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On 16 May 2016, talk show host Glenn Beck published a tweet reporting that a pediatricians' group had said that promoting or tolerating gender dysphoria (i.e., the condition of feeling one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female to be opposite of one's biological sex) in children constitutes child abuse: Beck's tweet led many viewers to believe that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) had taken that stance on childhood gender dysphoria, but the tweet linked to an article containing quotes from the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) not the AAP: ACPeds is a very small group formed relatively recently in response to political disagreements over same-sex parenting, not out of any specific focus on pediatrics or the wellness of children (and the organization is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center). By ACPeds' own admission, their original aim was to promote parenting by heterosexual married couples: Beck's material linked to a previous statement (original version archived here) issued by ACPeds (Gender Ideology Harms Children) that some social media users confused with a study. The statement opened with the portion Beck excerpted before issuing an eight-point initial platform on gender identity in children, which stated (among other things) that human sexuality is an objective biological binary trait, puberty-blocking hormones can be dangerous, and that rates of suicide are twenty times greater among adults who use cross-sex hormones and undergo sex reassignment surgery. The statement provided citations for its claims, including references to seemingly conflicting information from the respected American Psychiatric Association's Gender Dysphoria Fact Sheet: The APA's position is that gender dysphoria is not in itself a mental disorder, and that children are a demographic group at risk for compromised clinical care. A part of ACPeds' citation that bordered on deceptive was the fact that the American Psychiatric Association's fact sheet discussed changes to diagnostic criteria implemented around 2013, but ACPeds went on to cite studies that were typically more than a decade old and in direct conflict with medical science directives issued several years (and several studies) later. A September 2015 presentation from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that treatment recommendations are based on the best available evidence. Their guidance defined three approaches to gender dysphoria in children: corrective, supporting, and affirming, with the AAP advising the affirming approach to gender dysphoria in children: In February 2016, the AAP (not ACPeds) published a number of studies and articles about gender identity and pediatrics, including findings that acceptance of gender identity is associated with low risk of depression and anxiety in dysphoric pediatric patients. One AAP article referenced research indicating that familial support and acceptance correlates strongly with positive mental health outcomes: The cited study's conclusion again demonstrated evidence in direct conflict with ACPeds' assertions: On 20 April 2016, the AAP formally called for the repeal of recent bathroom bills aimed at preventing transgender individuals (including children) from using the facilities which matched their gender identity. A larger March 2016 study published by the AAP assessed best practices in treating dysphoric patients. ACPeds and the AAP are vastly different groups. The former has an estimated membership of between 60 and 200 pediatricians, while about 64,000 such physicians are aligned with the AAP. ACPeds also explicitly states a mission that is overtly political rather than medical in nature. The gender ideology statement wasn't ACPeds' first effort to mislead parents. In January 2016, the group issued a statement riddled with false and dangerous information about the HPV vaccine Gardasil.
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