Democrats Criticize Pentagon Testosterone Screening as Gender-Affirming Care
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Senators Adam Schiff and Mazie Hirono faced online criticism after labeling the Pentagon's new testosterone testing program for service members as gender-affirming care, while officials defended the initiative as a health measure.
Senators Adam Schiff of California and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii sparked a wave of online backlash after they compared the Pentagon’s newly announced testosterone-deficiency screening and treatment program to "gender-affirming care." Their comments followed Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth’s statement that the military would begin screening service members over age 30 for low testosterone, with optional testing for younger personnel, and would offer hormone replacement therapy where needed.
Critics on social media accused the senators of mischaracterizing the medical initiative, arguing that testosterone replacement for men with a deficiency is a standard health intervention, not a form of gender-affirming treatment. One commentator wrote that providing testosterone to men is not equivalent to gender-affirming procedures for transgender individuals.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal also denounced the program on the House floor, calling it "absurd" and suggesting it could be used to test whether members of Congress are "male enough to be in Congress." In response, other users defended the program, noting that low testosterone can affect muscle mass, bone density, mood, and overall performance, and that veterans have long advocated for greater attention to endocrine health.
The Department of the Army clarified that the screening is intended to restore natural hormone levels and support service members’ physical and cognitive readiness, not to provide artificial enhancement. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services Adm. Brian Christine expressed support, stating that optimal testosterone levels are important for strength, endurance, and mission readiness.