By AlaskaWatchman.com

Identity, Inc., a multi-faceted LGBTQ nonprofit that has operated a controversial gender clinic pushing puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and life-altering, irreversible surgeries on both youth and adults, is closing down for good.

On April 14, the organization announced it will close its Anchorage clinic, abandon plans to open a clinic in Spokane, Washington, and cease operations entirely.

The organization, originally founded in 1977 as the Alaskan Gay Community Center and later merging with a local health clinic in 2021 to form Identity Health Clinic, cited longstanding financial problems, operational turmoil, and facility issues that ultimately doomed its program.

Identity’s closure brings an end to an organization that has engaged in transgender medical practices on youth, which were unanimously condemned last year by the Alaska State Medical Board.

In addition its cross-sex treatments on both youth and adults to make patients appear as the opposite sex, Identity has organized queer youth clubs, drag queen story hours for kids and trans-parent meetings.

In particular, the clinic offered dangerous cross-sex hormones, as well as puberty blockers for gender-confused youth.

These drugs, however, come with serious health risks. A peer reviewed study published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website states that there is concern that transgender hormones can lead to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke. The National Breast Cancer Foundation reports that just one in every 1,000 men is ever diagnosed with breast cancer. However, according to a May 2019 study in the British Medical Journal, men on hormone therapy to “transition” to women were more than 46 times more likely to suffer from breast cancer. Similarly, gender-confused women taking testosterone to “transition” to a male appearance were almost 60 times more likely to develop breast cancer. The study followed 2,260 gender-confused men and 1,229 gender-confused women.

In addition to engaging in cross-sex treatments on both youth and adults to make patients appear as the opposite sex, Identity has organized queer youth clubs, drag queen story hours for kids, trans-parent meetings and much more.

Identity Executive Director Tom Pittman expressed his “deep sadness” over the decision to shut down the organization.

“Since 1977, countless people have given their time, labor, leadership, care, and belief to build programs, support systems, resources, and eventually healthcare that responded to the needs of LGBTQIA2S+ people in Alaska,” Pittman wrote. “That is what makes this moment so painful. This is not only the closure of an organization. It is the loss of a long-standing piece of community infrastructure that so many people helped build and sustain.”

The Board of Directors cited several key challenges leading to the closure, including delays in Medicaid payments, problems with their facility, and billing concerns. Leadership identified issues related to insurance billing for past services, and said an active review is underway. The group also claimed its staff was strained due to an “increasingly inaccessible political environment.”

Identity will close in-person clinic appointments on April 17, and May 15 will be the final day of administrative support.

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Alaska’s controversial cross-sex gender clinic to permanently shut down

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


7 Comments

  • Elizabth says:

    Yes that is the best news. Destroying people’s lives shouldn’t be a money making business

  • Tim says:

    the fact that thwy relied almost completely on federal money through Medicare should tell you all you need to know. this type of money making boondoggle ahould never have been allowed in the first place. if you want this type service pay for it yourself or do without.

    • I probably shouldn’t say this, but says:

      But protected classes have special rights, don’t you know? It’s all about equity: if I’m special, I deserve special treatment and free services, otherwise there’s inequity. Just ask the Anchorage Assembly….I wonder if they’ll weigh in and propose a special tax levy to save Identity, Inc for those who might “rely” on the services and safe spaces offered by places like this. Where would Chris Constant, Austin Quinn-Davidson and Forrest Dunbar be without their super special support networks?

  • Dave Maxwell says:

    Dunleavy is deeply saddened by this news!

  • Johnny says:

    Praise Jesus!

  • CD says:

    Good riddance!

  • Proud Alaskan says:

    Tom Pittman expressed his “deep sadness” over the decision to shut down the organization. No it’s, MY Deep Happiness that this sick evil organization is gone. Now these innocent souls-people can live a normal life, not having these disgusting rainbow people make you, into something, God did not create.

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