A major Chicago children’s hospital has halted so-called “gender-affirming surgeries” for minors following an Executive Order from President Donald Trump, sparking debate over transgender healthcare policies.
At a Glance
- Lurie Children’s Hospital pauses gender surgeries for patients under 19
- Trump’s Executive Order threatens to cut federal funding for such procedures
- Hospital to continue providing hormone therapy and puberty blockers
- Decision aligns with similar pauses in other states following the order
- Legal challenges arise from families of transgender youth
Trump’s Executive Order Reshapes Transgender Care
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago has announced a pause on so-called gender-care surgeries for patients under 19 years old. This decision comes in response to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump, titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation.” The order threatens to cut federal funding from providers offering gender transition care for minors, significantly impacting hospitals nationwide.
Lurie Children’s Hospital, a major center for complex pediatric care with a longstanding gender-affirming program, relies heavily on government funding. The hospital reported a $45 million operating loss in 2024, making the potential loss of federal support a significant concern. More than half of Lurie’s pediatric patients are low-income and covered by Medicaid, further highlighting the impact of this decision on vulnerable populations.
This is a start but we won’t stop until they draft policy rejecting “gender affirming care” and any practices involving puberty blockers, sterilization, and mutilation.
Regardless of how they cleverly try to code this abuse as “endocrine” or otherwise. https://t.co/2ZPGiSkO43
— Awake Illinois (@Awake_IL) February 8, 2025
So not only were children being harmed, but you were paying for it with your taxes…
Despite the pause on surgeries, Lurie will continue to provide hormone therapy and puberty blockers. So, unfortunately, it’s not a full victory for children just yet. Puberty blockers can cause irreversible damage in children.
The hospital has also committed to assisting patients in finding other facilities for surgeries – so parents who are desperate to harm their kids can send them to different hospitals if they so wish.
The Executive Order has led to similar pauses in gender-affirming surgeries in other states, too, including California and Colorado. Over two dozen states have restricted access to gender surgeries, affecting nearly 40% of “transgender youth” in the United States. The order mandates that federal research and education grants should not support institutions that perform these procedures on children.
