https://open.substack.com/pub/artymorty/p/the-power-of-the-powerful-blame-the
contains the following question:
"How did something as self-evidently bonkers as trans ideology
gain such a powerful grip over our society?
Over our politics, our universities, the [media] and countless other institutions?"
There are of course several answers to that question, but I think a considerable part of the responsibility lies with
the medical associations who have promoted "transgender health care" as being a "medical necessity."
(Also the American Psychological Association.)
Once the professional associations do that, many of the other pathologies we see in other institutions fall into place.
Who can argue with medical associations over what is "medically necessary",
or the APA over what is or is not mental illness?
(Such a debate, no matter how appropriate and valuable it might be,
AFAIK has not taken place in the op-ed pages or journals of opinion.
There transgenderism is all too often either not questioned or presented as "settled science,"
while the media, rather than showing that there are internal disagreements within the professions over this issue,
instead serves as a megaphone for the advocates for transgenderism,
and focuses on "transgender rights.")
It would be interesting to see an examination of
how the medical associations, in particular, came to such full-throated endorsement of one side
of what is manifestly a controversial, socially divisive, and politically charged issue.
How did these professional organizations become so captured by the transgender ideology?
---------------
For evidence of how strong is support for transgenderism among health-care-related professional associations, see for example
"AMA reinforces opposition to restrictions on transgender medical care" | American Medical Association https://share.google/DCUglbsq4PjNzoedk
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2024/02/policy-supporting-transgender-nonbinary
or just Google
American Medical Association transgender
and read the AI-generated summary, which begins (emphasis added):
"The American Medical Association (AMA) strongly advocates for
evidence-based, medically necessary gender-affirming care for transgender and gender-diverse individuals, opposing legislative restrictions that interfere with this care.
The AMA considers gender-affirming care a, crucial,,, and medically necessary standard for treating gender dysphoria."
In reading statements from the AMA concerning transgenderism, it is worth noting how they ignore the cost factor.
There are two aspects to that:
who pays and who benefits.
As to who pays, that is spread across society, and if it is paid by the federal government, just adds to the debt burden being imposed on America's future.
For a medical association that takes a more conservative position on this matter, see
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/02/03/first-major-medical-group-opposes-sex-mutilating-surgeries-minors/
To download the ASPS Position Statement, click here:
https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/health-policy/positions/2026-gender-surgery-children-adolescents.pdf
----------
It's not just the medical associations.
See for example,
https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/06/05/splc-gays-groomers-doctors-who-oppose-gender-affirming-care-hate-map-klan-chapters/
"The SPLC also demonized groups of doctors who oppose experimental “transgender” medical interventions.
These interventions, euphemistically referred to as “gender-affirming care,” involve drugs to block puberty, cross-sex hormones to make males seem female and vice versa, and surgeries to remove healthy reproductive organs.
While much of the medical industry has been captured by gender ideologues who champion these interventions,
many brave doctors have spoken out against them.
Now, they find themselves on a map with the Klan in a report on “white supremacy.”
These groups include
Do No Harm,
Genspect,
Partners for Ethical Care, and the
Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine.
The “Year in Hate” report also cites another report the SPLC released last year
that demonized opposition to transgender orthodoxy as “pseudoscience” and a tool of “theocracy.” "
See also:
https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/11/09/transgender-activists-use-far-left-smear-factory-cancel-doctor-education-courses-raise-doubts-gender-affirming-care/
"Washington State University had spent nearly a year reviewing—and then approving—
a course explaining the side effects of experimental transgender medical interventions on children and Europe’s growing rejection of “gender-affirming care.”
Yet activists cried foul,
citing the Southern Poverty Law Center, a pro-transgender activist group best known for demonizing conservatives."
--------
The cheering section/support group for transgenderism includes, beyond the SPLC, also such prominent organizations as the ADL and the ACLU.
The ACLU doesn't confine what it does to to advocacy.
It has taken the lead in arguing the transgender position in some key court cases,
for example the one argued before the Supreme Court on January 13, 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_v._B._P._J.?wprov=sfla1
and those argued by
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chase_Strangio?wprov=sfla1
Thus a number of prominent organizations are on the transgender team.