Two prominent California medical centers, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Stanford Medicine, are significantly curtailing their gender-affirming care services for transgender and gender-diverse youth. This move, influenced by pressure from the Trump administration, has sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community in a state that has historically been a haven for transgender rights.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has closed its Center for Transyouth Health and Development, one of the oldest and largest such centers in the nation. Stanford Medicine has also paused surgical procedures, including puberty-blocking implant procedures, for individuals under 19.
These actions are not isolated to California. Several other hospitals in Democratic-led cities and states have made similar decisions. UChicago Medicine announced it would cease all gender transition care for children, while the Rush University System for Health has suspended hormone treatment for patients under 18. Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C. will also stop prescribing puberty blockers at the end of August.
Officials from the Trump administration are reported to have exerted pressure by threatening to cut federal funding for hospitals and demanding access to confidential patient medical records. While lawsuits have partially blocked some of President Trump’s executive orders, the administration continues to seek ways to pressure healthcare facilities.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, a strong proponent of LGBTQ+ rights, faces criticism from families and activists for what they perceive as yielding to federal pressure. Families are now scrambling to find alternative treatment options, with some even considering relocating to other countries.
Medical professionals and families emphasize that gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormones, and surgery, is crucial and potentially life-saving for transgender youth. However, there are also differing opinions regarding whether adolescents are mature enough to make such potentially life-altering medical decisions.
According to The New York Times, these developments signal a shift in how gender-affirming care for transgender youth is being approached, even in places considered sanctuaries for the community’s rights.
