Los Angeles has won an important victory for trans healthcare. Children’s Hospital LA — the largest clinic treating transgender youth in the country and a leader in trans clinical research — has walked back its decision to deny gender affirming care to minors.
Following Trump’s executive order to defund healthcare for trans youth, CHLA announced they were pausing puberty blockers, hormones, and other medical procedures for people under 19 years old. It came alongside other executive orders banning trans women in sports and declaring there are only two immutable genders.
CHLA joined hospitals in New York, Colorado, Virginia, and elsewhere in revoking trans healthcare. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago has cancelled gender-affirming surgical procedures. There is no reason to comply with Trump’s orders, especially when there is currently no law that compels them to and the order is being challenged in the courts.
“I’m upset about the fact that CHLA did this out of caution rather than necessity,” said a CHLA researcher in a different department. “Giving in so quickly on one aspect of patient care and protection won’t protect the rest, quite the opposite. It sends a very concerning message to the community.”
Trump has turned healthcare into a political football by threatening to pull federal funding from states that don’t comply with his orders. This underscores why hospitals should be run by medical workers and patients, not bureaucrats and business people.
One local mental health clinician working with LGBTQ+ people said, “I’m relieved that CHLA reversed their decision. Denying a child gender affirming care for political agendas is neglect. A child’s medical treatment should not be politicized and should be between them, their family, and their medical provider.
“Removing gender-affirming care has led to an increase in depression, anxiety, social isolation, self-harm, suicide, substance abuse, and more, which causes further negative impacts one’s health,” she added. A study by the American Medical Association found that gender affirming care for 13-20 year olds resulted in 60% lower odds of depression and 73% lower odds of suicidality.
Every week in the month since the ban, the community has rallied outside the hospital demanding the reinstatement of this lifesaving care. Nearby resident Marissa W. said she joined the first weekly protest alongside hundreds of others in the pouring rain because “it felt meaningful to come together with multiple unions and organizing groups to stand against the horrific impacts of the current administration’s war on trans people.”
CHLA claims it has walked back its decision due to California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s warning that withholding services for transgender patients could violate state law. But it was the community campaign that made this victory possible.
“I feel confident saying that there’s no way this would have happened had the community not showed up,” said local neighborhood councillor and former congressional candidate Maebe A. Girl. The trans non-binary activist is the first ever drag queen elected to US public office. “We do plan on continuing to protest until they reinstate all gender-affirming healthcare.”
CHLA’s reversal is a victory for LGBTQ+ people everywhere and the entire anti-Trump resistance. It comes alongside facilities in Michigan, New Hampshire, and Virginia resuming paused care. But we still have a long fight ahead. CHLA stopped performing gender affirming surgeries for people under 19 prior to the executive order and those services remain on pause.
New York City has seen two hastily called demonstrations, each of over 2,000 people, including young trans people, their parents and carers, seasoned queer activists, socialists, and representation from unions. Chicago has also seen demonstrations.
We still have not heard of appointments resuming in NYU Langone or Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Chicago. But, after a week of silence, the New York State Department of Health finally sent a letter to healthcare providers reminding them of their obligations not to discriminate against any patients, including trans people, in provision of care.
The size and breadth of turnout at protests across the country has shown the potential for joint organizing, and a larger united movement. Continuing pressure from patients, healthcare workers, and other activists can break the inhuman decisions of hospital bureaucrats and restore services more widely.
Clare Fester in Los Angeles
Marx21 US 