A teenager in Illinois had their chest surgery stopped last week after President Donald Trump signed an order to stop gender-affirming care for minors, according to the teenager’s mother in a court document filed on Wednesday.
Last week, Trump signed an order that requires federal agencies to make sure that places like hospitals, which get government research money, stop providing gender-affirming care to anyone under 19 years old. The order directed the head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to take steps, possibly affecting Medicaid and other programs, to stop gender-affirming care for those under 19 years old.
The executive order aims to stop gender-affirming care, which includes treatments like puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgery.
The executive order has caused misunderstanding among hospitals and providers of gender-affirming care nationwide, leading some hospitals and clinics to stop offering this type of care. On Wednesday, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with attorneys general from 14 other states, announced that they will support gender-affirming care. They stated that government funds are still available for institutions that offer gender-affirming care, even with the executive order. Illinois and other states will take legal steps if that funding is stopped.
The Illinois mother said her son has already been affected by the order. A woman called Jane Doe 2 in court papers says her 17-year-old son was sent to UI Health for chest surgery. They had a consultation in October, but the surgery was stopped a day after a new executive order was announced. She shared her family’s story in a statement that was submitted on Wednesday as part of a request for a temporary restraining order in a case in federal court in Maryland against Trump’s executive order. PFLAG, GLMA, and transgender young adults and their families have filed a lawsuit. They claim that Trump’s executive order takes power away from Congress and breaks federal laws that protect against discrimination based on sex in health care programs that get government funding.
“The surgeon called to tell me that, because the hospital was worried about losing millions of dollars in funding, the hospital would not allow them to proceed with my son’s surgery later that month,” she said in her declaration. “We had a really tough few days at home.” My son was really upset, and I had to keep a close eye on him to make sure he didn’t hurt himself out of sadness.
In answer to a question from the Tribune about the cancellation, UI Health said on Wednesday afternoon: “UI Health is dedicated to offering inclusive care to our community.” We still offer care that supports our patients’ gender needs, as required by law.
The woman says in her statement that her son was born female, but he has shown from a young age that he identifies as a boy. She said he informed his parents that he was transgender right before starting seventh grade and was diagnosed with gender confusion. He has been seeing a therapist for five years, took medicine to stop puberty, and started taking testosterone when he was 14.
“After being on testosterone for about three years, John is becoming the young man he is meant to be,” she said in the statement. “The part of his body that is still causing him problems is his chest.”
She wrote that her son’s surgery was planned for the end of January, but it was canceled.
“As his mother, I just want what is best for my son,” she said in the statement. “As he goes through his journey, I always ask myself, ‘What will this choice mean in ten years?'” The medical care my son has gotten has helped him live his life and become his true self.
On Wednesday, it was not clear if other hospitals or clinics in Illinois had also canceled gender-affirming care.
A Rush representative stated that the hospital is still offering gender-affirming care for children. Lurie Children’s Hospital said on Wednesday that it is happy to offer complete healthcare for families in a safe and welcoming environment that meets children’s growth needs. We are looking at the latest Executive Orders about gender care to see how they might affect the services we provide to our patients and their families.
Howard Brown Health, a healthcare provider in Chicago that helps low-income patients and focuses on LGBTQ+ care, stated on Tuesday: “This order doesn’t affect our work right now, and we will keep track of any changes while collaborating with our partners.” We are still offering gender-affirming care to all our patients and are dedicated to improving the health of trans and gender-diverse groups.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois happily provides gender-affirming care to patients aged 16 and older at their health centers and through telehealth, according to Tonya Tucker, the interim president and CEO of the organization.
It’s understandable why the executive order scared some healthcare providers into ceasing gender-affirming care for children, said Nora Huppert, a staff attorney for Lambda Legal in Chicago. Lambda Legal and the ACLU are groups that have filed a lawsuit in federal court in Maryland for the plaintiffs who are contesting the executive order. Huppert said that the possibility of losing federal funds is a big concern.
Huppert said, “It’s expected that a threat like this would create fear and lead to a reaction.” “As a country that supports transgender people, we need to fight against fear and not let it lead us to make hasty decisions.”
Aisha N. Davis, senior policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said the executive orders have been confusing but, “In Illinois, we’re hopeful that our providers are going to keep providing this very life-saving care and rely on the fact that Illinois law is still good law.”
“Our state has worked hard to protect transgender people, including young transgender individuals,” Davis said.
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