Trump Signs An Order To Ban Transgender Medical Treatments For Children!

Trump’s new order bans gender-affirming care for minors is sparking outrage and legal battles.
By Kushani Gunathilaka
January 30, 2025
1:49 GMT-0830
Trump Signs An Order To Ban Transgender Medical Treatments For Children!

President Trump has signed an executive order that bans gender-affirming medical treatments for children and teenagers under the age of 19. The order, signed on Tuesday, prohibits the federal government from funding, promoting, or assisting in medical procedures such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and gender-affirming surgeries for minors.

This decision follows a series of executive actions targeting transgender rights. It includes last week’s order defining legal sex as strictly male or female.

The new directive frames gender-affirming care as a practice that leads to financial burdens and potential regret for individuals who transition as minors. According to the order, the government will no longer support medical treatments that “permanently alter a child’s body and may impact their ability to conceive.”

The administration argues that minors lack the maturity to make life-altering medical decisions. It also suggests that medical professionals have been too quick to recommend treatments without fully considering long-term consequences.

The executive order is expected to have a widespread impact on transgender youth and their families. Especially, those relying on federal health programs. Medicaid, Medicare, and health benefits for federal employees and U.S. Postal Service workers will no longer cover gender-affirming care for minors.

Additionally, hospitals and medical institutions receiving federal grants must halt these treatments. The order extends to research funding, limiting studies on transgender health and medical advancements in the field.

LGBTQ+ advocacy and civil rights groups have strongly opposed the measure. They argue that it strips away essential healthcare protections and targets a vulnerable group.

“In seeking to deny transgender youth the medically sound and well-established health care that they need, this administration could put thousands of vulnerable young lives at risk.”

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel for Lambda Legal.

The Human Rights Campaign also condemned the decision, emphasizing that it interferes with personal medical decisions. HRC President Kelley Robinson stated, “This executive order is a brazen attempt to put politicians in between people and their doctors, preventing them from accessing evidence-based healthcare.”

Medical professionals and major health organizations have consistently supported gender-affirming care as medically necessary. American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association are some of such institutions.

Image source: PBS

Research indicates that puberty blockers and hormone therapy can significantly reduce depression and suicide risk among transgender youth. The order contradicts this medical consensus. It leads to concerns that trans youth may face higher mental health challenges without access to appropriate care.

Trump’s administration has also instructed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reassess research on gender dysphoria in children. The recommendations are to be handed over within 90 days. Federal and state attorneys general are directed to expand enforcement against “female genital mutilation.” It suggests a broader crackdown on certain medical procedures. Additionally, agency leaders have 60 days to submit reports on their compliance with the order.

Image source: NPR

As the debate over transgender rights intensifies, this order signals a shift in federal policy that could reshape healthcare access for transgender youth across the U.S. With legal challenges from advocacy groups expected, the long-term impact remains uncertain.

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