Fiorentina midfielder Nicol Zaniolo has denied allegations that he punched two Roma youth players after Monday's Primavera Championship semifinal in Florence.

Scott McTominay won an MVP prize in Italy, Dean Henderson won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace, and either Jadon Sancho or Antony will win the UEFA Europa Conference League crown this week. Who else cast out by United has thrived this season?

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington by NPR and other public radio organizations, said President Trumps executive order violated the Constitution and the First Amendment.

The Trump administrations efforts and the G.O.P.s tax bill aim to restrict benefits for families that include immigrants without permanent legal status.

President Trump and members of Congress want to revive U.S. shipbuilding with subsidies and penalties against Chinese-built ships. But there are obstacles.

The death of Amer Rabee, a Palestinian American in the West Bank, has spurred anger over soldiers use of force and an apparent lack of accountability.

In early May, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were spotted alongside Tennessee State Highway Patrol troopers in areas of Nashville.

The post Owner Gives Detailed Preamble For Why Dog Named Mr. Dog appeared first on The Onion.

KOHLER, WIRushing out a statement to reaffirm the executives love and respect for the companys signature plumbing product, Kohler was reportedly doing damage control Tuesday after CEO K. David Kohler admitted to the press that he never uses toilets. David wouldnt be in this business if he didnt believe in toilets, said Kohler assistant director of public relations Diane McCardle, who explained that despite not being a user himself, the CEO was nonetheless a huge fan of toilets and was happy so many people found them useful. While Mr. Kohler has described himself as more of a natural guy, he has always had tremendous respect for people who opt for toilets. He certainly did not intend to shame anyone for using them. Our CEOs remarks that he prefers to wade into the creek in his backyard to defecate were clearly taken out of context, as was his statement that it just feels easier and more convenient to relieve himself in a plastic bag or garbage can. But consumers should not lose faith in the Kohler brand because of those declarations or the fact that he says he knows a lot of other plumbing-supply CEOs who dont use toilets either. At press time, the company had published an apology video of it CEO smiling and praising the quality of Kohler products while using one of its toilets.The post Kohler Doing Damage Control After CEO Admits He Never Uses Toilets appeared first on The Onion.

