Vanderbilt to review gender-affirming surgeries for minors

By KIMBERLEE KRUESI
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Officials at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have announced that they are pausing gender affirming surgeries for minors in order to review their practices. The news comes amid mounting political pressure from Tennessee’s Republican leaders — many of whom are running for reelection — who demanded an investigation into VUMC after videos surfaced on social media of a doctor touting that gender-affirming procedures are “huge money makers” for hospitals. On average, VUMC has provided five gender-affirming surgeries to minors every year since its transgender clinic opened in 2018. All were over the age of 16, had parental consent and none received genital procedures.