Chicagoans are fighting back against attempts to restrict gender-affirming health care for youth under 19 following one of President Donald Trump’s anti-trans executive orders.
Trump issued the executive order on Jan. 28 mandating that the U.S. “will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another.” The federal government will also “rigorously” enforce all laws banning or limiting such health care for youth, according to the executive order.
Since then, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, which houses one of Chicago’s largest youth gender development clinics, announced it has paused gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 to comply with the order.
“As part of our comprehensive review of the executive order, we have made the difficult decision to pause gender care surgeries within the gender care program for all patients under the age of 19 as we work to understand the rapidly evolving environment,” Lurie’s spokespeople said in an emailed statement. “At this time, we are continuing to provide other care and treatment plans for the program’s patients as we monitor further developments on this issue.”
For now, Lurie will continue offering hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers used to delay certain developmental changes to a person’s body.
Equality Illinois, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ rights organization, blasted Lurie’s decision to pause its gender-affirming surgeries for transgender youth. The organization had reached out to Lurie multiple times to discuss the changes in its care, but never got a response.
“Not only may this decision represent a failure to provide medically appropriate care to its patients, but we are also exploring whether Lurie Children’s may be in violation of the law by potentially denying care to trans patients,” Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, said. “Gender-affirming care is essential, evidence-based, and life-saving, and any rollback of such services puts vulnerable youth at risk.”
A protest against these changes at Lurie is planned for 1 p.m. Feb. 15 at Seneca Park, which is outside Lurie’s Downtown campus at 206 E. Superior St. More information is available here.
Lurie is not the only Chicago hospital to be criticized for its response to Trump’s executive order. UI Health, which also offers gender-affirming care to youth, has been sued by a parent whose transgender teen’s chest surgery was allegedly canceled due to concerns about the hospital losing funding under the executive order.
The lawsuit was filed by PFLAG, the ACLU and other advocacy groups, and alleges a 17-year-old boy’s chest surgery was canceled a day after Trump’s order was issued. The boy had been already receiving gender-affirming care for three years.
“My son was devastated, and I had to watch my son carefully to make sure he wouldn’t hurt himself in despair,” the boy’s mother said in the lawsuit. “The medical care that my son has received so far has allowed him to live his life and become who he knows himself to be, who he is supposed to be.”
The lawsuit was met with a Feb. 6 protest outside UI Health, where demonstrators spoke on the life-saving benefits of gender-affirming health care for transgender people.
“Transgender youth are some of the most vulnerable in our society due to the lack of systemic care that would allow them to thrive,” said Yazmine Dukan, a steward for SEIU Local 73 who works at UIC. “Studies have shown that gender-affirming care is life-saving, reducing depression and suicidality and improving mental health.”
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward) criticized UI Health for allegedly complying with Trump’s executive order “before this has any legal recourse.”
“It is truly shameful that we have the University of Illinois complying with a dictator that has no power to take away the rights that have been gained by people—by our trans community with blood, tears and suffering,” Sigcho-Lopez said.
UI Health has since put out a statement that it’s “committed to providing inclusive care to our community” and that it will “continue to provide gender-affirming care to our patients in accordance with the law.”
The hospital’s spokespeople did not answer questions directly about the lawsuit.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has also vowed to protect access to gender-affirming care in the state.
“Gender-affirming care is essential, lifesaving medical treatment that supports individuals in living as their authentic selves,” Raoul said in a statement.
Illinois’ Human Rights Act requires health care providers to offer medical care to all residents and prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex, including gender identity, Raoul said.
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (14th District), who chairs the state’s House Dobbs Working Group, praised Raoul’s commitment to standing by the transgender community in a statement released Feb. 6.
“His statement provides critical reassurance to patients, families and providers who are understandably frightened and confused as we’ve seen facilities around the country comply in advance with these outrageous orders without a fight,” Cassidy said. “It’s a clear message that at this point, the words in that [executive order] are simply just that.”
