Top California leaders respond to gender affirming care pause

Following Trump’s executive order, healthcare facilities like the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles have paused the initiation of gender-affirming treatments and St. John’s Community Health is unable to access the rest of a $4 million dollar grant to continue providing services for trans and nonbinary people. 

The Children’s Hospital of LA has been known as a refuge from discrimination in a country that has set forth many restrictions for trans healthcare and other barriers for equitable access to life-saving services. 

Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez (CD-13) released a statement regarding their move to pause surgeries and hormone replacement therapy. 

“In Los Angeles, we won’t abandon our most vulnerable communities when they need us most. Instead of caving to Trump’s threats, we must come together, mobilize resources, and ensure every child continues to receive the care they need,” said Soto-Martinez. “We urge Children’s Hospital LA to take a stand against these hateful and illegal policies – and work with the city to ensure this critical care can continue.”

St. John’s was the first healthcare provider which reported service impacts as a result of Trump’s executive orders. On Monday, they reported that the CDC terminated a federal grant that started in 2022 through the CDC’s HIV prevention program. The grant allowed St. John’s to operate a program for transgender adults that included life-saving resources like health education, substance abuse treatment, food stamps, HIV testing and connections for social service programs. 

St. John's released a statement regarding the loss of funding, stating that they believe the revocation of the fund is in direct violation of both the law and the court of order which restored federal funding after the temporary freeze.

Other top leaders in California have also responded, reminding California hospitals and federally-funded healthcare providers that they have an ongoing obligation under California’s anti-discrimination laws to continue providing care. 

California leaders support transgender youth to live as their authentic selves and they have issued reminders and notices of the state’s obligation to continue supporting patients. 

“We will not let the President turn back the clock or deter us from upholding California values. I understand that the President’s executive order on gender affirming care has created some confusion,” said Att. General Bonta in a statement. “Let me be clear: California law has not changed, and hospitals and clinics have a legal obligation to provide equal access to healthcare services.”

Attorney General Bonta joined 14 other Democratic General Attorneys nationwide in defense of trans youth. Late January, Att. General Bonta and 22 other state attorneys general filed suit in federal district court to halt the federal government’s illegal efforts to freeze $3 trillion in vital federal funding. 

Councilmember Ysabel Jurado stepped in to say that she stands with trans, gender diverse and intersex patients who rely on these life-saving resources.

“Everyone deserves the chance to be their most authentic selves free of persecution. Gender-affirming care is health care. To those who have had their healthcare disrupted: I stand with you. I see you. I will fight for you,” said Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, CD-14. 

If Trump were to cut federal funding to all organizations and agencies that provide gender-affirming care and promote ‘gender ideology’ as his executive order puts it, then over 220,000 trans, gender nonconforming and intersex adults in California alone are at risk of losing access to gender-affirming care and having to engage in legal battles to obtain life-saving treatments.