Canadian School Shooter Linked to 'Gender-Affirming' Care

Experts warn 'gender-affirming' approach is destroying lives of confused children

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Post Editorial Board argues that the 'gender-affirming care' approach, which has become the standard practice for cases of 'gender dysphoria', is actually harming vulnerable children and contributing to tragic outcomes like the recent school shooting by Jesse Van Rootselaar in Canada. The editorial calls for an end to this 'malpractice' and a return to treating gender confusion as a mental health issue that requires appropriate counseling, not permanent medical interventions.

Why it matters

This case highlights growing concerns that the 'gender-affirming' model of care, pushed by radical activists, is leading to disastrous consequences for some vulnerable youth who are struggling with their identity. Critics argue this approach fails to properly address underlying mental health issues and instead encourages permanent physical changes that can worsen a child's condition.

The details

The editorial argues that in every other scenario where a young person believes something is wrong with their healthy body, responsible adults counsel the child to align their perceptions with physical reality. However, for gender dysphoria, the 'experts' have told kids that their problems can be solved by 'social transition' and medical interventions. This has created an entire industry sustaining the belief that a boy who says he is a girl is a girl, and anyone who questions this is 'ignorant' or a 'deadly enemy'. The editorial warns that taking an unstable teen boy, giving him powerful hormones, and telling him society hates him is a 'recipe for disaster' that can lead to unpredictable and dangerous behavior, as seen in recent school shootings by trans individuals.

  • The editorial was published on February 13, 2026.

The players

Jesse Van Rootselaar

A Canadian school shooter whose case is cited as an example of the dangers of the 'gender-affirming' care approach.

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What they’re saying

“Affirming something that (in all but a tiny fraction of cases) is only a passing confusion is awful even when it doesn't come with life-changing hormone therapy and/or surgery.”

— Post Editorial Board (nypost.com)

“Taking an unstable teen boy, giving him powerful hormones and telling him that the entire structure of history, society and biology is allied against him is a recipe for disaster.”

— Post Editorial Board (nypost.com)

What’s next

The editorial calls for an end to the 'gender-affirming' care approach, arguing that it is harming vulnerable children and contributing to tragic outcomes. It suggests a return to treating gender confusion as a mental health issue that requires appropriate counseling, not permanent medical interventions.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing concerns that the 'gender-affirming' model of care, pushed by radical activists, is leading to disastrous consequences for some vulnerable youth who are struggling with their identity. Critics argue this approach fails to properly address underlying mental health issues and instead encourages permanent physical changes that can worsen a child's condition.