Michigan Democrat awkwardly pivots to circumcision during heated Fox News debate on child sex changes

Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Dr.

Abdul El-Sayed addressed questions about sex changes for minors and transgender athletes in women’s sports during a tense exchange on Fox News Monday night.

Speaking on "Jesse Watters Primetime," the progressive candidate and former Detroit Health Department director initially avoided giving direct answers on the issues.

"Sex changes for minors.

Do you support that?" asked host Jesse Watters Monday.

HHS OFFICIAL WARNS OF IRREVERSIBLE RISKS AS TRUMP ADMIN RESTRICTS FUNDING FOR YOUTH GENDER PROCEDURES El-Sayed referenced "great conversations" about right-to-try legislation and said he believes the government should not limit the healthcare a person is allowed to receive.

"I just think the government shouldn't tell you what kind of healthcare you should have and if you're a minor, it's between you and your doctor and your parents," El-Sayed said.

FTC ALLEGES INFLUENTIAL TRANSGENDER HEALTH ORGANIZATION MISLED PARENTS ABOUT SAFETY OF YOUTH TREATMENTS "If you disagree that healthcare decisions need to be made by a doctor, their parents and a patient, then I just think we agree to disagree.

But you know, you want to put government inside a clinic or a hospital selectively," he added.

Watters then asked El-Sayed if he supported cutting off the genitalia of minors.

El-Sayed responded by raising circumcision as another example involving parental consent in medical care for children, asking Watters if he himself is circumcised.

"I mean, so do you really want to have this conversation? Are you circumcised?" El-Sayed asked.

"I think it’s a problem that you think that you get to decide what happens between a parent, a doctor and a patient.

And I'm just saying that, yes, circumcision is surgery on a kid's ding-a-ling.