the life of a vulnerable child — we aren’t just making a medical error. We are waging war against the image of God.

Jesus was crystal clear in Matthew 18:6: “If anyone causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.” That’s how serious He is about protecting children. And that’s why this matters so deeply.

Gender Dysphoria Is Real — and Deserves Real Help

Now let me be clear: I believe gender dysphoria is real. I don’t for a second doubt that many people — especially teens — feel deep confusion and pain over their identity. And I would never mock that. These are hurting people.

But the answer is not hormones or gender surgeries.

The answer is therapy. Not affirmation, not ideology, but true, compassionate therapy that helps a child understand their thoughts, not act on them with a scalpel.

Ideally, I believe that therapy should be biblically grounded — pointing people back to their Creator and helping them find peace in who God made them to be. But even if it’s a secular therapist, at the very least it should be someone who will tell them the truth: that what they’re feeling doesn’t mean they need to change their body — it means they need support, guidance, and healing.

I share more about this in my post on how Christians should respond to gender ideology.

Protect the Children — Let Adults Decide for Themselves

Look, once someone becomes an adult, they’re going to make their own choices. I don’t have to agree with it, but I also recognize that adults will do what they choose — and they will ultimately answer to God, just like the rest of us.

But children? They deserve protection.

We protect kids from drinking, smoking, driving too young, and even seeing certain movies — but we’re letting them undergo gender surgeries that remove healthy organs? We’re giving them drugs that could sterilize them for life?

This needs to be against the law. Period.

No child should be touched by a surgeon or pumped full of hormones for something they can’t possibly understand the consequences of. Let them grow up first. Let them develop fully — mentally, emotionally, and physically. If they choose something different after that, that’s their decision to make. But not as children.

Speak Truth — With Compassion and Conviction

We’re not called to be hateful. We’re not called to mock. We’re called to speak the truth in love — but still speak the truth. The church can’t be silent on this. Parents can’t stay quiet. Legislators can’t hide behind politics. This is a moral issue. A spiritual issue. A human issue.

I talk more about this need for courage in my post, How to Be a Bold Christian in a Compromised Culture.

I don’t care how unpopular it is. The truth is the truth:

God doesn’t make mistakes. Gender isn’t assigned — it’s designed. And we are called to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

Let’s not stop at applauding Kaiser’s half-measure. Let’s call it what it is: a weak response to a deeply evil system. We must go further. And we must never stop telling the truth — about gender surgeries, or anything else — boldly, unfiltered, and unafraid.

Arch Kennedy
Bold, Unfiltered, and Unafraid