Data from a license plate-scanning tool that is primarily marketed as a surveillance solution for small towns to combat crimes like car jackings or finding missing people is being used by ICE, according to data reviewed by 404 Media. Local police around the country are performing lookups in Flocks AI-powered automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system for immigration related searches and as part of other ICE investigations, giving federal law enforcement side-door access to a tool that it currently does not have a formal contract for.The massive trove of lookup data was obtained by researchers who asked to remain anonymous to avoid potential retaliation and shared with 404 Media. It shows more than 4,000 nation and statewide lookups by local and state police done either at the behest of the federal government or as an informal favor to federal law enforcement, or with a potential immigration focus, according to statements from police departments and sheriff offices collected by 404 Media. It shows that, while Flock does not have a contract with ICE, the agency sources data from Flocks cameras by making requests to local law enforcement. The data reviewed by 404 Media was obtained using a public records request from the Danville, Illinois Police Department, and shows the Flock search logs from police departments around the country.As part of a Flock search, police have to provide a reason they are performing the lookup. In the reason field for searches of Danvilles cameras, officers from across the U.S. wrote immigration, ICE, ICE+ERO, which is ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations, the section that focuses on deportations; illegal immigration, ICE WARRANT, and other immigration-related reasons. Although lookups mentioning ICE occurred across both the Biden and Trump administrations, all of the lookups that explicitly list immigration as their reason were made after Trump was inaugurated, according to the data.Do you know anything else about Flock? We would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message Jason securely on Signal at jason.404 and Joseph at joseph.404The Department of Homeland Security does use license plate scanning cameras at the border and has shown great interest in the technology. Immigration advocates have been concerned that ICE could turn to local agencies ALPR networks, but this is the first confirmation such data access is happening during Trumps mass deportation efforts.Different law enforcement systems serve different purposes and might be more appropriate for one agency or another. There should be public conversations about what we want different agencies to be able to do, Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst at the ACLUs Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, told 404 Media. I assume theres a fair number of community residents who accept giving police the power to deploy license plate readers to catch a bank robber, who would absolutely gag on the idea that their communitys cameras have become part of a nationwide ICE surveillance infrastructure. And yet if this kind of informal backdoor access to surveillance devices is allowed, then theres functionally no limits to what systems ICE can tap into with no public oversight or control into what they are tapping into.A screenshot of the data.Flock says its ALPR cameras are trusted by more than 5,000 communities across the country. These cameras continuously record the plates, color, and brand of vehicles passing in front of them. Law enforcement can then perform searches to see where exactly a vehicle, and by extension person, was at a certain time or map out their movements across a wide date range. Flock is also developing a new product called Nova which will supplement that ALPR data with people lookup tools, data brokers, and data breaches to jump from LPR [license plate reader] to person, 404 Media previously revealed. Law enforcement typically do these lookups without a warrant or court order, something which an ongoing lawsuit argues is unconstitutional.Law enforcement agencies are able to search their own Flock cameras, but also those in other states or even nationwide. A Flock user guide says that national lookups allow all law enforcement agencies across the country who are also opted into that setting to search a users cameras.That user guide also says that users can run a Network Audit to see who has searched your network from any agency in the Flock system.The researchers used a public records request to obtain the Danville Police Departments Network Audit. Because Flock allows police departments to share their cameras records across a nation and statewide network of law enforcement agencies, the audit shows whenever Danvilles camera records were searched by police departments around the country.The data used to report this story shows in real numbers how expansive Flocks nationwide network of cameras has become. When the Dallas Police Department, for example, performed a series of searches for ICE+ERO on March 6, the department wasnt just searching its own cameras, it was searching 6,674 different individual Flock camera networks composed of 77,771 total devices, the data says. (The Dallas Police Department declined to comment on its searches).Searches across Danvilles Flock cameras came from other agencies in Illinois, such as the Chicago Police Department. The data also includes state and local law enforcement agencies from all over the country, such as sheriff offices and police departments in Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Virginia, Arizona, and Texas. The Florida Highway Patrol and Missouri State Highway Patrol are also included in the data. The network audit stretches from June 1, 2024 to May 5, 2025 and contains millions of total searches. The researchers then narrowed that data to the more than 4,000 searches that contained immigration keywords in the reason field.I can't speak for the company as a whole, but I was unaware that Flock's tools were being used by local departments in collaboration with ICE. I'm disappointed, but not surprised, a Flock source said. 404 Media granted the source anonymity as they were not permitted to speak to the press. It's really important that people understand how this techwhich they pay for with tax dollarsis used, since ultimately it's up to state and local governments to draw the boundaries of fair use by law enforcement.Image from Flock's media kit.There are some caveats with the data. Many of the entries list the lookup reason as HSI, and HSI has a broad criminal investigative mandate beyond immigration enforcement, meaning that the police are helping a division of ICE but may not be using Flock specifically for immigration enforcement. Some law enforcement agencies told 404 Media they are not engaging in immigration enforcement despite the reason for the Flock lookup