Following the passage of SB 107 in 2022, California became the first sanctuary state for trans youth healthcare. Now, it is encountering a tsunami of backlash that threatens the rights and lives of its trans residents. These trends led to the closure of the Center for Transyouth Health and Development at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). As a result, close to 3,000 patients are left in the lurch, scurrying to replace basic, vital healthcare services. The U.S. Justice Department and the federal Department of Education recently intervened to force California’s schools to deny trans female athletes the right to compete. This last-minute change has drawn outrage and alarm from public interest groups.
The federal government’s position has sparked outrage from trans youth and their families. This reaction was only compounded after former President Donald Trump first made headlining and personal attacks against a 16-year-old trans track runner. Many are now contemplating leaving California or even the United States to secure necessary medical care amid rising fears and uncertainties about their rights.
The Impact of CHLA’s Closure
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, one of the primary shoreline providers of critical healthcare services for trans youth, was put under wild coercion by federal agents. Ultimately, the hospital had to take the painful step of closing its Center for Transyouth Health and Development to prevent funding reductions. This community center was a lifeline for at-risk youth such as Eli. For three years, Eli got counseling and gender-affirming hormone therapy from there.
“CHLA saved my life, just like they saved my brother,” – Sage Sol Pitchenik
This unexpected closure has left thousands of young leaders with an unclear future when it comes to their health care. In a statement, hospital officials called the decision “profoundly difficult.” Yet this moment illuminated the sad reality that trans youth were seen as disposable under a system designed to protect them.
Katie, a 16-year-old trans girl with aspirations of becoming a television writer, expressed her frustration over the cuts to services. Having previously used both puberty blockers and hormones, she expressed her disappointment at being forced out of her native state.
“How dare you try to drive me out of the place where I was born, where my best friends are, where the job I want to do is, where I’ve experienced my whole life? This is my home,” – Katie
Federal Pressures and State Response
These recent actions by the U.S. Justice Department and the new Secretary of Education have not fallen on deaf ears in California. Advocacy groups and lawmakers are increasingly and successfully fighting back against federal efforts to infringe on trans youth’s rights. A spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized that while CHLA’s closure is concerning, the fundamental right to care remains legal in the state.
“The bottom line is: this care remains legal in California … While we are concerned with the recent decisions by CHLA, right now we are focused on getting to the source of this problem – and that’s the Trump administration’s unlawful and harmful threats to providers,” – A spokesperson for Rob Bonta
The federal government’s claims regarding “unproven, irreversible child mutilation procedures” have been criticized as an attempt to intimidate healthcare providers into denying necessary care. Federal officials are working to maximize their agenda. In response, local advocates have mobilized weekly protests outside CHLA to force management to rescind these punitive policies.
“We can’t be quiet any more. We’ve been polite for too long and taken so much bullshit from people who hate us,” – Sage
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom was recently pilloried for his defense of keeping trans girls out of girls’ sports. His proposal that their inclusion would be “deeply unfair” has led to an outcry and protests from families impacted by the rule. His spokesperson went to war to prevent him from being critiqued publicly. They called on citizens to reach past state politics to understand the broader forces at work.
“Everyone wants to blame Gavin Newsom for everything. But instead of indulging in Newsom-derangement syndrome, maybe folks should look to Washington,” – Izzy Gardon
A Community at Risk
The panic and stigma now creeping across the nation regarding care for trans youth have forced many families to take extreme steps. Parents draw on their experiences to indicate their deep concern about what losing access to basic health care services would mean for their children. One LA mom of a trans kid expressed this feeling beautifully.
“Treating our kids as disposable,” – An LA mother of a trans child
As families struggle with these realities, talks of escaping California to find better opportunities — and better care — are more frequent than ever. In reality, for many, simply fighting through a not-so-hidden hostile system proves to be an emotional drain. This fight impacts their day-to-day existence tremendously.
The Puyallup Tribe resident wrote a very personal story about her life’s journey and struggle with her identity and self-acceptance during this pandemic.
“Every day, I couldn’t even get up because I just didn’t want to see myself, not even my reflection in the window. I was so terrified to look at my body,” – Sage Sol Pitchenik
As California finds itself at a crossroads regarding trans youth rights and healthcare access, advocates remain vigilant in their fight for equality and acceptance against a backdrop of growing hostility from federal authorities.