When Fox Varian, now 22, was just 16, she underwent a surgery that would change her life forever—a double mastectomy intended to help her live as a boy.
Years later, a New York court has recognized the profound harm she suffered and awarded her $2 million in compensation.
The ruling has shocked many and is being hailed as a pivotal moment that could reshape how transgender medical interventions on minors are approached in both the US and the UK.
A Growing Backlash Against Early Transition Surgeries
Advocates and campaigners argue that Ms. Varian’s case exposes what they see as a dangerous “medical and social experiment” being conducted on young people who feel they were born in the wrong body.
They warn that thousands of similar lawsuits could soon follow, challenging doctors, psychologists, and institutions that have pushed irreversible treatments on minors.
Even Elon Musk, whose child Xavier transitioned to Vivian Jenna in 2022, has voiced concerns.
Musk said he was “tricked” by doctors into consenting to cross-sex hormone treatments, which often precede surgeries like the one Ms. Varian underwent.
Following the court’s ruling, Musk added that there could be “thousands more court cases of children who were mutilated by evil doctors,” and that all professionals involved—including schools and state officials—should be held accountable.
The Case Against the Doctors
During the trial, Ms. Varian’s lawyers accused the medical team of aggressively encouraging her to undergo “top surgery” at the age of 16.
Both the approving psychologist and surgeon were found liable for medical malpractice, with the jury concluding that they had ignored standard care procedures and pressured a vulnerable teenager into an irreversible procedure.
Court documents revealed that the surgery was presented to Ms. Varian as a straightforward solution to her gender dysphoria.
In reality, her lawyers argued, the doctors failed to investigate underlying psychological issues such as ADHD, autism, or body dysmorphic disorder, which could have influenced her feelings about her body.
Family Under Pressure
Ms. Varian’s mother, Claire Deacon, testified that she only consented to the surgery because she was told her daughter might attempt suicide if the operation did not go ahead.
“This man was just so emphatic, pushing and pushing, that I felt like there was no good decision,” she said.
She later described the suicide warning as a scare tactic, suggesting that although the psychologist may have believed what he was saying, he was “very, very wrong.”
The surgery left Ms. Varian feeling physically ill and emotionally devastated.
Her lawyers highlighted that the irreversible procedure caused immense suffering and that proper safeguards should have prevented such an outcome.
Controversy Over Consent
The doctors’ defense argued that Ms. Varian had initially requested the surgery herself, identifying with male pronouns and describing herself as a “trans male.”
They claimed she had lived contentedly as male for several years before seeking compensation four years after the 2019 surgery.
Nonetheless, the jury sided with Ms. Varian, acknowledging the coercive pressures and malpractice that led to her irreversible surgery.
She will now receive compensation equivalent to roughly £1.5 million.
Voices from the UK and Beyond
Ms. Varian is part of a growing wave of young people speaking out against radical transgender medical procedures.
In Britain, Ritchie Herron, 35, became the first NHS patient to publicly recount his experiences after undergoing genital surgery.
Herron described living “like a sexual eunuch,” with infertility, incontinence, and no sensation in the genital area.
He criticized the NHS for failing to warn him of the severe consequences, calling it the “biggest mistake” of his life.
Meanwhile, UK funding for gender dysphoria services, including puberty blockers and surgery, reached £78 million annually in 2024.
A UK trial is set to investigate the impact of puberty blockers on children as young as ten, following the 2024 Cass Review, which found that studies claiming benefits from these treatments were of “poor” quality.
What Comes Next?
With this landmark ruling, the debate over irreversible surgeries for minors is entering a new phase.
Experts predict a surge in legal challenges, greater scrutiny on medical protocols, and potentially stricter regulations in both the US and the UK.
For many families and patients, the case of Fox Varian serves as a stark warning about the risks of making life-altering decisions at a vulnerable age.