saying immigration.A Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson told 404 Media that although the listed reason for using Flock was immigration, the lookup was related to a traffic stop with indicators of possible human trafficking. The spokesperson added We are in the process of obtaining the training and creating the applicable policies for immigration enforcement. Other agencies that listed immigration as the reason for the lookup did not respond to a request for comment.The Trump administration has made a point of encouraging state and local police departments, which do not normally have authority to enforce immigration laws, to apply for a program called 287(g), which allows ICE to delegate the enforcement of immigration laws to local police. A January executive order issued by Trump instructs DHS and ICE to authorize State and local law enforcement officials, as the Secretary of Homeland Security determines are qualified and appropriate, to perform the functions of immigration officers in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States.It is particularly notable that the data in question came from an Illinois police department, because Illinois is one of the few states that specifically bans the use of ALPR data for immigration enforcement. Illinois-based police departments that ran searches shown in the data insisted that the searches were for criminal cases or were not specifically for immigration enforcement purposes.The chart [data] provided does not indicate that Danville PD is searching Flock LPR data or acting for another municipal, county, or state LE agency, nor ICE regarding immigration, Danvilles police chief Chris Yates told 404 Media. As required by the State of Illinois we ensure that we will not use LPR data or enforce a law or relate a persons immigration status. Yates did not respond to follow up questions about why the Flock audit showed searches for immigration-related reasons from other agencies around the country.Long-story-short, what is being alleged is not happening, Danvilles mayor, Rickey Williams Jr added.A screenshot of the data.But Danvilles own data is showing that these searches by other police departments are in fact happening, and 404 Media confirmed the details of several searches with the departments that performed the search. The police departments we got details from said that sometimes searches for federal agencies are informal, and sometimes they are part of a specific investigation. What is clear, however, is that ICE and HSI have gained side-door access to a tool that they do not formally have access to.Andrew Perley, the deputy chief of the Village of Glencoe, Illinois police department, told 404 Media that a specific search was not related to an investigation involving immigration status. The inquiry was an informal request from Homeland Security Investigations into a criminal matter aside from immigration. Ryan Glew of Evanston, Illinois police department, told 404 Media that one of their specific searches was because We were assisting Homeland Security in the apprehension of a wanted subject. The subject was part of a nationwide retail theft ring that was responsible for millions of dollars from stores across the country. The queries were not immigration-related.Other police departments in Illinois we spoke to said that some of the searches were done to assist federal law enforcement, or that the searches were done by one of their task force officers, who are local police that are embedded with federal units. Mike Yott, the police chief of Palos Heights, Illinois, said that, due to Illinois law, his department does not do immigration enforcement. But he said that he did not know what a search performed by one of its departments task force officers embedded with the Drug Enforcement Administration was for, even though it read immigration violation.Based on the limited information on the report, the coding/wording may be poor and the use of Flock may be part of a narcotics investigation or a fugitive status warrant, which does on occasion involve people with various immigration statuses, Yott said.The fact that police almost never get a warrant to perform a Flock search means that there is not as much oversight into its use, which leads to local police either formally or informally helping the feds by doing lookups.A screenshot of the data.Law enforcement really likes license plate readers because of the lack of restrictions on that data. They dont feel like they need a warrant. Oftentimes there are no restrictions whatsoever on what they search, Dave Maass, who studies border technology at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told 404 Media. It might be totally true that some of these searches are for people who have warrants or who are wanted for criminal activity. They might be looking for a terrorist, who knows. But thats kind of the pointwe dont know.Flock said in a statement that We are committed to ensuring every customer can leverage technology in a way that reflects their values, and support democratically-authorized governing bodies to determine what that means for their community.All Flock customers own and control 100% of the data collected by their Flock systems and choose who to share data with. The tools are fully auditable, indefinitely saving usage reports so command staff or city leadership has full insight into the use of the products. The network audit logs are an example of this auditing-by-design approach, the statement continued. The company said its tools have helped law enforcement locate more than 1,000 missing persons.We work with local governments across the country to adopt best practices on LPR policies, including robust auditing requirements. Flocks platform requires double opt-in for agencies to share data amongst each otherwe recommend every agency adopt a strong LPR policy, conduct regular audits, and be thoughtful about how and with whom they share data, the statement continued.What is incredibly frustrating is that Flock in particular in Illinois marketed themselves to a bunch of communities in the suburbs and in Central Illinois as a device that would be critical to combatting an uptick in crime, violent crime, gun violence. But this is really a national system of data once you start collecting this, whether its Bloomington or Springfield or Danville, you start looping together those networks, Edwin Yohnka, director of communications and public policy for ACLU Illinois, told 404 Media. So it is incredibly troubling to see this list of places from around the country who are performing these searches of Illinois cameras.DHS did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Nature, Published online: 27 May 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01559-1Far-out food fads, and scientists commemorate the discovery of benzene in this weeks pick from the Nature archive.

