Advancing American Freedom asked the FTC to investigate what it calls schools' fraudulent practices around gender-affirming care, including their alleged use of misinformation and deception to encourage treatments that cause "life-long harm."  

"Children should not be pawns in the culture war," the nonprofit wrote in a comment obtained by The Daily Signal. "We hope the FTC will protect them from fraudulent GAC [gender-affirming care] practices."

Advancing American Freedom's comment comes in response to a 60-day public inquiry the FTC launched in July to "better understand how consumers may have been exposed to false or unsupported claims about 'gender-affirming care,' especially as it relates to minors."

In its comment, the organization pointed to at least 12 instances of "secret social transition" cases in which schools actively deceived parents while facilitating children's "transition" to act and/or appear as a different sex.

The group also encouraged the FTC to investigate school clubs that encourage gender-affirming care to discover where they receive their information on gender dysphoria and what resources they recommend to students. 

Advancing American Freedom pointed to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, a "leading voice for gender health" that admitted its members "perform procedures without informed consent and blatantly misinform their audience of the long-term effects of transitioning."  

"If schools are directing children into WPATH programs or to WPATH-aligned therapists, the schools are stained with the same fraudulent behavior," the group wrote.

Advancing American Freedom specifically highlighted nine school districts currently facing lawsuits from parents for their actions around gender-affirming care.  Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

"We hope ... [this list of school districts] will provide a rich starting point for an investigation," the group wrote. "We know these districts have acted illegally, and these cases readily provide facts, contacts, and leads."

The FTC's public comment portal closes Friday.

Mary Mobley is an editorial fellow in media and public relations at The Heritage Foundation.

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