Why the Jury Was Right to Award $2 Million to Fox Varian

Guest Opinion by Ted Halley

A New York jury recently awarded $2 million to Fox Varian, a young woman who detransitioned after receiving a double mastectomy at age 16. The case has drawn national attention, but the heart of the matter is simple: medical professionals failed to protect a minor, and the jury held them accountable. This verdict is not about politics. It is about responsibility, safety, and the duty adults have when a young person is struggling.

A Teenager Who Needed Care, Not Speed

At 16, Fox was dealing with autism, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and a difficult home life. She was vulnerable and searching for answers. Instead of receiving slow, careful support, she was rushed through a system “Gender Affirming Care” that should have protected her.

Her psychologist, Kenneth Einhorn, did not fully explore her mental‑health history and left out important details in his referral letter. Her surgeon, Dr. Simon Chin, met with her for only about an hour across two visits before approving a life‑changing irretrievable surgery.

And this is where the seriousness becomes clear: the surgery she received is irreversible and cannot be reconstructed. Once healthy breast tissue is removed, it cannot be restored. The scars and physical changes are permanent. These are lifelong consequences, not temporary treatments. A situation no minor should ever be presented with.

Concerns also exist around puberty‑blocking medications. While some experts debate the long‑term effects, strong research suggests that pausing puberty influences normal development in ways that do not fully return after stopping the medication. This is one reason many people believe decisions involving minors should be approached with extreme caution and better delayed until adulthood. As the human mind does not fully develop until age 25.

Another point often raised is that several studies have found many young people (about 90%) who experience gender‑related distress eventually come to embrace their birth sex as they grow older, especially when given time and non‑medical support. Rushing minors toward irreversible steps can close off paths they might naturally grow into.

And for the many who later regret these decisions, the emotional weight can be overwhelming. Many describe a kind of unimaginable remorse, knowing they can never undo what was done to their bodies. No teenager should be left to face that realization.

A Personal Perspective

I’m not speaking as an outsider. I transitioned at age 50 after struggling with gender dysphoria my entire life. After only receiving Gender Affirming Care, I transitioned fully medically and legally at my own expense. I lived as male-to-female transgender for 12 years, so I have a perspective most will never know. I know what it feels like to be confused, to search for identity, and to hope that a medical decision will fix everything inside you. Body modifications do not fix a mental and spiritual problem as I found out five years ago. The only real answer is to embrace a relationship with Jesus Christ and to know that as God made you a genuine Original.

I also know how important it is for doctors and therapists to slow down, ask questions, and make sure a patient truly understands what they’re agreeing to — especially when the decisions involve permanent changes or treatments that may have long‑lasting effects.

When you are young and hurting, you trust the adults around you to guide you. You trust them to be careful. You trust them to protect you from making choices you can’t take back. That didn’t happen for Fox, and I understand how damaging that can be.

A Verdict Based on Facts, Not Politics

The jury listened to three weeks of testimony. They reviewed documents, heard from experts, and took their job seriously. Their decision was based on evidence, not ideology.

They found that:

• The psychologist and surgeon failed to follow proper medical guidelines
• Their mistakes directly harmed Fox for life
• The harm is permanent and life‑changing

The award — $1.6 million for pain and suffering and $400,000 for future medical needs — reflects the seriousness of what happened.

This case is about medical malpractice and a one-sided Gender Affirming Care model.

Even experts who support gender‑affirming care agreed that Fox’s providers did not follow the rules. They rushed a vulnerable teenager into permanent surgery without proper evaluation. That is unacceptable in any area of medicine.

Good medical care requires time, honesty, and caution — especially when the procedures involved are irreversible or may have long‑lasting effects.

Why This Matters for Every Community

This decision sends a message to doctors, psychologists, and clinics across the country:

You must follow the standards of care. You must take your time. You must protect minors.

Medical professionals cannot skip steps just because the topic is sensitive or because a patient is young and struggling. When a teenager is in pain, adults must slow down, ask questions, and make sure the child truly understands what is happening — especially when the consequences may last a lifetime.

A Turning Point for Accountability

This is the first case of its kind in the United States to reach a jury and end with a verdict. But it will not be the last. More than two dozen similar lawsuits have already been filed. This verdict shows that courts are willing to hold medical providers responsible when they fail to protect minors and uphold their Hippocratic Oath.

It is about doing care correctly and respecting the seriousness of irreversible medical decisions.

Conclusion

The $2 million award is fair, reasonable, and necessary. It acknowledges the harm done to a teenager who trusted adults to guide her. It reminds medical professionals that minors deserve extra caution, not shortcuts. And it shows that when the system fails a young person, a jury can still deliver justice. It shows that the Gender Affirming Care is not helpful but destroys lives. This type of decision as a minimum needs to wait until adulthood, even then I think it should never be pursued as a solution to a mental/spiritual issue.

As someone who lived transgender for 12 years and detransitioned five years ago, I support this verdict fully. I know how complicated these experiences can be, and I know how important it is for adults to act with genuine care, honesty, and responsibility — especially when the procedures involved are permanent or may have long‑lasting effects.

The jury got it right!

I am available to discuss transgender issues with civic groups, churches and individuals.

Ted Halley, a native of Opelika, Auburn graduate and 24-year U.S. Air Force Veteran shares his experiences into the personal and cultural impacts of gender dysphoria.

After his children were grown, Ted fully transitioned and lived as a woman for 12 years until he had a radical encounter with Jesus in 2021. He has since detransitioned and now shares his story of redemption and truth.

Ted H. Halley is on Facebook

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