The American College of Pediatricians has agenda

The letter by Mike Mallinger (May 28) intrigued me as I had only recently heard of the American College of Pediatricians. The ACP, membership estimated between 60-200, was founded in 2002 by Gerry Boccarossa and Joseph Zanga (past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics) in protest of the AAP’s support of adoption by gay couples.

The ACP states transgenderism is a mental disorder. However, the American Psychiatric Association states the opposite: “Gender non-conformity is not in itself a mental disorder. It is only distress associated with such identity that should be treated and treated with affirmation.”

The ACP requires members abide by a mission, vision and values that assert an anti-LGBT agenda in spite of scientific evidence that contradicts it.

Mr. Mallinger also quotes a statistic from Dr. Paul McHugh which comes from a Swedish study done in 2011. It is of note that the lead researcher of that study has specifically stated anyone using the study to come to the conclusion Dr. McHugh states is misrepresenting it. Another study out of Canada states that suicide rates of transgender persons decrease when they are supported by their parents and are able to transition their bodies to match their identity

Dr. McHugh holds other controversial opinions, including opposition to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the standard diagnostic tool used in psychiatry and disregard of PTSD as a valid medical condition. Both the ACP and Dr. McHugh seem to hold views far outside of mainstream scientific opinion.

This story was originally published June 9, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "The American College of Pediatricians has agenda."