FBI arrests woman who made alleged bomb threat to Boston Children's Hospital. They are prioritizing running down other threats.



A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigation said that their top concern was to investigate threats against hospitals providing transgender care and operations after they arrested a Massachusetts woman for an alleged bomb threat.

FBI Boston special agent in charge Joseph Bonavolonta said at a media briefing that 37-year-old CatherineLeavyofWestfield was arrested for phoning in a hoax threat to the Boston Children's Hospital on August 30.

He said the hospital "has received dozens of hoax threats, including harassing phone calls and emails, individual threats, and threats of mass-casualty attacks. This behavior is nothing short of reprehensible, and it needs to stop now."

Leavy was taken into custody at her home without incident.

"As a result of her threatening call, the hospital and the surrounding area was put into lockdown, the Boston Police Department Bomb Squad was deployed, and no explosive devices were found," Bonavolonta continued.

He went on to say that the hospital had been the subject of an "airing of grievances" over care they were providing to transgender individuals.

Leavy was charged with one count of making a false telephonic bomb threat and she faces up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.

She allegedly said by phone, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos.”

Boston's Children's Hospital had been exposed by the Libs of TikTok account and others online for providing transgender services and operations to underage people. The hospital denied the allegations and scrubbed videos about those services from YouTube and its website.

The release from the FBI confirmed that the hospital provided "the first major healthcare program in the United States to focus on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents."

Activists on social media found what appeared to be Leavy's political donations, most of which went to former President Donald Trump.

Bonavolonta said that there were more than a dozen specific threats to the hospital and that the FBI was treating those as a top priority.

"We will run and vet every one of them down," he concluded.

Here's more about the arrest:

Westfield woman arrested in Boston Children's Hospital threatwww.youtube.com

Boston Children's Hospital denies claims of underage transgender operations after scrubbing its videos from YouTube



Boston Children's Hospital denied accusations that it was promoting underage transgender operations after it scrubbed videos from YouTube over the online criticism.

The hospital has come under scrutiny after the content of the videos was circulated by the popular Libs of TikTok account and others on the right.

On Tuesday, the hospital issued a statement saying it had received threats over the claims.

"In response to commentary last week critical of our Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) Program, Boston Children's Hospital has been the target of a large volume of hostile internet activity, phone calls, and harassing emails including threats of violence towards our clinicians and staff," read the statement from the hospital.

“We are deeply concerned by these attacks on our clinicians and staff fueled by misinformation and a lack of understanding and respect for our transgender community," the statement added.

It specifically denied the claims that it had offered hysterectomies and other genital operations to underage children.

"The article and the online attention that followed was based on the on the incorrect statement that Boston Children’s performs genital surgeries on minors in connection with transgender care," the statement said. "For hysterectomies and other genital surgeries performed as part of gender-affirming care, Boston Children’s requires a patient to be capable of consenting for themselves. Age 18 is used to reflect the standard age of majority for medical decision-making. Boston Children’s does not perform genital surgeries as part of gender-affirming care on a patient under the age of 18.”

The hospital went on to condemn the "attacks" and said it was working with law enforcement officials to protect its staff.

"Boston Children's is proud to be home to the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States," it concluded.

The report from the Associated Press about the threats to the hospital called the accusations false but then admitted that the hospital had posted on its website that it would treat persons under the age of 18.

Some of the online critics pointed to information that once appeared on the hospital’s website that said to qualify for vaginoplasty at Boston Children’s, one must be at least 17 and meet certain criteria, as well as language for chest reconstruction and breast augmentation that remains on the website that says patients must be at least 15 and meet certain criteria.

It also noted that the World Professional Association for Transgender Health reduced its minimum age guidance to 14 years old for hormone treatment and 15 or 17 years old for some gender operations.

Here's more about the transgender controversy:

Boston Children's Hospital staff reports threats prompted by "misinformation" about transgender procwww.youtube.com

Boston Children's Hospital scrubs videos touting 'gender-affirming hysterectomies' for young girls after online criticism



Boston Children's Hospital touted "gender-affirming hysterectomies" for young girls in a video unearthed by the popular Libs of TikTok account before scrubbing from YouTube.

The video featured Dr. Frances Grimstad of Boston Children’s Division of Gynecology explaining the different types of hysterectomies a girl could undergo.

“A gender-affirming hysterectomy is very similar to most hysterectomies that occur,” says Grimstad. “A hysterectomy itself is the removal of the uterus, the cervix — which is the opening of the uterus — and the fallopian tubes, which are attached to the sides of the uterus.”

Grimstad identified herself as an advocate of trans reproductive health in her Twitter biography, which also includes her preferred pronouns as she and her.

Here's the video from Libs of TikTok:

\u201cBoston Children\u2019s Hospital (@BostonChildrens) is now offering \u201cgender affirming hysterectomies\u201d for young girls https://t.co/JOH5fFtGJ0\u201d
— Libs of TikTok (@Libs of TikTok) 1660237705

The video was just one in a series offering explanations about other transgender-related operations such as vaginoplasty and facial feminization surgery.

“Some gender-affirming hysterectomies will also include the removal of the ovaries, but that’s technically a separate procedure called a bilateral oophorectomy, and not every gender-affirming hysterectomy includes that,” Grimstad continued. “People who are getting gender forming hysterectomies do not have to have their ovaries removed.”

The full video was made private after it was publicized and criticized by many on the right.

On the hospital's website, they continued to take credit for being among the first to defend transgender rights through their Gender Multispecialty Service.

As the first pediatric and adolescent transgender health program in the United States, GeMS has long provided gender-affirming care. That care can come in several different forms: It can mean supporting kids who are exploring their gender identity, transitioning socially (for example, changing their pronouns, using an affirmed name, or modifying their clothing), or pursuing medical care.

The statement also criticized state laws classifying "gender-affirming medical treatments for transgender youth — such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy" as child abuse and promised the organization would continue to support transgender operations.

Here's a video about the transgender debate:

Mom: My kid was TRICKED into SECRET sexuality club at schoolwww.youtube.com