The trans community, particularly trans youth, have long been the political punching bag for the fascistic right. Trump willingly feeds their transphobic fervor. On Jan. 28, along with a host of other horrific decrees, the Orange One declared an end to all gender-affirming care for minors, defined as those under 19.
With a history of fighting for every civil right, the trans community stepped up the organizing. When Seattle Children’s Hospital, which boasts of their gender-affirming care program, hit the pause button on all care provided, the reaction was swift.
Trans youth, healthcare workers, and community allies jumped into action. They weren’t going back into the closet. Twenty-something Iris credits gender-affirming care with saving her life. She said, “Gender dysphoria is not fun to deal with. It causes anxiety and depression. It is not something anyone should have to go through.
“A line that trans teens get a lot when [the right] is trying to deny trans kids gender-affirming care is ‘they are too young to know stuff like that.’ And that’s not true. People can find out they are trans or gender non-conforming at any age.
“I have a friend who didn’t figure it out … until they were 50. And there are also kids who know they are trans at 3 years old. They may not have the language but they know they are not the gender they were assigned.”
What’s clear is that surgery, like that done at Seattle Children’s Hospital, saves lives. And families with trans members know it. A former employee of the unit told this author that she was often astounded how parents, regardless of political or religious affiliation, would be looking for ways to understand and assist their children. This is what the hospital administrators put on hold when they refused to stand up for trans healthcare.
A multi-pronged fightback
Since early January, there have been multiple actions to pressure Seattle Children’s Hospital to reverse course. The Healthcare Union UFCW Local 3000 gathered over 2,000 signatures on an open letter demanding an immediate reversal of the decision to postpone gender-affirming surgeries so that healthcare workers can continue to do their jobs and provide the world-class patient care that every child deserves.
This kind of reaction isn’t just happening in Seattle. In other states like Colorado and Virginia, protests have been loud and proud. And one can only assume it has helped the courts do the right thing. In late February, a federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order on gender-affirming care. The ruling affects Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington until the case is resolved. A win, for now.
Hospitals across the U.S. did an immediate turnabout. Seattle Children’s Hospital, Denver Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado resumed gender-affirming care, as did Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.
This battle can’t be left to the courts, however. There needs to be ongoing pressure and organizing, like the protest called by Healthcare Workers for Trans Youth on March 2 in Seattle. Despite the cold, it was a spirited affair with over 1,500 folks of all ages marching.
Event participant Justin was happy with the turnout, saying people have to “fight back because if we don’t they’ll [Trump and his associates] get the message that they can just run roughshod right over us. … As much as it takes a lot of energy and a lot of work, I think that we gotta show that we are going to put up resistance.”
As Iris, quoted earlier, enthused, it’s going to take “solidarity and unity … and not just the people who are affected, but our allies and people who may not be affected by this but are by other things that the administration is doing.”
Yes, that is exactly what is needed.
Petry is a leader in Radical Women, a queer activist, and a staunch defender of trans rights. Send your comments to RW.seattle@radicalwomen.org.