With the sun set on LaLiga for 2024-25, ESPN hands out silverware for the best and worst of the season. No prizes for guessing who hogs the headlines.

Which teams passed and which failed to make the grade during the 2024-25 season? Ian Darke has the answers.

Here's how new Knicks starter Mitchell Robinson is impacting their surprise conference finals run.

Indiana's losses drop the Fever while Seattle's three-win streak bumps up the Storm in our latest 1-13 ranking.

All of the big Premier League clubs need to make big moves in this summer transfer window -- even the good ones. Here's what they should do.

The man, William Duplessie, surrendered to the police Tuesday morning. Authorities have said the victim was an Italian man who was tormented in a luxury Manhattan townhouse for weeks.

A likely focus of talks between the two leaders will be military aid and whether Germany will provide Ukraine with the Taurus cruise missile.

After a car plowed into crowds celebrating their teams Premier League title, camaraderie and jubilation dissolved into dread.

Jessica Mann broke down while testifying at the disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinsteins sex crimes trial. His lawyers are expected to begin making their case this week.

Civitai, an AI model sharing site backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) that 404 Media has repeatedly shown is being used to generate nonconsensual adult content, is banning AI models designed to generate the likeness of real people, the site announced Friday.The policy change, which Civitai attributes in part to new AI regulations in the U.S. and Europe, is the most recent in a flurry of updates Civitai has made under increased pressure from payment processing service providers and 404 Medias reporting. This recent change, will, at least temporarily, significantly hamper the ecosystem for creating nonconsensual AI-generated porn.We are removing models and images depicting real-world individuals from the platform. These resources and images will be available to the uploader for a short period of time before being removed, Civitai said in its announcement. This change is a requirement to continue conversations with specialist payment partners and has to be completed this week to prepare for their service.Earlier this month, Civitai updated its policies to ban certain types of adult content and introduced further restrictions around content depicting the likeness of real people in order to comply with requests from an unnamed payment processing service provider. This attempt to appease the payment processing service provider ultimately failed. On May 20, Civitai announced that the provider cut off the site, which currently cant process credit card payments, though it says it will get a new provider soon.We know this will be frustrating for many creators and users. Weve spoken at length about the value of likeness content, and this decision wasnt made lightly, Civitais statement about banning content depicting the likeness of real people said. But were now facing an increasingly strict regulatory landscape - one evolving rapidly across multiple countries.The announcement specifically cites President Donald Trumps recent signing of the Take It Down Act, which criminalizes and holds platforms liable for nonconsensual AI-generated adult content, and the EU AI Act, a comprehensive piece of AI regulation that was enacted last year.Do you know other sites that allow people to share models of real people? I would love to hear from you. Using a non-work device, you can message me securely on Signal at (609) 678-3204. Otherwise, send me an email at emanuel@404media.co.As Ive reported since 2023, Civitais policies against nonconsensual adult content did little to diminish the sites actual crucial role in the AI-generated nonconsensual content ecosystem. Civitais policy allowed people to upload custom AI image generation models (LoRAs, checkpoints, etc) designed to recreate the likeness of real people. These models were mostly of huge movie stars and minor internet celebrities, but as our reporting has shown, also completely random, private people. Civitai also allowed users to share custom AI image generation models designed to depict extremely specific and graphic sex acts and fetishes, but it always banned users from producing nonconsensual nudity or porn.However, by embedding in huge online spaces dedicated to creating and sharing nonconsensual content, I saw how easily people put these two types of models together. Civitai users couldnt generate and share those models on Civitai, but they could download the models, combine them, generate nonconsensual porn of real people locally on their machines or on various cloud computing services, and post them to porn sites, Telegram, and social media. Ive seen people in these spaces explain over and over again how easy it was to create nonconsensual porn of YouTubers, Twitch streamers, or barely known Instagram users by using models to Civitai and linking to those models hosted on Civitai.One Telegram channel dedicated to AI-generating nonconsensual porn reacted to Civitais announcement with several users encouraging others to grab as many AI models of real people as they could before Civitai removed them. On this Telegram, users complained that these models were already removed, and my searches of the site have shown the same.The removal of those models really affect me [sic], one prolific creator of nonconsensual content in the Telegram channel said.When Civitai first announced that it was being pressured by its payment processing service provider several users started an archiving project to save all the models on the site before they were removed. A Discord server dedicated to this project now has over 100 members, but it appears Civitai has made many models inaccessible sooner than these users anticipated. One member of the archiving project said that there are many thousands such models which cannot be backed up.Unfortunately, while Civitais recent policy changes and especially its removal of AI models of real people for now appears to have impacted people who make nonconsensual AI-generated porn, its unlikely that the change will slow them down for long. The people who originally created the models can always upload them to other sites, including some that have already positioned themselves as Civitai competitors.Its also unclear how Civitai intends to keep users from uploading AI models designed to generate the likeness of real people who are not well-known celebrities, as automated systems would not be able to detect these models.Civitai did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The longest-tenured player on Edmonton's roster has done a little bit of everything this postseason.

