The American Medical Association is receiving condemnation from the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) over a recommendation that sex markers be removed from children’s birth certificates.
In a statement released Thursday via Twitter, ACPeds said, ''The AMA is receiving warranted criticism after it called for removing sex markers on birth certificates, with an advisory committee arguing that their inclusion 'perpetuates a view that [sex] is immutable.'"
''Identifying sex in the public portion of the birth certificate affirms the scientific fact that sex is an innate and immutable binary trait of public significance; a trait determined by genetics at fertilization,'' wrote Dr. Michelle Cretella, ACPeds executive director. She and Dr. Michael Artigues authored the organization’s position paper titled ''Sex is a Biological Trait of Medical Significance.''
According to Breitbart.com, the controversy started in June, when the AMA board of trustees released a recommendation that stated: ''Existing AMA policy recognizes that every individual has the right to determine their gender identity and sex designation on government documents. To protect individual privacy and to prevent discrimination, U.S. jurisdictions should remove sex designation on the birth certificate.''
An article in The Federalist presented the AMA's position.
''Designating sex on birth certificates as male or female, and making that information available on the public portion, perpetuates a view that sex designation is permanent and fails to recognize the medical spectrum of gender identity. This type of categorization system also risks stifling an individual’s self-expression and self-identification and contributes to marginalization and minoritization,'' said Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, chair-elect of the 240,000-member AMA.
Artigues, ACPeds vice president, said the AMA’s recommendation is contrary to scientific facts.
''Due to genetics, males are different from females at the cellular level from fertilization. Biological sex differences due to genetics and sex hormones affect the tendency to develop certain diseases, alter responses to drugs, toxins and pain, and also cause important physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral differences between the two sexes,'' he said.
The doctor added that this is why the National Institutes of Health recognizes sex as a binary biological variable in research and medical practice.
ACPeds is a conservative membership organization made up of 500 pediatricians and health professionals, according to the group’s website. The organization has launched a national social media campaign to battle the AMA over the birth certificate issue.
According to the pediatricians, the ''scientific bottom line'' is that ''sex markers belong in the public portion of birth certificates because acknowledging the innate differences between males and females in healthcare and public policy is critical to ensuring the health and safety of children and adults alike.''
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