Doctor Appeals to Pope Francis: Support Transgender Healthcare, Stop Discrimination
Pope Francis meeting the the New Ways Ministry delegation. From left, Dr. Cynthia Herrick, Laurie Dever, Deacon Ray Dever, Michael Sennett, and Nicole Santamaria
In mid-October, Pope Francis received Sister Jeannine Gramick, co-founder of New Ways Ministry, and a group of transgender, intersex, and ally Catholics for an 80-minute audience at his private residence. At the audience, the attendees offered personal testimonies to the pope.
Bondings 2.0 has been publishing those testimonies in full, in the order they were presented at the audience. To read more about New Ways Ministry’s meeting with Pope Francis, click here. For previous testimonies, see the bottom of this post.
Today’s testimony is from Dr. Cynthia Herrick, a medical doctor specializing in endocrinology and a co-director of a gender medicine clinic.
I am an endocrinologist who has been practicing medicine for over 15 years. In addition to treating diabetes, thyroid problems, and other hormone conditions, I care for hundreds of transgender adults which is some of the most humbling and rewarding work that I do. Supporting transgender people in living their truth and purpose is a celebration of God’s creation and the ultimate commitment to life.
Gender identity is not based on a new theory or ideology, and it is not a contagion. How we understand our gender is determined by specialized areas within our brains. Just as we do not choose to be right or left-handed, we do not choose our gender. Transgender people identify as a gender that differs from the sex characteristics of their body. Respect for this innate concept of self that originates in the brain, as part of the body, is essential to recognizing the dignity of each human being.
Transgender people have existed in numerous cultures across recorded history. This is an intrinsic part of someone’s natural identity and these variations in human development enhance diversity. When I see someone who is seeking hormone therapy for gender transition, they have often spent years and sometimes decades understanding their identity and discerning what this means for them in an often-hostile world. In a survey of over 27,000 transgender adults across the US, 81% of individuals said they recognized their gender was different than the sex on their birth certificate before the age of 16 but only 1 in 5 told someone else at that time. (1) Some of my patients describe that they were afraid to come out as transgender in their youth, feeling deeply depressed about the disconnect between who they are and who their families and society want them to be.
Healthcare for transgender people is highly individualized and tailored for the total wellbeing of the person. Before puberty, the only care provided is mental healthcare and social support. After puberty starts, medications can pause puberty if body changes are causing significant distress. Later, hormone therapy or surgery to align physical attributes of the body with the gender identity expressed in the brain can alleviate suffering that occurs from this disconnect. In my practice, young adults who began their transition before age 18 are often thriving and confident, proceeding with their goals in life, thankful for care that was available to them in adolescence. In adults, within weeks of starting hormone therapy, my patients tell me they feel “like a weight has lifted,” like they “are on the right path,” and they feel “much more comfortable” in their body. Numerous patients have told me this care saved their lives.
As with any medical intervention, there are justifiable concerns about unexpected outcomes and treatment regret. Understanding these outcomes and supporting individuals who detransition is important. However, the vast majority of transgender individuals receiving hormone therapy (98%), and surgery (97%) reported improved life satisfaction in the most recent survey of > 90,000 US transgender people. (2)
Threats to severely restrict or outlaw healthcare for transgender people create significant moral injury for me and my colleagues because we understand the immense benefit of this care, and we see the despair that results when essential medical care is denied. Church leaders must take a stand against discrimination and shine a light on the world as God made it to be – incredibly beautiful in its diversity and complex beyond the confines of our human understanding.
—Dr. Cynthia Herrick, October 24, 2024
Other Testimonies
Nicole Santamaria, “Intersex Catholic Tells Pope Francis a Story of Faith, Violence—And God’s Mercy”
Michael Sennett, “In Audience with Pope, Transgender Catholic Says Gender-Affirming Care Is a Blessing“
Deacon Ray Dever, “Meeting with Pope, Deacon Faults Church for ‘Stunning Lack of Compassion’ to Trans People”
References
- James, S. E., Herman, J. L., Rankin, S., Keisling, M., Mottet, L., & Anafi, M. (2016). The Report of the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey. Washington, DC: National Center for Transgender Equality. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Full-Report-Dec17.pdf
- James, S.E., Herman, J.L., Durso, L.E., & Heng-Lehtinen, R. (2024). Early Insights: A Report of the 2022 U.S. Transgender Survey. National Center for Transgender Equality, Washington, DC. https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/2024-0tim
Thank you, Dr. Herrick!
Wonderful doctor! With incredible courage! And wonderful that this group met with the Pope. Please, please tell us what reaction did he have. Because alas if he doesn’t have the moral courage to address those in the Curia and other bishops who are horribly ignorant and cause great suffering to this group of our sisters and brothers. He himself is immoral and unworthy of his position. He met with them and can’t just do nothing now.
“Gender identity is not based on a new theory or ideology, and it is not a contagion. How we understand our gender is determined by specialized areas within our brains.” Exactly. What mystifies me is WHY this is so difficult for Church leaders to wrap their heads around. Absurd accusations like accusing trans people of manifesting a Manichean dualism of body and soul don’t stand up to even minimal scrutiny. So what gives?
What gives is their whole understanding of ‘making them male and female in God’s image’ takes on a whole deeper understanding with the acknowledgement of trans/non-binary folks. And you know that will cause doctrines of the church to ‘fall like dominoes’. Role of women, gay rights, patriarchy, etc. These old men can’t bear to let go and let the true living God in.