Edmonton leads the series 2-1. Here are key stats, players and matchups to know, plus betting intel.

Mackenzie Mgbako, a projected second-round pick in the NBA draft, has opted to return to college and spend his junior season at Texas A&M, which also signed Pop Isaacs.

Despite a mix-up with her rackets, No. 2-seeded Coco Gauff went on to defeat Australia's Olivia Gadecki 6-2, 6-2 in her opening match at the French Open.

Pope Leo XIV welcomed Italy's newly crowned Serie A champions Napoli to the Vatican on Tuesday, joking about his own football allegiances.

Paul Walczaks pardon application cited his mothers support for the president, including raising millions of dollars and a connection to a plot to publicize a Biden family diary.

Israel, Hamas and the Trump administration have issued different messages about where efforts to reach a truce stand.

The Trump administrations efforts and the G.O.P.s tax bill aim to restrict benefits for families that include immigrants without permanent legal status.

The transformation of a two-mile stretch of San Franciscos Great Highway into a pedestrian promenade has set off a clash over the citys anti-car culture.

Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams is currently touring to promote her album The Secret Of Us. Here is everything you need to know about the artist.Genre: Treadmill cooldownImage: Girl next door in a gated communityHair Color: BobMost Famous Relative: 2013 Toledo Chili Cook-Off winner Paulie AbramsLyrical Themes: Rebelling against au pairBirthday Wish: If she tells it wont come trueRelationship To Paul Mescal: SymbioticGodfather: ChewbaccaWhats Next: Murdering Taylor Swift and assuming her identityThe post Artist Profile: Gracie Abrams appeared first on The Onion.

Kim Kardashian announced that she has completed her law program after six years of legal studies, with her sister Khlo sharing photos of the private ceremony on her Instagram story. What do you think?Well now shes definitely out of my league.Tony Chavez, Vintage TypographerI could use a lawyer who takes the spotlight off of my crimes.Angela Aguirre, Wrist ExaminerThe real money is in trades.Gary Perkins, Book ShelverThe post Kim Kardashian Graduates Law School appeared first on The Onion.

Costa Rican prison guards intercepted a black-and-white cat carrying over 230 grams of marijuana and 67 grams of crack cocaine in two packages, the drugs having been taped to its body. What do you think?This is why prison guards need to carry spray bottles.Pedro Coron, Tombstone PolisherYou can buy them the fanciest toys, and theyll still just want to play with 67 grams of crack.Lila DeYoung, Lipstick NamerI didnt know cats could be useful.Norman Schwanbeck, Iguana GroomerThe post Drug Smuggling Cat Caught In Costa Rica appeared first on The Onion.

It'll make an outdoor space like a cozy oasis. READ MORE...

We Want to Hear From You! At Uncloseted Media, were on a mission to elevate LGBTQ stories with authenticity, nuance, and power. How are we doing so far? What stories have resonated with you? Whats missing? This quick impact survey is your chance to tell us what matters, what weve done right, and where we can do better. We plan to share the results with our staff, our board and our prospective donors/supporters. The results will be completely anonymous. Take the survey and help guide Uncloseted's next steps. Were so grateful for your feedback.Start SurveyIf objective, nonpartisan, rigorous, LGBTQ-focused journalism is important to you, please consider making a tax-deductible donation through our fiscal sponsor, Resource Impact, by clicking this button:Donate to Uncloseted Media

Nature, Published online: 27 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09173-xA coordinated cellular network regulates tolerance to food

Everything fantasy baseball managers need to know about which closers should be added, dropped and more.

