Political rhetoric in the United States about mutilating children is unapologetic, naked demagoguery. The politicians telling the public that they’re fighting to stop childhood genital mutilation know they are lying. They know that genital surgery on trans minors is not approved by medical associations and does not happen.

They know that top surgery is rarely approved for 16 and 17 year olds, and that almost all doctors prefer to wait until a patient is 18 at least.

Yet politicians keep screaming about mutilated children.

This is what it’s like to live in a society run my politicians who leverage hate to gain or maintain power.