Vivent Health Denounces Executive Order Denying Gender Affirming Care
Vivent Health denounces the Trump administration’s recent executive order directing federal agencies to create barriers to gender affirming care for trans and nonbinary people. This discriminatory order is rooted in dehumanizing myths and will reduce access to essential, evidence-based care and services – including essential HIV prevention, care and treatment services – for people who need them most.
“Despite what anti-trans extremists say, the scientific data is clear that gender affirming care is safe and vital to the well-being of gender diverse people— and that post- transition regret is extremely rare,” said Brandon Hill, PhD, President and CEO of Vivent Health. “Institutional actions like this from one of our country’s highest Offices makes trans and non-binary Americans – regardless of their age – devalued and pushes them away from the care they need, including HIV care and prevention, to live their healthiest lives. It is deeply shameful that the White House is weaponizing the federal government to further their own political agenda and deny lifesaving care to vulnerable young people.”
The order, which was released on January 28th, directs federal agencies to reject peer-reviewed clinical standards and make hospitals and medical schools ineligible for research funds if they provide gender affirming care for trans minors and 18-year-old adults. The Department of Health and Human Services is also instructed to withdraw current protections for gender affirming care and issue new rules to restrict access or coverage of these services. In addition, gender affirming care for trans youth under age 19 will no longer be covered by military or federal employee health plans, and the Department of Justice is instructed to investigate gender affirming care as “child endangerment.”
These attacks endanger trans and nonbinary people and worsen health disparities among LGBTQ+ communities, including HIV-related and mental health outcomes, including HIV infection and suicide risk. We call on the White House to rescind this cruel and inhumane executive order and instead focus on the real health and social issues impacting our nation.