Newsom Sidesteps Question on Gender Surgery for 8-Year-Olds

California Governor Gavin Newsom avoided taking a definitive position on whether eight-year-olds are too young to undergo medical gender-transition procedures during a recorded interview released on 15 July with podcast host Shawn Ryan. Asked directly whether that age is inappropriate for such treatment, the Democratic governor replied, “Now that I have a 9-year-old, come on man, I get it,” and added that he is still trying to understand the broader debate around transgender health care. Newsom, a prominent defender of LGBTQ rights, did not elaborate on specific age guidelines or legislative measures. His non-committal response drew immediate criticism from conservative commentators, who argued that the governor sidestepped a question central to current state and national disputes over minors’ access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgery. California law permits physicians to prescribe gender-affirming care to minors with parental consent, but the state has no statutory minimum age for surgical procedures; medical associations generally advise delaying irreversible operations until later adolescence. Newsom’s comments come as several Republican-led states have moved to ban or restrict gender-affirming care for people under 18, intensifying pressure on national figures to clarify their positions.