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Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

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No.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has not stated support for gender-affirming surgeries for minors.

A claim about Baldwin supporting “sex change surgeries” for children was made in an Oct. 8, 2024, ad from the Senate Leadership Fund, a conservative super PAC.

It alluded to Baldwin saying transgender kids deserve to “get the health care they need.”

Her October 2023 post included one by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who promised to veto legislation (vetoed in December) that would have banned medical transition for minors.

Baldwin’s campaign said Baldwin supported the veto because doctors could have been disciplined even for counseling LGBTQ+ youths.

The fund cited to Wisconsin Watch instances of Baldwin supporting gender-affirming care, defined by the World Health Organization as social, psychological, or medical interventions, including surgery, to “affirm an individual’s gender identity.”

In Wisconsin, transgender care for children is prescribed with parental involvement. It involves no medication until puberty and no surgery in most cases until adulthood.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

Senate Leadership Fund: SLF: “What Happened” 30s – WI

Google Docs: Screenshot of Senate Leadership Fund 10/8/24 Baldwin ad

Open Secrets: Senate Leadership Fund

X: Sen. Tammy Baldwin on X: “Trans kids deserve to feel safe and welcome in Wisconsin, not discriminated against. They deserve the freedom to just be kids, play sports, and get the health care they need,

X: Gov. Tony Evers post

Wisconsin Watch: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers vetoes trans youth care ban

Google Docs: Tammy Baldwin campaign email 10/11/24

Google Docs: Senate Leadership Fund email 10/9/24

World Health Organization: Gender incongruence and transgender health in the ICD

Advocate: Republican opponent attacks out Sen. Tammy Baldwin by lying about her support of gender-affirming care

The Guardian: Wisconsin Senate race tightens as rival attacks Baldwin over LGBTQ+ support

Semafor: Anti-trans ads didn’t work in 2022. Republicans think this time will be different.

Wisconsin Republican Party: ICYMI: Tammy Baldwin continues crusade against biological females — honored by advocates of gender transition treatments for children

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Tom Kertscher joined Wisconsin Watch as a full-time reporter in October 2024. He started as a fact checker in January 2023 and contributes to our collaboration with the The Gigafact Project to fight misinformation online. Kertscher is a former longtime newspaper reporter, including at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He is a contributing writer for Milwaukee Magazine and sports freelancer for The Associated Press.