President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to terminate federal backing for medical procedures aimed at altering sex or gender in individuals under 19 years old. The order prohibits surgical interventions, puberty blockers, and sex hormones for minors seeking gender-affirming care.
The directive emphasizes that the United States will not fund or support the transition of a child from one sex to another. It instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to cease gender-affirming care for minors, potentially impacting Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.
Gender-affirming care involves medical and surgical interventions but is typically reserved for adults. International guidelines recommend against medical or surgical intervention for transgender children before puberty. The practice aims to help individuals transition to their affirmed gender identity through counseling and medical support.
Major medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, endorse gender-affirming care as clinically appropriate and life-saving for children and adults. However, the executive order criticizes the practice, alleging harm to children through irreversible medical interventions.
The order directs federal agencies to withdraw policies based on the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) guidelines, considered the gold standard in this field. It also mandates the exclusion of gender-affirming care coverage for minors from federal employee and military health benefit plans.
Twenty-six states have implemented bans on gender-affirming health care for transgender youth. Last year, a controversial research review in the UK questioned the use of puberty-delaying medications, prompting providers to reconsider their approach.
The executive order also tasks the Department of Justice with investigating states that protect access to gender-affirming procedures and reviewing legal codes related to female genital mutilation on minors.
