Blames social media,

schools, politics for

leading kids astray

SLEEPY EYE — An attorney at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. talked about what Catholics need to know about the transgender movement at a Diocese of New Ulm Ethnics Conference at the Church of St. Mary Saturday.

Mary Hasson J.D. co-founded and directs the Person and Identify Project, an initiative that equips parents and faith-based institutions to promote the truth about the human person and counter gender ideology.

Hasson urged parents to be involved with their children’s education, particularly if their children are part of the transgender movement.

“The problem is adults are often sidelined when they can’t stop or question allowing a transgender kid to use whatever facility they want,” said Hasson.

“Kids need parents to stand up for their privacy at public schools. Catholic schools are run differently. They don’t keep secrets from parents,” Hasson added.

She urged parents to know who their medical professionals are.

“This led us to a place that is hard to imagine. The youth transgender movement is not nature. It’s driven by culture,” said Hasson.

She said in Minnesota, cross-sex hormones could be given to a child with a letter from a therapist.

“There are no trans kids. They are male or female,” said Hasson. “Gender-affirming care providers listen to children who say who they are and follow the transgender path.It’s like tumbling dominoes. Once you are offered that false belief, you follow a path that’s very hard to get off of.”

Hasson said the American Academy of Pediatrics supports gender-affirming medical care for transgender children.

“They’re like unions, lobbying for pet projects to get money from Congress. It’s political, not what’s best for people. Underlying issues are not addressed and mental health plummets,” said Hasson.

“Parents are told their children will commit suicide if they don’t get gender-affirming care, but suicides happen an average of six years after people go down this path,” she added.

Hasson said people who want to change their sex are now realizing becoming transgender didn’t heal them, they become sterile and they’re turning to transgender detransition.

“They felt they had no other option at the time, so they thought a sex change was the solution. Then they found out it wasn’t. If you have children who want to change their sex, tell them to listen to people getting transgender detransition,” said Hasson.

She said social media like TikTok includes transgender activists and influencers.

Hasson said that while it has expanded in Minnesota, five European countries recently restricted gender-affirming care for minors.

For more information on the Ethnics and Public Policy Center project Hasson co-founded and directs , visit https://personandidentity.com/resources/ewtn-miniseries/