Dartmouth med school urges students to oppose legislation that would curb trans surgery on minors
The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College explicitly advocated for its students to oppose various bills that would restrict 'sex change' surgeries for minors, according to a new report by Do No Harm.
The Geisel School of Medicine, part of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, called for its students to oppose various state bills related to transgenderism, including one that would restrict ‘sex change’ surgeries for minors, according to a new report.
The request was reportedly made by a medical school official and sent out via email to hundreds of medical students, The Daily Caller reports.
“It’s pushing an agenda, it’s advocating one way or the other when our purpose is to learn the science and art of practicing medicine,” one student at the medical school told The Daily Caller. “When it comes through the official email chain from faculty members’ email addresses … it tells me that the overall institution is wanting more of that agenda.”
Information about the advocacy was originally posted online by Do No Harm, which, according to its website, is a coalition of medical professionals, students, and policy makers who “[seek] to highlight and counteract divisive trends in medicine, such as ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’ and youth-focused gender ideology.”
“As future physicians, physician-scientists, and other vital members of the healthcare team, it is essential to reaffirm our commitment to compassionate and inclusive healthcare for all individuals in New Hampshire,” Tara Cunningham, the Associate Dean for Student Life at the Geisel School of Medicine, wrote in an email to students last month. “Recent legislative changes have raised concerns about the rights and well-being of our transgender community members.”
She continued: “By standing in solidarity and promoting inclusive practices, we can foster a healthcare environment that supports the health and happiness of all our community members.”
Cunningham concluded the email by asking students to oppose the legislative proposals by emailing New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu or by calling his office. One of the bills, H.B. 619, would prohibit minors from receiving “genital gender reassignment surgery.”
Other authors of the email included medical student Nicholas An and the Geisel School of Medicine’s Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Lisa McBride.
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Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, board chairman of Do No Harm, told The Daily Caller that, as universities are becoming less serious about academics, the amount of time they spend on political activism is increasing.
“Nowadays, the time they spend in studies has been extremely limited, and more and more time is devoted for the students being involved in community activities, for example, in advocacy and rather than in the hard, difficult study that they should be engaged in,” Goldfarb explained.
Campus Reform has contacted Dartmouth College and the Geisel School of Medicine for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.