Facts Are Stubborn Things

What happens when facts stare down a dangerous ideology? Janet Parshall shares more in this week’s commentary.

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Episode Transcript

S1 (00:02):
President John Adams once proclaimed, facts are stubborn things, and
whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates
of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts
and evidence. How right he was. But when blinded by
a dangerous ideology for some facts, just get in the way.

S2 (00:16):
Here to unpack present day issues from a biblical perspective
is Janet Parshall.

S1 (00:22):
In May of 2025, the US Department of Health and
Human Services issued a report entitled treatment for Pediatric Gender
Dysphoria A Review of Evidence and Best Practices. A scholarly
409 page document, the US has now become a part
of a growing global concern about medical transitions in minor children,
a concern that has resulted in a number of countries
putting restrictions on this kind of medical intervention. The HHS

(00:45):
report also notes that ten health authorities have also recognized
the exceptional nature in this area of medicine, that exceptionalism
is due to a convergence of factors. One is that
the diagnosis of gender dysphoria is based entirely on subjective
self-reports and behavioral observations, without any objective physical imaging or
laboratory markers. The diagnosis centers on attitudes, feelings, and behaviors

(01:05):
that are known to fluctuate during adolescence. The report also
analyzed 17 international reviews of the medical evidence looking at
cross-sex hormones, surgery, psychotherapy, and puberty blockers. What they found
was a deep uncertainty about the benefits of those interventions,
but did find inherent risks like infertility, sterility, sexual dysfunction,
impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and

(01:29):
metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, and surgical complications and regret. A
second major finding of the HHS report addresses the issue
of suicidal ideations in the mind of the minor patient.
Too often, parents are asked to make a heartbreaking choice
couched in manipulative language. What would you rather have, a
dead son or a live daughter? According to the findings
of the report, no independent association between gender dysphoria and

(01:54):
suicidality has been found, and there is no evidence that
pediatric medical transition Reduces the incidence of suicide, which remains
fortunately very low. Transgenderism is an ideology, a damaging and
deadly one at that. While gender dysphoria is a diagnosis
when the ideology clashes with medicine, sparks fly. The report
notes that medical associations in this country have created a

(02:16):
perception there's a broad consensus in favor of pediatric medical transitions,
but in truth, there isn't. In fact, anyone in health
care who disagrees. Debates or dissents can find themselves out
of a job or being sued by medical juggernauts. Adams
was right. Facts are stubborn things, and this battle for
our children's souls, facts are crucial. But so is courage.

(02:37):
This HHS report now provides information, as well as the
fortitude needed for all of us to speak up, for
hurting children, to call for fixing broken hearts rather than
creating broken bodies. Those are my thoughts. I'm Janet Parshall.

S2 (02:51):
For more information or to connect with us, go to.
In the market with Janet Parshall.