Stanford became one of the first major health care providers in California to limit transgender care in June, along with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Kaiser Permanente. The three health care providers cited efforts by the Trump administration to restrict gender-affirming care in their decisions.
In January, the President signed Executive Order 14187 titled, “Protecting Children From Chemical And Surgical Mutilation.” The order directed federal agencies to prohibit hospitals and medical schools that receive federal grants from providing gender-affirming care to youth. It was blocked by a federal judge in March.
In June, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law prohibiting gender transition care such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries for minors.
Stanford Medicine paused all gender-affirming surgeries for patients younger than 19, beginning June 2.
The gender-affirming surgery program, housed within the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, provides care to the gender diverse community as part of Stanford’s larger LGBTQ+ health program. Through collaborations with specialties spanning mental health, endocrinology, primary care, urology, voice therapy and surgery, the program offers procedures including face, chest, body contouring, genital surgeries and more.
In an email to The Daily, Senior Manager of Media Relations for Stanford Medicine and Stanford Health Care, Lisa Kim, wrote that the step was a difficult decision, made “after careful review of the latest actions and directives from the federal government and following consultations with clinical leadership” and to protect both providers and patients.
“We remain committed to providing high-quality, thorough, and compassionate medical services. This includes supporting our gender-affirming care program in compliance with federal and state laws and regulations,” Kim wrote.
Stanford Medicine’s gender clinic remains open for a range of medical, social, and mental health support. Stanford Medicine also continues to host The PRIDE Study, the LGBTQ+ Health Program and the Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles closed its Center for Transyouth Health and Development and Gender-Affirming Care surgical program on July 22, as reported by ABC7’s Eyewitness News in June.
Kaiser Permanente will pause gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 beginning Aug. 29, according to a CalMatters report. All other gender-affirming care treatment remains available.
On July 9, the Department of Justice issued more than 20 subpoenas to doctors and clinics that perform transgender medical procedures on children.
During the past month, protesters have rallied against the scaling back of gender-affirming care in California in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a multistate coalition, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Friday over its “efforts to restrict access to healthcare for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary youth.”
In a press conference, Bonta said: “Trump, Bondi and their allies have undermined trained medical professionals, trampled over states’ rights, overstepped their constitutional authority and have endangered vulnerable minors and 18-year-old adults.”
Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts, Illinois and Connecticut — who are leading the lawsuit — as well as attorneys general of Delaware, Hawai’i, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also joins.
“Today’s lawsuit aims to address the root cause of this problem and hold the Trump administration accountable, ensuring that we continue to safeguard and uphold the healthcare rights and freedoms of our transgender community,” Bonta said at the press conference.