Camille is a detransitioner who is taking action to ensure other young women do not suffer the same professional malpractice she experienced
Camille Kiefel grew up hating her female body after experiencing a traumatic event in childhood. She started identifying as “non-binary” in college. When two counselors signed off on a double mastectomy to “affirm a non-binary gender identity,” Camille was left with a series of painful lifelong complications and the growing realization that she was not non-binary after all. Now, she is suing the two counselors who signed off on this unnecessary procedure for failing to uphold their basic duty of care. Camille is raising money to support the legal expenses for her case, as well as other personal expenses that she has incurred due to her bravery in speaking out on this issue.
About the Lawsuit
Camille Kiefel (32) alleges that Multnomah county mental health professionals engaged in medical malpractice by supporting her “non-binary gender affirmation” surgery.
The defendants, Amy Ruff, LCSW of Brave Space, LLC and Mara Burmeister, LPC, of Quest Center for Integrative Health are accused of knowingly making false statements in letters of referral they submitted in favor of the double mastectomy, and engaging in violations of professional codes of conduct which resulted in harm to Kiefel. Both providers only spoke to Kiefel once before writing a letter of referral, which were required to deem the procedure “medically necessary” by Medicaid, who paid for the procedure.
The lawsuit alleges that Camille suffered, and continues to suffer, severe emotional stress in addition to painful physical side effects as the result of the unnecessary surgery.
Camille, who no longer identifies as non-binary, experienced trauma as a child which led to her hating her female body. Seeking to distance herself from womanhood, she adopted a “non-binary” gender identity. Camille has a long history of mental illness and, at the time, had been unsuccessful in treating them through traditional therapy or medication. The lawsuit alleges that her counselors should have known this and failed to provide this relevant information in their referral.
The goal of the lawsuit is to hold these mental health practitioners to account for failing their duty of care to a patient in crisis. We also hope that this case will create a precedent, helping to ensure other young women and girls like Camille are protected and discouraging professionals from continuing their pattern of failure.
How funds will be used
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Kiefel is being represented by Jackson Bone LLP. Jackson Bone LLP provides impact litigation, policy consultation, legal advice, lobbying, and cross-partisan advocacy. Jackson Bone has a particular interest in protecting sex-based rights and civil liberties. Her case is being supported by the Women’s Liberation Front. The full complaint is available here.
