Before a federal court last month, whistleblower and surgeon Eithan Haim pleaded not guilty to leaking medical documents. The documents proved that Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston was continuing to offer so-called “gender transition” interventions for minors, despite having publicly announced it was discontinuing such services.

The hospital’s announcement followed the Texas Attorney General’s opinion indicating that what is called “gender-affirming care” could count as child abuse under state law.

Federal prosecutors claim that Haim leaked the documents to conservative activist Christopher Rufo with “intent to cause malicious harm” to Texas Children’s Hospital. But of course, the much greater harm is the hospital’s decision to practice these experimental treatments on children and then to lie about it. It’s now clear that puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgical interventions cause permanent and irreversible damage to children’s bodies and futures.

Haim is a hero, and the courts should recognize him as such.