Protesters rally near Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles to care for transgender youth

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the rain outside Los Angeles Children’s Hospital on Thursday night, calling on hospitals to withdraw recent restrictions on gender-affirming care for young people.

Denied such care “violates every ethical standard we teach in medicine and nursing. It ignores decades of research, guidance from every major medical organization, and life experiences of trans people.

“We are here because we refuse to let fear and politics decide on health care.”

Following President Trump’s executive order, Los Angeles Hospital said it is suspending hormone treatments for under 19 to initiate “gender confirmation care for patients.”

“We continue to carefully evaluate the executive order to fully understand its implications,” the hospital said in a statement. “The physical and mental health, safety and well-being of all our patients remain our top priority.”

The decision comes days after Trump issued it Executive Order It aims to stop the use of adolescence blockers, hormones and other gender-affirming care for youth and direct federal officials to “take all appropriate actions to end chemical and surgical dismemberment in children.” Transgender young families have filed an attempt to stop executive orders, believing it was illegal to deprive them of health care services based on transgender identity.

Among the groups organizing Thursday night’s protests is the Democratic Socialists and Interns and Residents Committee in Los Angeles, USA, which is part of international service employees and represents resident physicians and medical researchers. Some of its members rotate at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles

“For one of the largest and most famous children’s hospitals in the country, please suspend care … it conveys the wrong message,” said Dr. Mahima Iyengar, CIR-Seiu National Secretary General. “It is sending a message, namely, health care,” said Dr. Mahima Iyengar. The decision has not been made by doctors at this time. They are made by politicians.”

During the protests, Iyengar read testimony from parents of trans children who did not want to be publicly identified to protect their children, describing how this care can help them. Protesters raised signs saying “Gender-affirm care can save lives”, “Shame you, chla!” shouted, “Protect trans children!”

Protesters rally to provide care for transgender youth outside Los Angeles Children’s Hospital on Thursday.

(Jill Connelly / Times)

It’s offensive to me to think of “My children feeling threatened, feel that their lives are irrelevant, and feel that their lives may be compromised, not just outrageous. This is offensive to me,” said parent Juan Carlos · Juan Carlos Pérez told the crowd.

Those participating in the protests on Thursday included Los Angeles City Councilman Ysabel Jurado and Hugo Soto-Martinez. Soto-Martinez’s area includes the Children’s Hospital, which he urged the facility to “oppose these hateful and illegal policies”.

Groups, including the California Family Council, celebrated the CHLA decision, which believes that medical care related to the gender transition is harmful and harmful to young people. Its vice president Greg Burt said in a statement: “It is a long-standing victory for truth, medical ethics and, above all, for those disadvantaged children who deserve real help, not for lifelong life. Experimental treatment of consequences.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that transgender youth “have access to comprehensive, gender-affirming and developing appropriate health care.”

Dr. Mahima Iyengar shared Thursday the parents of trans children, protesters outside Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

(Emily Alpert Reyes/Los Angeles Times)

In a policy statement, the college described pubertal blockers as reversible, noting that hormones have been used since the 1980s to suppress puberty if a child experiences puberty at an abnormally early stage. Some other physical changes that give treatment for testosterone or estrogen are irreversible, the policy statement said.

“Like any medication you prescribe from a doctor, you talk about risks, talk about benefits, and you make personal decisions based on the patients in front of you. Ultimately, it’s the patient’s decision at the end of the day. .. .This is a medical decision.”

According to a study of insured patients published in the Medical Journal JAMA Network Open, surgical procedures in transgender youth are “rare and almost entirely chest-related procedures.” It found that for minors, the vast majority of breast loss is for male boys, far exceeding the breasts of transgender young people.

One of the biggest threats to hospitals outlined in Trump’s gender-affirming care order is the possible changes in rules for Medicare and Medicaid, a major source of healthcare funding.

A protester held a rainbow flag while joining the rally to support gender care for transgender youth outside Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

(Jill Connelly / Times)

But LGBTQ+ advocates stress that this comprehensive change depends on federal rulemaking that has not been done yet. California. General Rob Bonta said the executive order did not provide any basis to federal agencies to fund the federal government from health care providers.

In a letter to CHLA this week, his office warned the hospital that if services are provided to other non-transgender people, they should be detained from transgender people based on their gender identity, a form of prohibited discrimination.

The hospital told the Times that this is not a hormonal treatment or adolescent blocker for non-transgender children who may prescribe for other medical purposes. As of Wednesday, Chla said it was reviewing the letter from Bonta’s office.

Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the LGBT Center in Los Angeles, said in a protester crowd Thursday night that children’s hospitals could not “hide” in Trump’s executive order.

“Just because of the orange threat, signing something on his table doesn’t mean it’s the law of the land!” Hollendoner announced cheers and applause.

Parents of trans children told The Times this week that the news attracted families in confusing and disturbing ways. Some patients who have been treated with hormones say their appointment at CHLA was suddenly cancelled and then resumed.

Linda, a parent who only asks to identify by her name to protect the child’s privacy, said her 13-year-old has been filming regularly to prevent the onset of puberty for several years.

Demonstrators gathered on Sunset Boulevard and asked Los Angeles Children’s Hospital to revoke its decision to provide gender care for transgender patients under the age of 19.

(Emily Alpert Reyes/Los Angeles Times)

A hospital staffer called this week and asked if she still wanted to order the implant, “because it costs you a lot of money and they may not insert it.”

An CHLA official said Tuesday that existing patients who have received hormone therapy will be able to continue their care process, but there is no quick clarification on which treatment will continue.

Aldo Anderson, left, Keith Anderson and Michael Chwe Rally to support gender care for trans youth outside Los Angeles Children’s Hospital.

(Jill Connelly / Times)

“It will continue to provide good mental health and social support services to our patients and their families to ensure our patients continue to receive high-quality care and optimal health,” the hospital said in a statement.

American Psychological Society. The ban against gender-affirming care is a “violation of the principles of evidence-based health care” and says that the hindering access to gender-affirming care “increases the negative risks of mental health conditions”.