Alabama's Ryan Williams and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith are the cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 26, the video game developer announced Tuesday.

Yaxel Lendeborg, a projected late first-round pick in the NBA draft, will withdraw from the process and instead spend his final collegiate season at Michigan.

Gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton was arrested in West Virginia on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence.

Running back James Cook isn't in attendance for the start of the Bills' OTAs, and pass rusher Joey Bosa is sidelined with a calf injury.

On the outskirts of Berlin, Waldsiedlung Krumme Lanke is an idyllic neighborhood with a sinister past, and a symbol of Germanys effort to both remember and forget.

The deal is the latest move by companies partly owned by President Trump and his family members to invest in crypto currency.

The pressure campaign to try to force the nations oldest and wealthiest university to fall in line with President Trumps agenda has sprawled beyond just one singular task force or agency.

Late baby boomers have endured challenges that have left many economically vulnerable and dependent on parents for help. With their parents dying, they are ending up on the streets in growing numbers.

Run by teenagers, for teenagers, the Green Crew helps students get their hands dirty with projects like tree planting, trail restoration and invasive species removal.

LOS ALAMOS, NMThe four words presaging even grimmer dialogue to come, the phrase you on the apps? reportedly heralded the beginning of the worlds bleakest conversation, sources reported Tuesday. Several reports indicated that the already dire back-and-forth was further cemented as among the most depressing ever once the speaker followed up with a question about whether the listener preferred Bumble over Tinder. According to sources, the ensuing periods of silences broken up by the phrases for sure, for sure, and oh, yeah, totally, assured this conversations status as one of the most dismal in the course of human history. At press time, both participants in the conversation had reportedly gone home together to engage in some of the planets most mundane and joyless sexual intercourse.The post You On The Apps? Heralds Beginning Of Worlds Bleakest Conversation appeared first on The Onion.

NASHUA, NHProviding enrichment activities for students with abilities that set them apart from their peers, the gifted program at Middlebrook Elementary only admits kids who can emotionally handle time away from their iPads, school officials confirmed Tuesday. Our gifted and talented program is an elite option that is definitely not for everyone, said principal Terri Van Euler, adding that the highly rigorous academic environment was best for middle schoolers with the attention skills needed to make it through long stretches without watching videos or playing online games. Students who excel in this program will be expected to spend time reading or doing math problems without looking at a tablet screen for 30 or sometimes 40 minutes at a time. These are skills that even adults may struggle with, but this is the kind of sacrifice and concentration that we expect from those enrolled. Van Euler added that teachers had ensured their gifted Middlebrook kids would remain happy and well socialized by giving them free access to theirphones and Apple watches at all times.The post Grade Schools Gifted Program Admits Kids Who Can Emotionally Handle Time Away From iPad appeared first on The Onion.

