Children’s Hospital L.A. stops initiating hormonal therapy for transgender patients under 19

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has taken a proactive step in prioritising the well-being and safety of its patients by pausing the initiation of hormonal therapy for those under 19 seeking gender-affirming care. This decision allows the hospital to thoroughly assess the potential impact of last week’s executive order from President Trump, ensuring that it continues to provide the highest standard of care in a thoughtful and responsible manner.
President Trump issued an executive order seeking to ban the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapies, and other medical procedures for transgender individuals under the age of 19. The directive stated that the U.S. would no longer provide funding or support for what he described as the “transition” of minors from one gender to another. Trump has previously referred to these medical treatments as “chemical and surgical mutilation.”
Many of the major changes proposed by Trump, such as rewriting the rules for Medicare and Medicaid, which are crucial for hospital funding, need to go through the formal rulemaking process which some pro-gender affirming groups claim would take time to fully implement. However, some U.S. hospitals and clinics have halted services for transgender clients. The Trump administration pointed out that healthcare systems in states like Colorado and Virginia have suspended or cancelled these services. Meanwhile in New York, the state attorney general recently warned hospitals that ceasing such care could violate state law.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have expressed their intention to challenge recent initiatives aimed at restricting access to gender-affirming care. On Tuesday, families of transgender youth, supported by civil rights organizations and several law firms, filed a lawsuit seeking to block the executive order. In their legal petition, the plaintiffs contend that the executive actions issued by President Trump infringe upon the rights of transgender youth by denying them critical medical care based on their sex and gender identity.
The plaintiffs claim is unsound , as the measures introduced by the Trump administration were intended to safeguard the safety and well-being of minors regardless of their gender. It’s important to acknowledge that young people, regardless of gender, often undergo an evolution in their preferences and identities as they mature and encounter a wider array of perspectives. Executive orders such as these aim to protect minors from potential harm, including procedures that could have long-term consequences, and offer a safeguard against decisions that may be influenced by external pressures or a lack of fully developed emotional and cognitive maturity.