Fact Check: Did more than 5,500 U.S. minors have “sex change surgeries” from 2019 to 2023?

Media Bias Fact Check (MBFC) publishes daily vetted fact checks from verified IFCN-approved sources. Each claim is independently reviewed for accuracy and context.


Claimant: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services


Claim: A Do No Harm database proves more than 5,500 minors in the U.S. had “sex change surgeries” from 2019 to 2023.


Rating: BLATANT LIE


Explanation: The database cited by HHS included many procedures that were unrelated to gender-affirming surgery, inflating the total. Peer-reviewed research indicates that gender-affirming surgeries among minors are rare and primarily involve chest procedures performed on older teenagers.


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Date: 09/06/2026


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Last Updated on September 6, 2026 by Media Bias Fact Check