March in El Poblado: parents demand to prohibit gender change in minors

Among the protesters were parents and doctors who are calling for the resignation of the national health superintendent, Luis Carlos Leal. Photo: Archive

In the heart of El Poblado, Medellín, a group of parents and citizens gathered to carry out a sit-in against circular 004 issued by the National Superintendence of Health. This regulation would open the door to gender change in minors, an issue that has sparked intense reactions in Colombian society.

The protesters maintain that the circular is inappropriate, since they consider that minors are not qualified to make decisions about their gender identity. The protest brought together parents who are calling for the repeal of the regulations and the resignation of Luis Carlos Leal, national superintendent of health, arguing that the circular not only puts children at risk, but also threatens the freedom of parents to educate. to their children.

One of the parents present at the sit-in expressed: «We are here united in defense of our childhood. This circular seeks to ideologize our children and question fundamental principles of the family. Parents allege that decisions about the gender of their children should be made within the family and not by health entities.

Circular 004, according to critics, includes guidelines that allow everything from hormonal therapies to gender affirmation surgeries for minors. Protesters argue that this goes against the professional ethics of doctors, who should have the option to object out of conscience. “We, as doctors, have the right to defend our children and to act according to what we consider ethically correct,” said a health professional present at the event.

The debate on gender identity and the rights of minors has been the subject of discussion on various platforms, and this march is just one part of a series of mobilizations that are taking place in different regions of the country. Similar demonstrations have been reported in Magdalena Medio and in municipalities in eastern Antioquia, where parents have also raised their voices against this regulation.

The organizers of the sit-in have called on citizens to join this cause, highlighting that it is not about opposing diversity, but about protecting children. “Our goal is to guarantee that minors can grow up in a safe environment, where their rights are respected and where such complex decisions are not imposed on them,” they commented during the protest.

The controversy surrounding the circular is framed in a broader context about the rights of LGBTQ+ people and the protection of minors. While some advocate for the need to provide support and resources to those seeking to explore their gender identity, others insist that clear limits must be established regarding medical intervention in minors.