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The attack on trans rights, including gender affirming care for minors, did not begin with the Trump administration. The persecution of and harmful rhetoric about the trans community vastly predates Donald Trumps presidency, not to mention the onslaught of legislation against the trans community across the globe, includingthe United Kingdoms ruling excluding trans women from the legal definition of women. Yet, its evident that, since January 20, 2025, the United States has experienced an unprecedented targeting of trans rights.Since Trump took office, its estimated that886 anti-trans bills are currently under consideration in the US, and that number is expected to increase over time. So far, in 2025 alone, 97 anti-trans bills have passed in the United States. At the state level and federal level, many bills specifically target trans minors, primarily with attempted bathroom bans, sports bans and bans on gender-affirming care. One of the most pressing of those attacks is Trumps attempt viaexecutive orderto cut federal funding to institutions that provide such care to minors, whom they define as anyone under 19.This focus on banning gender-affirming care has increased under the Trump administration, which is a strategy that was clear throughout his 2024 campaign. Pera fact sheet put out by GLAAD, Trumps anti-trans talking points on the campaign trail included: outlawing gender-affirming care for minors, cutting federal funding for schools that promote inclusivity, and banning transgender athletes from sports teams aligned with their gender identity.A report by CBS Newsestimated that Trump and his allies spent tens of millions of dollars on anti-trans ads during his 2024 campaign. The same report confirmed that Make America Great Again, Inc. (MAGA) independently spent about $1.1 million on similar ads.Americans in general have also shifted to a less favorable opinion of trans people, witha survey from the Pew Research Centershowing that, compared to 2022, Americans are now more in favor of laws restricting protections for trans people. The survey reflected a 10-percentage point increase in favorability for bans on gender-affirming care for trans minors, an 8-percentage point increase in favorability for sports bans, and an 8-percentage point increase in support of bathroom bans.However, many of these talking points represent misconceptions and misinformation. One prominent example from Trumps 2024 campaign was the notion that children were going to school andgetting gender-affirming surgery(which is unequivocally false). Perthe Trans Can Work organization, other common myths and misconceptions about gender affirming care include that it is unsafe/experimental, not backed by science, and likely to lead to regret.Likewise,the National Association of Social Workersidentified myths and misconceptions such as children receiving medical procedures/surgeries, puberty blockers causing irreversible changes, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) being harmful to long-term health, among others.The truth is it is rare for anyone under the age of 18 to receive gender affirming surgery.One study, which included a cohort of 522,605 pediatric patients from 2018 to 2021, found that only .02% of patients were minors who had received gender affirming surgery. Of those .02%, most were 16 years old or older and were specifically getting chest surgery.While gender-affirming surgery for minors is therefore exceedingly rare in the United States, gender affirming care for minors can include puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Yet, the aforementioned misconceptions persist, and, as identified above, continue to be pushed by politicians as well as organizations likethe Heritage Foundation.The previously mentioned beliefs about puberty blockers and HRT are also false. For most children, especially those who are pre-pubescent, gender-affirming care is social and mental health related. This includes social transition involving clothing, hairstyles, names and pronouns, etc. In terms of mental health, organizations likethe Gender Clinic at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphiaorthe Gender Services department at Boston Childrens Hospitalconnect families with psychologists and social workers who are informed and trained in gender affirming care and related mental health needs.According tothe Human Rights Campaign, For patients seeking out gender-affirming medical care, they often receive counseling for extended periods of time. If medications or surgery are part of their gender journey, they are only prescribed after further assessments to ensure they meet prescribing criteria. This can include but is not limited to documentation and referral letters, parental consent, and ongoing mental health support. At all stages, gender-affirming care is only delivered after patients and their families have been counseled, and informed consent has been given.PerAdvocates for Trans Equality, puberty blockers are also a temporary, reversible way for trans minors to put a pause on puberty as they, and their families, work with doctors to determine the best, safest and healthiest path forward on an individual level.By contrast, several effects of puberty are irreversible once theyve occurred, which also discredits the notion that trans kids can simply wait until they are adults to make these decisions. These changes, which puberty blockers can keep at bay temporarily, can be incredibly distressing for trans people and can directly impact their mental health and well-being. Delaying gender-affirming care for minors, therefore, can and does cause direct harm.What is also abundantly clear is that gender affirming care is life-saving care, and thats more than just a slogan. Per aStanford University School of Medicine study, the odds of severe psychological distress were reduced by 222%, 153%, and 81% for those who began hormone therapy in early adolescence, late adolescence, or adulthood, respectively. The odds of previous-year suicidal ideation were also 135%, 62%, and 21% lower in patients who began hormone therapy in early adolescence, late adolescence, or adulthood, respectively, when compared to a control group. These numbers are clear: gender affirming care, especially when begun in early adolescence, can help to reduce thoughts of suicide, which, according tothe Trevor Projects 2024 survey, affects an estimated 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people.These stats directly disprove several claims made by the Trump administration regarding what gender-affirming care, especially for minors, actually entails. Ultimately, many professionals in the field, includingthe American Academy of Pediatrics, continue to back gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for trans kids, and their surveys, studies, and statistics reinforce that much of this rhetoric stems from misinformation.The post The real-life impact of delaying gender-affirming care appeared first on News Is Out.