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Tuesday, Sep. 17, 2024

Did Tammy Baldwin fund a transgender clinic for youths?

Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch
no

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., directed $400,000 in 2024 federal spending to Briarpatch Youth Services, a Madison, Wisconsin-area nonprofit.

Republican Eric Hovde, Baldwin’s opponent in the Nov. 5 election, alluded to the earmark in claiming that Baldwin “gave all of our money to a transgender clinic … that does this without notifying parents.”

Briarpatch provides counseling, shelter, job assistance and other services to runaway and homeless youths.  

It’s not a transgender clinic.

Briarpatch says its Teens Like Us program supports “queer youth ages 13-18.”

Fox News’ March report on the earmark said Briarpatch’s website said clients did not need parental permission to join Teens Like Us.

A Wall Street Journal op-ed reported that after the Fox News report, Briarpatch removed from its website references to clothing that help transgender people adapt their appearance to their gender identity.

Briarpatch told Wisconsin Watch it changed its site to protect youth safety.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

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

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